The breeze was on again at the 2023 Sailing World Championships in The Hague, with seven Australian teams across the Skiff and Nacra 17 classes finding their way into Gold Fleet racing at the conclusion of their qualifying series.

New South Wales 49er pair Tom Burton and Max Paul were one of those teams to qualify after a clutch performance today. No stranger to performing under pressure, Burton steered his team to three top five finishes to move up from 42nd yesterday to 25th today.

“We had a really good day,” said Burton after racing. 

“Upon coming in we found out we were 25th which is the last spot in Gold Fleet. It’s ironically why we chose the number 25, because we always find ourselves right on the cusp of Gold Fleet so it’s a good feeling.”

Tom Burton and Max Paul CREDIT Beau Outteridge

Olivia Price and Evie Haseldine remain in third in the 49erFX class, with Laura Harding and Annie Wilmot joining them in Gold Fleet racing when it commences after a day off tomorrow.

The ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 classes commenced their World Championships today, with Elyse Ainsworth and Luke “Swifto” Elliott the best placed Aussies respectively.

They got their first taste of the “Magic Carpet”, as The Hague’s strong current has become to be known.

“It was a bit tricky out there, the current really started ripping in a bit earlier than we thought,” said Elliott. “We were fighting against the current, and in the ILCAs which are quite slow boats it feels like you are sailing in a river.”

The conditions are keeping all competitors on their toes, with those who get the small decisions right being duly rewarded.

“There were some really big raft-ups on the top mark and luckily I got around clean, but gosh there was some carnage right behind me in the second race,” continued Elliott. “Trying to avoid that kind of stuff this week will be one of the main things to focus on.”

Luke Elliott CREDIT Beau Outteridge

These Sailing World Championships will forever be unique, as for the first time in history the Para Sailing World Championships will be held alongside their Olympic counterparts.

Trying to make her own piece of history is Victorian Alison Weatherly, who finds herself in a tight battle for third in the Hansa 303 class.

The conditions have been friendly for Weatherly so far, with the Para Sailing venue on a lake similar to the ones she grew up sailing on back home.

“I largely grew up on lakes, so the shifts that come in are familiar,” said Weatherley. “It’s nice to have a shoreline to look at when judging whether to be lifting or knocking. Lakes tend to be shiftier, and I like that, and it has been really windy which I also like.”

Weatherly has also thrived off competing alongside her Olympic counterparts.

“It’s a great chance to be visible,” she continued. “To be a part of the opening ceremony, to have all that support, it has just all been a bit of a thrill. It is just nice to be recognised as an equal with those classes.”

Peter Coleman racing the Hansa 303 CREDIT Sailing Energy

Visit the event website for more details on the event, see full results in the Results Centre and follow the racing via the trackers on at the SAP Sailing website each day.

Australian Sailing Team (AST), Australian Sailing Squad (ASS), Australian Sailing Futures (ASF) and other Australian results at the 2023 Allianz Sailing World Championships: 

49erFX (59 entries)
3rd - Olivia Price & Evie Haseldine (ASS/NSW) – 1, 4, 2, 3, 2, 5, 3, (10), 9 (29 points)
23rd - Laura Harding & Annie Wilmot (ASS/VIC & NSW) – 9, (19), 14, 5, 6, 18, 18, 4, 14 (88 points)
29th - Mina Ferguson & Dervla Duggan (ASF/NSW & ASS/VIC) – 12, 3, 20, 10, 14, 6, 24, (30 RET), 21 (110 points)
36th - Natasha Bryant & Madeleine McLeay (ASF/NSW) – (28), 22, 18, 19, 12, 23, 2, 12, 20 (128 points)

Women’s Hansa 303 (11 entries)
4th - Alison Weatherly (VIC) (7), 5, 3, 3, 3, 6 (20 points)

ILCA 6 (109 entries)
11th - Elyse Ainsworth (ASS/WA) – 12, 7 (19 points)
14th - Casey Imeneo (ASS/VIC) – 16, 5 (21 points)
24th - Mara Stranksy (ASS/QLD) – 28, 2 (30 points)
27th - Zoe Thomson (AST/WA) – 11, 23 (34 points)
28th - Sylvie Stannage (NSWIS) – 9, 26 (35 points)
72nd - Evie Saunders (ASF/NSW) – 35, 34 (69 points)

Men’s Hansa 303 (15 entries)
13th - Peter Coleman (VIC) 12, 14, 11, (16 RET), 11, 11 (59 points)

ILCA 7 (138 entries)
13th - Luke Elliott (ASS/WA) – 7, 14 (21 points)
15th - Matt Wearn (AST/WA) – 11, 11 (22 points)
19th - Finn Alexander (ASS/NSW) – 14, 14 (28 points)
46th - Zac Littlewood (ASS/WA) – 13, 36 (49 points)
52nd - Ethan McAullay (ASS/WA) – 6, 47 (53 points)

Nacra 17 (49 entries)
19th - Ruben Booth and Rita Booth (AUS) 6, 10, 12, 10, 9, 7, 12, (16), 10 (76 points)
21st - Jake Liddell & Lucy Copeland (ASS/NSW) 11, 11, 6, 11, 9, 12, 12, (26 RET), 7 (79 points)
23rd - Brin Liddell and Rhiannan Brown (ASF/NSW) (17), 13, 10, 7, 7, 10, 14, 12, 8 (82 points)
25th - Archie Gargett & Sarah Hoffman (ASF/NSW) 8, 9, 14, 13, 14, 15, (16), 6, 11 (90 points)
28th - Lisa Darmanin & Darren Bundock (AST/NSW & NSW) 11, 15, 16, (17), 15, 17, 11, 7, 12 (104 points)

49er (83 entries)
25th - Tom Burton & Max Paul (ASS/NSW) – 4, 6, 19, 13, 19, (29 DNS), 5, 2, 3 (71 points)
30th - Thomas Needham & Joel Turner (ASS/QLD) – 13, (16), 9, 10, 11, 10, 7, 11, 10 (81 points)
34th - Jim Colley & Shaun Connor (AST/NSW) – 18, 11, 15, 3, 9, 3, 10, 17, (20) (86 points)
37th - Thomas Cunich & Miles Davey (ASF/NSW) – (26), 12, 18, 14, 9, 12, 2, 17, 16 (100 points)
57th - Jack Ferguson & Jack Hildebrand (ASF/NSW) – (29 BFD), 12, 23, 13, 29 RET, 13, 18, 12, 14 (134 points)

Mixed 470 (65 entries)
28th - Nia Jerwood & Conor Nicholas (ASS/WA) – 13, (27), 19, 3 (35 points)
43rd - Sophie Jackson & Angus Higgins (ASF/VIC & ASF/SA) – (31), 25, 13, 15 (53 points)

Men’s Formula Kite – No racing today
Scott Whitehead (ASS/QLD)
Oscar Timm (ASF/QLD)

Women’s Formula Kite – No racing today
Breiana Whitehead (AST/QLD)

Men’s iQFOiL – No racing today
Grae Morris (ASS/NSW)
Harry Joyner (ASS/WA)
Jack Marquardt (VIS)

Women’s iQFOiL – No racing today
Samantha Costin (ASS/QLD)