Action for the 49er, 49erFX and Nacra17 classes move to Auckland, New Zealand for their 2019 World Championships.
For the British Nacra17 competitors this will also be an important event in the Team GB selection process for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
While the 49er and 49erFX selections have already been announced, the selection for the mixed multihull Nacra17 and men’s Laser events have still to be decided, and Auckland will see the two top British Nacra17 teams go head to head.
So not just a World title at stake but a chance to clinch Olympic selection.
The RYA Olympic Selection Committee will be looking closely at this event as the next World Cup in Miami, does not include a Nacra 17 event.
Although, if this event proves inconclusive they could delay selection until after the 2020 Nacra17 Worlds in Geelong, Australia in early February.
The Team GB Nacra 17 selection is being tightly contested between two teams . . . Ben Saxton and Nikki Boniface, and John Gimson and Anna Burnet, who have been battling all season to get the upper hand.
At the Final Tokyo Test event in Enoshima in August, it was Gimson and Burnet who took silver with Saxton and Boniface taking the bronze.
Then in the Enoshima Cup World Series event, Saxton and Boniface took silver with Gimson and Burnet in fifth place. So this World Championship could be the deciding event!
Ahead of the 2019 Worlds, the New Zealand 2020 Nacra17 National Championships took place at the Takapuna Boating Club.
These were won by the top Kiwi pair, Olivia Mackay and Jason Saunders ahead of Denmark’s Lin Cenholt and CP Lubeck by two points. Micah Wilkinson and Erica Dawson of New Zealand took the third podium place.
John Gimson and Anna Burnet took part in the three opening races, winning the second race.
The Nacra17, 49er and 49erFX Worlds take place at the Royal Akarana Yacht Club from 2 to 8 December, and before that there will be the 2019 Oceania Championship taking place from 25 to 27 November.
Expect to see the British Nacra17, 49er and 49erFX crews taking part in Oceania event as warm-up for the worlds.
British Entries for 2019 World Championships in New Zealand
Nacra17
Ben Saxton and Nikki Boniface
John Gimson and Anna Burnet
49er Men
Jack Hawkins and Chris Thomas
Dylan Fletcher and Stuart Bithell
James Grummett and Daniel Budden
Chris Taylor and Rhos Hawes
49er Women
Megan Brickwood and Stephanie Orton
Charlotte Dobson and Saskia Tidey
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