Australia’s top skiff and multihull sailors are set to take on the world this week as the Nacra 17, 49er and 49erFX World Championships get underway in Quiberon, France. The Australian team will field 11 entries across the three Olympic classes, with athletes preparing for a wide range of conditions on France’s Atlantic coast. 

Fresh off their podium finish at the Sailing Grand Slam in Hyères, 49erFX duo Laura Harding and NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship holder Annie Wilmot are carrying strong momentum into the World Championships.

“After a good week in Hyeres we are excited to see how we can implement some learnings over the last month into the Worlds,” said Harding. “With everyone on the start line this week, we’re excited to put it all into play.”

Laura Harding & Annie Wilmot

Paris 2024 Olympian Evie Haseldine (NSWIS), with Australian Sailing Futures athlete Brooke Wilson (NSWIS) will also represent Australia in the 49erFX Class.

In the Men’s 49er fleet, Harry Price (NSWIS) and Max Paul (NSWIS) will look to continue their impressive run of consistency after securing top-six finishes at the opening two Sailing Grand Slam events of the season.

“It’s been a solid start to the season for us, learning more and more each day,” said Price. “We’re looking forward to building on the past two regattas and put on a great performance at the Worlds. The weather looks like we will have plenty of wind for the first few days. Very excited to get into it.”

Four other Australian crews will join Price and Paul in a the highly competitive 49er field.

Harry Price & Max Paul

In the Nacra 17, Paris 2024 Olympians Brin Liddell (NSWIS) and Rhiannan Brown (NSWIS) will lead a strong four-boat Australian Squad aiming to challenge the world’s best. 

“After getting a fourth at the last World Championships in Italy, Brin and I are hungry for the podium,” shared Brown. “After such a fantastic result, we went home and worked really hard on areas that we had highlighted that needed some time, and now we’re extremely keen to get back into racing and hopefully bring home a title.”

Australian Sailing Team Technical Director Michael Blackburn is on the ground in France with the team and expects the conditions to provide a unique challenge throughout the regatta.

“The forecast suggests cool, moderate offshore winds for much of the Worlds,” said Blackburn. “That should bring flatter water, which will suit our crews, but it will also put a premium on reading the shifts – especially after a week of training in fairly steady onshore conditions.

“Although this World Championships falls relatively early in the season, all of our crews have been building towards it since late last year, and it is very much the peak event of the year for them.”

Racing will take place from 12–17 May, with the World Championships set to provide a crucial benchmark on the road toward LA 2028.

NSWIS scholarship holder entries at the 49er,49erFX and Nacra 17 World Championships

Nacra 17 
Brin Liddell / Rhiannan Brown
Ruben Booth / Rita Booth
Archie Gargett / Sarah Hoffman
Jake Liddell (NSWIS) / Niamh Meehan

49er 
Jack Ferguson / Jack Hilderbrand
Otto Henry / Shaun Connor
Harry Price / Max Paul
Kurt Hansen / Charlie Zeeman
Daniel Links / Keizo Tomishima

49erFX 
Laura Harding / Annie Wilmot (NSWIS)
Brooke Wilson / Evie Haseldine

Images: Sailing Energy

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