Rob and Nicole Douglass of Australia are the 2019 Tasar World Champions. This is their third Tasar world title having previously won in 2005 and 2009.
The event has not been without incident, including a protest against the Race Officer for failing to cancel/abandon race 5 for breaching the class wind strength limits – dismissed – and even after finishing third in Saturday’s penultimate race, and sailing back to shore as the overall winners, the Douglasses faced a protest that could have removed them from the event.
This related to their dagger-board, which has been relocated in newer boats. This was also eventually dismissed and the final results stand.
Rob and Nicole Douglass only won one race but never strayed out of the top three places, discarding a DNF for when their mast fell down and a DNC for the final race.
This gave them a total of 22 points, finishing three points ahead of James and Tara Burman of Australia, who despite winning four races could not match the overall consistancy of the Douglasses.
In third place were the British pair James Peters and Charlie Darling, who challenged for the overall lead after winning all three races on day 4, but also found the consistant sailing of the Douglasses difficult to overcome.
The final two races on Saturday were sailed in light conditions, resulting in a win in the first (R11) for the Burmans, who led from start to finish, with the Douglasses once again staging their signiture finish in the top three – in third – with Britain’s Rick and Sarah Perkins taking their best result of the week in second.
After the new Champions had departed for an early shower/beer, the final race produced a new race winner with Judith Massey and Sophie Mackley of the host club leading from the start, and holding off the Burmans in second with Peters and Darling in third.
An event that required a wide range of sailing abilities as the British weather ran through its full gamut, from balmy breezes to full-on blasting, in the six days.
Tasar – 2019 World Championship – Final Overall Leaders, 12 races 2 discard (67 entries)
1st AUS 2848 Rob Douglass and Nicole Douglass – Jervis Bay SC – – 22 pts
2nd AUS 2942 James Burman and Tara Burman – GRSC – – 25 pts
3rd GBR 2877 James Peters and Charlie Darling – Hayling Island SC – – 29 pts
4th AUS 2813 Rick Longbottom and Darryl Bentley – RANSA – – 46 pts
5th USA 2398 Michael Karas and Molly Jackson – Seattle YC – – 58 pts
6th AUS 2831 Paul Ridgway and Bronwyn Ridgway – Leigh and Lowton SC – – 66 pts
7th AUS 2925 Hugh Tait and Anna Tait – Northbridge – – 73 pts
8th AUS 2857 Craig McPhee and Gillian Berry – Clayton Bay BC – – 76 pts
9th USA 2916 Jay Renehan and Lisa – Seattle YC – – 92 pts
10th AUS 2969 Heather Macfarlane and Chris Payne – Sandringham YC – – 96 pts
11th AUS 2911 Peter Davies and Pia Lehtonen-Davies – GRSC/BSC – – 123 pts
12th NED 2876 Willem Schutte and Luna Schutte – ZV Noord AA – – 131 pts
13th AUS 2964 Gary Ratcliffe and Robyn Ratcliffe – George’s River SC – – 144 pts
14th AUS 2922 Lloyd Lissiman and Skip Lissiman – Royal Perth YC – – 150 pts
15th GBR 2815 David Sayce and Fiona Sayce – Hayling Island SC – – 151 pts
16th GBR 2515 Judith Massey and Sophie Mackley – Hayling Island SC – – 188 pts
17th USA 2691 Chris Lanzinger and Molly Lanzinger – Seattle YC – – 191 pts
18th JPN 2768 Satoshi Kami and Saori Kami – Hayama Marina YC – – 196 pts
19th GER 2972 Stephan Heim and Susanne Schwickert – Paderborner YC – – 199 pts
20th GBR 735 Richard Marsden and Emma Toman – Hayling Island SC – – 202 pts