Etchells Pre-World Championship

The Etchells Pre-Worlds commenced on Friday from Royal Brighton Yacht Club with 32 boats racing ahead of the 2025 Etchells World Championships next week. Port Phillip Bay delivered quintessential Melbourne conditions for crews to continue their World Championship preparations on the water.

At the end of day one, AMac USA1494, skippered by Andy Beadsworth with Brian Ledbetter and Will Ryan are in the top spot, followed closely by First Tracks AUS1485, skippered by Grant Simmer (in Peter “Billy” Merrington’s seat) with Ian McKillop and William Parker, with Magpie AUS1486, skippered by Graeme “GT” Taylor with Ben Lamb and James Mayo rounding out the podium at the end of day one.

“I had a good day. We had a really good day”, said Grant Simmer on the day of First Tracks AUS1485. “But [it] was McKillop really, he just tells us where to go”.

“It’s great, we have this Vakaros now. I have a speedo. It’s really good for an inexperienced helmsman. I said to him you want me to go five eight [5.8 knots]? I’ll go five eight, you know. So that’s how it works,” said Simmer.

Race 1

Race one got underway at 190 degrees in a steady 6-8 knots. While it appeared that the boat end was favoured, the best start was by Youth and Corinthian team, Lisa Rose AUS1484 skippered by Jack Abbott with Xavier Winston Smith, James McLennan and Tom Trotman about two thirds of the way down the line from the boat.

Those who got a clean start and held their lane, and headed back to the right hand side of centre early, appeared to do best in the building sea breeze.

DanEgerous AUS1473, maintained a commanding lead around the majority of the course, however, John Bertrand’s Triad 2020 AUS1478, with Matt Wearn and Mateusz Kusznierewicz managed to overtake after an early gybe and a nice right hand shift, and finished with an impressive lead to take first blood. DanEgerous AUS1473 skippered by John Dane III held onto second place, and Scott Kaufman’s Rogue AUS1519 with Gonzalo Ribiero, Hugo Rocha and Carlos Robles finished in third, gaining from seventh at the first top mark.

Race 2

In the second race of the day, First Tracks AUS1485, did well to move up the fleet after rounding the first top mark in eighth and the second top mark in seventh, maneuvering their way to third on the way to the finish line. First place went to a United States entrant AMac USA1494, who had a superb race after rounding the top mark in second place and the second top mark in first place and maintaining the lead to the finish line. Second place Magpie AUS1486, moved up from rounding the first top mark in fifth to the second top mark in second place to finish in the same position.

“Started off a bit tricky, but at the end of the day, two good results to count. Single digits.

It’s the first time we’ve raced as a crew, the three of us. And, we are settling in really nicely and really enjoying sailing together,” said Andy Beadsworth, AMac USA1494.

“This isn’t the Worlds, is it, this is just practice,” he finished.

In a day of tight racing, the separation across the fleet was just over two minutes at each mark rounding, demonstrating how high the calibre of racing is.

The grapple to win the Pre-Worlds and psychological advantage heading into next week’s 2025 Etchells World Championships continues tomorrow and Sunday.

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