Pattaya, Thailand – The final day of racing at Royal Varuna Yacht Club for the 2023 ILCA 7 Masters World Championships began with the strongest breeze of the entire event. The first race started in NNE winds of 10-15 knots and waves that progressively built throughout the day, providing sailors with physical upwind legs, fast reaches, and ample surfing opportunities downwind. The current and course skew (relative to the wave direction) made the off-wind legs both strategic and exhilarating.
In the final standings for Apprentice fleet, Thai Olympian Keerati Bualong won first place, Olympian Adhil Khalid from United Arab Emirates won second place and Pietro Corbucci from Italy rounded out the top three. In the Master fleet, Greek Olympian Adonis Bougiouris defended his world title ahead of fellow Olympian, Christoph Bottoni from Australia. Peter Hurley from the United States won third place. Fifteen-time Masters World Champion, Brett Beyer, from Australia won the Grand Masters fleet with Australian Jan Scholten and American Andrew Holdsworth taking second and third, respectively, in the regatta’s largest division. In the Great Grand Master fleet, Tim Law from Great Britain won first place ahead of Australians Stephen Gunther and Jeff Loosemore.
Principal sponsor Idemitsu is a long-term partner to the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, its contribution part of its impressive CSR program. The Singha Corporation joins as co-sponsor, continuing a long-standing relationship that stretches back to the 1970s. Supporting sponsors include Bangkok Hospital Pattaya, Coca-Cola, Element Six Evolution, The Pizza Company, Bonchon, and UF.
Organizing partners are the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand and the ILCA. Strategic partners include Pattaya City, the Sports Authority of Thailand, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
Full results: https://jpvm.org/results/2023/ILCA7_Master_Worlds/results.html
Photos: https://2023ilca7masters.ilca-worlds.org/photos/
Videos: https://2023ilca7masters.ilca-worlds.org/videos/
Text: ILCA
Photos: Matias Capizzano
Event website: https://2023ilca7masters.ilca-worlds.org/
ILCA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/intlaserclass