Issue date
Nineteen young sailors reinforced New Zealand's reputation as a global leader on the O'pen Skiff scene with their stellar performances at the 2024 world championships at Lake Garda in Italy last month.
The Kiwis secured top-10 finishes in several fleets, with Ewan Brazle at his dominant best en route to defending the under-15 world title he won in Rimini last year.
The 14-year-old Manly Sailing Club member, who was crowned NZL Sailing Foundation Young Male Sailor of the Year at the Aon Yachting Excellence Awards in November, claimed 10 bullets in 11 races, dropping a second and a first to finish with a picket fence against over 180 competitors from more than a dozen countries.
Oliver Tiedemann finished fourth overall at his first appearance in the under-15 category after his fourth in the under-12 world champs last year. Valentina Gladiadis was the 12th girl and 34th overall.
Oliver Tiedemann (far left) and Ewan Brazle (third from left) finished fourth and first respectively at the under-15 world championships in Italy in August. Photos / Elena Giolai
Oak Galbraith finished runner-up in the under-15 silver fleet, with Joe Reynolds third. Chase Torbet managed a second place in the bronze fleet.
In the under-12 competition, Summer Torbet ended fourth girl (and 11th overall) while Maple Brazle was sixth girl (17th overall).
Harry Jameson cracked the top 10 in the under-17 fleet and Elena Keall-Neches was 11th girl (28th overall).
"We are so proud of every one of our kids who participated in the regatta and we are grateful for all the support we’ve had in making this a reality," said Joel Brazle, NZ O'pen Skiff class association president.
"While the final two days of racing were shortened to one race each, had an amazing series with epic conditions."
Final results and standings at the 2024 O'pen Skiff world championships in Lake Garda, Italy:
Under-12 fleet (48 boats)
1. Samuele Piantoni (Ita) (1) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (2) - 9 pts
2. Côme Zunquin (Fra) (6) 3 2 5 6 (16) 3 2 3 3 1 - 50 pts
3. Gabriele Lizzulli (Ita) 3 5 5 2 5 (11) (6) 6 2 4 4 - 36 pts
11. Summer Torbet (NZ) 13 11 (15) 11 8 8 (14) 13 7 5 12 - 88 pts
17. Maple Brazle (NZ) (25) 17 9 17 13 15 17 18 21 7 (38) - 134 pts
Under-15 gold fleet (64 boats)
1. Ewan Brazle (NZ) (1) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (2) - 9 pts
2. Charles Ganivet (Fra) 2 1 1 3 (16) 1 3 (36) 6 5 6 - 28 pts
3. Antonio Simbula (Ita) 2 3 4 (8) 1 1 9 5 4 2 (65BFD) - 31 pts
4. Oliver Tiedemann (NZ) (21) 1 1 9 1 2 (14) 7 3 10 8 - 42 pts
24. Sol Douwes (NZ) 19 4 11 11 7 (22) 15 22 23 (44) 41 - 153 pts
34. Valentina Gladiadis (NZ) 9 (20) 2 17 8 9 22 33 43 40 (54) - 183 pts
39. Mia Peters (NZ) 27 (36) 13 26 6 12 18 34 34 37 (43) - 207 pts
Under-15 silver fleet (62 boats)
1. Florian Maunier (Fra) (41) 30 22 12 21 16 (12) 3 11 3 8 - 126 pts
2. Oak Galbraith (NZ) 24 18 8 (52) 31 1 (6) 6 1 1 - 127 pts
3. Joseph Reynolds (NZ) 26 35 (39) 23 19 10 3 15 5 (27) 5 - 141 pts
15. Dahlia Fyfe (NZ) 32 31 27 37 14 (44) 11 (31) 15 6 23 - 196 pts
24. Chloe Brahne (NZ) (49) 21 40 15 22 13 24 25 44 (45) 33 - 237 pts
27. Lochie Faulknor (NZ) 31 38 43 30 27 (47) 23 17 9 (37) 26 - 244 pts
Under-15 bronze fleet (62 boats)
1. Valerio Improta (Ita) 47 30 45 34 58 (61) 5 1 1 (7) 6 - 227 pts
2. Chase Torbet (NZ) 44 44 45 41 31 (54) 13 10 9 (41) 4 - 241 pts
3. Alessandro Serra (Ita) 56 (59) 34 34 36 48 12 3 10 (13) 11 - 244 pts
36. Max Jameson (NZ) 48 48 53 51 44 (65DNF) 33 39 (41) 19 33 - 368 pts
49. George Renall (NZ) 54 53 (58) 54 53 57 50 45 37 38 (52) - 441 pts
Under-17 fleet (61 boats)
1. Federico Poli (Ita) 2 2 2 (5) 2 1 2 (6) 4 2 5 - 22 pts
2. Enrico Loi (Ita) (35) 1 (11) 2 8 4 10 3 1 1 4 - 34 pts
3. Hubert Staron (Pol) 1 3 7 4 1 2 8 7 8 (10) (11) - 41 pts
10. Harry Jameson (NZ) (38) 4 (35) 9 9 21 22 14 2 9 7 - 97 pts
17. Orlando Botha (NZ) 7 17 26 17 13 7 26 25 15 (33) (35) - 153 pts
28. Elena Keall-Neches (NZ) 30 31 (62DNC) 47 18 19 11 20 (49) 37 17 - 230 pts
36. Amber Hughes (NZ) (51) 35 24 50 42 18 13 22 (53) 48 34 - 286 pts
Click here for full results.
