Final racing canned

The International 14 World Championships have come to a close with no racing on the final day

The only people to get wet in Warnemunde today were Archie Massey and Matt Noble, after they were thrown in the water for becoming the new International 14 World Champions. Other teams just below Massey and Noble on the leaderboard were hoping the race officer would send the 90-boat fleet out for one last race, but with the westerly breeze gusting in excess of 30 knots, that was never a sensible option. After waiting in vain for the wind to abate, the last race was cancelled and the championship was complete.

So the Anglo-American Massey-Noble duo were crowned World Champions, thanks to a superlative performance in the strong winds that swept across the Baltic Sea this week, where they won three of the six races. Anglo-Australian partnership Jarrod Simpson and Grant Rollerson took second overall, just edging out Australians Dave Alexander and Cameron McDonald on countback.

With the fleet experimenting with ultra-lightweight PBO rigging in place of the customary stainless steel wire, along with developments in T-foil rudder technology and square-top mainsails, success this week was running the balance between ultimate speed and reliability. Even Massey came dangerously close to losing his grip on the championship when his new rudder gave way, forcing him to complete the week with a borrowed replacement.

For boats that measure just 14ft long and 6ft wide, the modern International 14 is capable of immense speeds, in excess of 12 knots upwind and over 20 knots downwind. The T-foil rudders enable them to be driven harder and faster downwind than more powerful skiffs, and this heady mix of technology and adrenalin is what is driving new sailors into the fleet.

Even some of Britain’s Olympic sailors tried their hand at 14 sailing for the first time this week, with Dave Evans and Simon Hiscocks gradually getting to grips with the quirks of the International 14 to finish 11th overall.

While the top places were dominated by British and Australian teams, the biggest nation in numerical terms is the fast-growing German fleet. Best of the Germans were Olly Voss and Jens Holscher who finished in 12th place. After 17 years competing in the 14, Voss was contemplating retirement into family cruising, but he has been tempted to postpone delivery of the X-99 yacht until after the next Worlds.

Warnemunde turned on a spectacular, high-thrills week of racing in strong wind and big waves. Now the fleet’s attention turns towards the next World Championship will take place on Sydney Harbour in January 2010. With the last two World titles having gone to American and British teams, the Aussies will be working hard to ensure a home victory in their famous harbour.

Results:

