15 entries for Class 40 Worlds

International line-up expected next week in Gijon

Over 25-28 July, Gijon, north Spain will be the meeting point for the third Class 40 World Championship. This follows Tanguy De Lamotte's win in the 2008 Championship on Novedia – S.E.T. Environnement (Rogers design) and Ned Collier-Wakefield last year on the Solent aboard Concise.

Entries:

Gonzalo Botin - Spain - Tales Villa Esperanza

Anna Corbella - Spain - Aux filles de l’eau

Roeland Franssens - Germany - Moonpalace

Nick Leggatt - South Africa - Phesheya Racing

Mathias Blumencron - Germany - Red

Peter Harding - GBR - 40 degrees

Ned Collier Wakefield - GBR - Concise 2)

Christian Chardonnal - FRA - Neurodon.fr/Espoir en tête

Jean-Edouard Criquioche - FRA - Groupe Picoty

Thomas Ruyant - FRA - Courrier Dunkerque

Patrice Bougard - FRA - Kogane)

Sam Manuard - FRA - Vecteur Plus

Thierry Bouchard - FRA - Mistral Loisirs

Marc Lepesqueux - FRA - Marie Toit

Louis Burton - FRA - Spirit aux filles de feu

The line-up includes the defending World Champion, Ned Collier-Wakefield, this year campaigning his new Akilaria 2 (which Pete Goss will be campaigning in the Route du Rhum this year - more here). The most interesting aspect of the entry list is the number of sailors who are making the step from the Mini - this includes one of the Barcelona GAES posse, Anna Corbella, competing later this year in the Barcelona World Race with Dee Caffari but also designer/competitor Sam Manuard and winner of the last race.

Ruyant, who moved into the class earlier this year taking first place in the Normandy Channel Race. Several are using the Worlds as an opportunity to train prior to the Route du Rhum. Manuard will be on board the BM40 designed with Bert Mauri.

In terms of designs most of the popular Class 40 models will be featured. This include the Finot/Conq Pogo 40 in all its versions - the Pogo 1, 1S and S2. There will be, three standard Marc Lombard-designed Akilarias and one RC2. In addition there will be one Lombard prototype, 1 Jaz 40 MKII (Owen Clarke design), 1 Tyker 40 Evolution (Marin / Verdier), 1 Jumbo 40 (Rolland), 1 OCD40 (Owen Clarke Design), 1 design JPK 40 (Valer) and BM40 (Manuard/Berti).