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The run of new Kiwi world champions has continued with Sean Herbert and Mattias Coutts both picking up world titles at the O'Pen Bic world championships in Italy.
Sean Herbert. Photo: O'Pen Bic.
Herbert put in a consistently strong performance in a fleet of 132 sailors in the under-17 division, finishing 19 points ahead of his nearest rival, but it was a lot tighter for Coutts who held his nerve to narrowly win the under-13 title.
It follows on from Phil Robertson's success at the M32 world championships and the title won by Eli Liefting and Rose Dickson at the RS Feva world championships.
Herbert's world title represents his second after winning the under-13 division in 2012 and he is also the current national Starling champion.
Coutts had to fight hard to protect a narrow lead over the 55-boat fleet going into the final day but closed it out in style with victories in both of the final two races to edge his nearest rival by four points. The 11-year-old was competing in his first championship event and won six of his 12 races.
Mattias Coutts. Photo: O'Pen Bic.
Coutts was competing under the watchful eye of his father, Sir Russell Coutts, who has played a leading role in the development of the O'Pen Bic class in New Zealand. He fulfilled a coach and support role for all of the New Zealand competitors at Lake Garda.
Ollie Gilmore was 16th, Thomas Hamilton 32nd, Laura Erichsen 45th (and 13th girl) and Kaya Reese 55th.
“I was very proud of all of them," Russell Coutts said. "They all showed massive improvement and learned a lot racing in such a competitive fleet. There were some very good sailors here. I think all the New Zealand sailors can take a lot of positives from this week to move forward.”
The O’pen Bic is a relatively new class of sailing boat and gained official class status in New Zealand earlier this year. The 2017/18 season calendar already boasts 14 nationwide events.
“We’re taking a fresh look at junior sailing with the overarching focus being on fun, the measure of success being the retention of young sailors in the sport and smiles on faces," New Zealand O’pen Bic Association president Barry McKay said. "The O’pen Bic is proving to be the ideal vehicle to achieve this. Today's results just go to show that if kids are having fun in their sport, great results will follow."
Visit www.openbic.org.nz to learn about the class and find out how to get involved.