Pos	Helm/Crew	Nationality	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Tot
1	Archie Massey	GBR	1	7	-21	1	1	5	15,0
	Matt Noble
2	Jarrod Simpson	GBR	-12	5	5	2	6	1	19,0
	Grant Rollerson
3	Alexander Dave	AUS	5	4	-7	3	2	5,0w	19,0
	Cameron McDonald
4	Roger Blasse	AUS	2	6	6	-12	9	2	25,0
	Andrew Gilligan
5	Mike Lennon	GBR	4	9	2	4	8	(DNF)	27,0
	Andy Rice
6	Martin Jones	GBR	13	8	-16	6	4	3	34,0
	Neale Jones
7	Andy Partington	GBR	-30	1	1	15	5	14	36,0
	Tom Partington
8	Lindsay Irwin	AUS	(RAF)	2	8	19	7	4	40,0
	Andrew Perry
9	James Fawcett	GBR	7	(DNF)	4	7	10	12	40,0
	George Nurton
10	Douglas Pattison	GBR	14	3	14	5	-15	10	46,0
	Damian Ash
11	David Evans	GBR	8	13	-20	9	11	6	47,0
	Simon Hiscocks
12	Oliver Voss	GER	-16	14	12	10	12	7	55,0
	Jens Holscher
13	Mark Krstic	AUS	3	11	18	23	-29	11	66,0
	Matt Lowe
14	David Hayter	AUS	15	(DNF)	3	8	36	8	70,0
	Matt Johnstan
15	Paul Galvez	USA	10	18	17	14	16	-20	75,5
	Guillermo Leon De La Barra
16	Tom Heywood	GBR	11	12	9	31	14	-42	77,0
	Edward Clay
17	Julian Pearson	GBR	17	16	19	-26	16	17	85,5
	Nick Martin
18	Axel Reinsch	GER	21	24	15	(DNF)	22	9	91,0
	Felix Weidling
19	Katie Nurton	GBR	6	(DNF)	10	11	33	32	92,0
	Nigel Ash
20	Georg Borkenstein	GER	22	22	26	16	-32	13	99,0
	Eike Dietrich
21	Chris Turner	GBR	36	10	13	20	23	(DNF)	102,5
	Adam Ovington
22	Matt Balmer	AUS	19	20	23	-36	27	16	105,0
	Derek Layfieled
23	Stephan Heim	GER	24	17	-25	22	21	21	105,0
	Benjamin Blanasch
24	Damon Roberts	GBR	20	27	-36	27	24	22	120,0
	Alan Roberts
25	Alister Richardson	GBR	9	(DNF)	11	13	3	DSQ	123,0
	Simon Wheeler
26	Charles Duchesne	GBR	34	28	29	-40	13	19	123,0
	Henry Maxfield
27	Ron Boehm	USA	25	-32	24	17	26	31	123,0
	Pete Mohler
28	Stewart Vickery	AUS	27	15	33	-37	35	18	128,0
	Tim Withall
29	Stefan Ritsche	GER	32	(DNF)	27	18	18	34	129,0
	Dominik Entzminger
30	Carmen Bernitt	GER	28	23	-44	29	25	28	133,0
	Olli Holste
31	Bettina Möller	GER	23	31	35	25	-41	26	140,0
	Jens Kulenkampf
32	Matt Larkin	GBR	41	(DNF)	28	41	20	15	145,0
	Michael Barnes
33	Björn Frasch	GER	39	(DNF)	42	24	19	24	148,0
	Oliver Peter
34	Peter Roocks	GER	35	19	37	(DNF)	30	35	156,0
	Ole Klingner
35	Andrew Penmann	GBR	31	(DNF)	34	28	28	38	159,0
	Tim Bastow
36	Mark Schuerch	GER	36	26	32	-39	38	30	162,5
	Edda Thiessen
37	Martin Pascal	GBR	40	(DNF)	30	34	34	25	163,0
	Robin Pascal
38	Tom Smedley	GBR	45	(DNF)	39	32	31	23	170,0
	Charles Tavner
39	Kimball Morrison	GBR	-55	21	40	35	40	36	172,0
	Sam Spencer
40	David Edge	GBR	38	(DNF)	38	33	45	33	187,0
	Lee Arnison
41	Markus Ostermair	GER	26	(DNF)	43	38	37	46	190,0
	Moritz Klein
42	Dicken Maclean	GBR	33	(DNF)	22	21	DNF	39	202,0
	Sam Littlejohn
43	Stefan Lahmer	GER	47	25	(DNF)	45	47	41	205,0
	Götz Große
44	Sven Gräpel	GER	(DNF)	29	41	51	51	37	209,0
	Jan Reifferscheidt
45	Colin Smith	GBR	(DNC)	DNF	31	30	42	29	219,0
	Peter Helm
46	Jan-Christian Witte	GER	18	(DNF)	DNC	46	43	27	221,0
	Kai Lassen
47	Philip Strong	AUS	43	(DNF)	45	42	53	45	228,0
	Jeffre Klemm
