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The O'Pen Bic class has grown in popularity in a short space of time in New Zealand and momentum doesn't look like slowing down any time soon on the back of news the Manly Sailing Club will host the 2019 O’pen Bic world championships.
Sean Herbert won the under-17 title at the recent O'Pen Bic world championships. Photo: O'Pen Bic.
This year's world championships at Lake Garda, Italy, finished at the weekend when New Zealand won two titles - Sean Herbert took out the under-17 world championships and Manly junior Mattias Coutts was under-13 champion.
The International O’pen Bic Class Association AGM was held at the same time, when Manly commodore Sir Russell Coutts presented, and a unanimous vote for New Zealand as 2019 hosts was carried. The event has been scheduled for December 30, 2018-January 4, 2019.
Spain is due to host next year's world championships.
"This is big," Manly vice-commodore Harold Bennett said. "I think we can expect somewhere between 200 and 250 sailors, maybe more. It depends on the availability of boats that have been promised from the Northern Hemisphere and other destinations from around the Pacific basin.
"We are going to make it the best event we can. We are only small so it's a big deal for this club."
It's also a big deal for the O'Pen Bic class in this country, which affiliated to Yachting New Zealand last year. Coutts has been a big driver in the growing popularity of the small boats, even providing a host of clubs access to O'Pen Bic boats.
"Having the world championships here will generate a lot of interest in the boat and I'm sure there will be a lot of youngsters who are sailing Optimists right now who will want to have a go at it," Bennett said. "I think we will see quite a surge in the class next year."
Sir Russell Coutts has been instrumental in the development of the O'Pen Bic class. Photo: O'Pen Bic.