48	Daniel Theeß	GER	44	30	-58	52	54	50	230,0
	Hannes Voigt
49	Adrian Williams	GBR	52	(DNF)	52	44	39	47	234,0
	Spike Daniels
50	Lutz Scheulen	GER	46	(DNF)	51	50	44	43	234,0
	Stephan Koch
51	Yasutaka Uto	JPN	58	(DNS)	49	47	49	49	252,0
	Satoshi Ishida
52	David McGeoch	AUS	54	(DNC)	50	55	50	48	257,0
	Patrick McGeoch
53	Takashi Shimozato	JPN	50	(DNF)	55	53	48	51	257,0
	Takahito Sato
54	Marten Lau	GER	48	(DNF)	48	DNF	46	40	269,0
	Michael Voß
55	Paul Ravenhill	GBR	(DNF)	DNC	DNF	49	52	44	319,0
	James Ravenhill
56	Kai Kahm	GER	42	(DNF)	57	DNF	55	DNF	328,0
	Gerrit Schmitt
57	Matthew Critchley	GBR	29	(DNF)	DNF	43	DNC	DNC	333,0
	Dion Houghton
58	Kenichi Hagiwara	JPN	(DNF)	DNF	54	54	56	DNF	338,0
	Takao Washimo
59	Peter Humpel	GER	(DNF)	DNC	46	DNF	DNC	52	359,0
	Klaus Wilfert
60	Hannes Weininger	GER	51	(DNF)	47	DNF	DNC	DNF	359,0
	Felix Sitton
61	Ivo Gonzenbach	AUT	49	(DNC)	56	DNF	DNC	DNF	366,0
	Martina Müller
62	Konstantijn van Empel	GER	(DNF)	DNC	DNS	48	59	DNS	368,0
	Steffen Kleinevoss
63	Xavier Boileau	FRA	56	(DNC)	53	DNF	DNC	DNS	370,0
	Sarah Werner
64	Florian Hämmerle	AUT	53	(DNF)	DNC	DNF	57	DNS	371,0
	Manuel Egele
65	Terry Gleeson	USA	(DNF)	DNF	DNC	DNF	DNC	53	401,0
	Art Vasenius
66	Eike Ehrig	GER	57	(DNC)	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNC	405,0
	Jan-Martin Luehrs
67	Thomas Fischer	GER	(DNF)	DNS	DNF	RAF	58	DNC	406,0
	Daniel Bühler
68	Tobias Merkel	GER	(DNC)	DNF	59	DNF	DNC	DNS	407,0
	Jakob Havn
69	Michael Krecek	GER	(DNF)	DNS	DNF	DNF	60	DNF	408,0
	Sören Hesse
70	Hannes Renzsch	GER	(DNF)	DNF	60	DNF	DNC	DNC	408,0
	Tobias Drews
71	Dominic van Essen	SUI	(DNS)	DNF	61	DNF	DNC	DNF	409,0
	Simona Saccani
72	Karsten Heinzle	AUT	(DNC)	DNF	DNS	DNF	DNC	DNF	435,0
	Phillip Sulzer
73	Mirco Wigger	GER	(DNF)	DNC	DNC	DNF	DNC	DNF	435,0
	Timo Wigger
74	Alexander Müller	AUT	(DNF)	DNC	DNF	DNS	DNC	DNF	435,0
	Joachim Jenewein
75	Michael Kienzler	GER	(DNC)	DNF	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNF	435,0
	Inge Gaebert
76	Oliver Sommer	GER	(DNF)	DNC	DNF	DNF	DNC	DNS	435,0
	Roman Stenzel
77	Richard Thibaud	FRA	(DNC)	DNF	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNS	435,0
	Benjamin Vernieres
78	Warren McArthur	USA	(DNC)	DNC	DNF	DNF	DNC	DNC	435,0
	Moritz Wiskemann
79	James Allan	GBR	(DNF)	DNF	DNC	DNF	DNC	DNC	435,0
	Aron Wellband
80	Alex Smith	GBR	(DNF)	DNC	DNC	DNF	DNC	DNC	435,0
	George Cooke
81	Jürgen Buetow	GER	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNF	DNC	DNC	435,0
	Yvonne (US) Galvez-Haeusler
82	Peter Lloyd	GBR	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNF	DNC	DNC	435,0
	Richard Parslow
83	Sönke Hölter	GER	(DNF)	DNC	DNC	DNS	DNC	DNC	435,0
	Olaf Hölter
84	Jörn Schulze	GER	(DNF)	DNF	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	435,0
	Sebastian Ladwig
85	Sylvia Welker	GER	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	435,0
	David Welker
86	Helmut Jordan	GER	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	435,0
	Fiona Jordan