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Yachting New Zealand has confirmed the two teams that will represent the country at this year’s double-handed offshore world championships in Cowes, Isle of Wight.
Anna Merchant and Aaron Hume-Merry have been selected as the top team following a comprehensive selection process, with Oakley Marsh and Megan Thomson named as the second team. Both mixed crews will compete from September 22 to October 1, sailing Sun Fast 30 One Design yachts.
The selection process, overseen by a Yachting New Zealand panel, assessed each applicant's international and national offshore experience, sailing knowledge, certification, and weather routing expertise.
Merchant and Hume-Merry bring significant experience to their campaign, having raced more than 6000 nautical miles together in two-handed events over the past seven years. They made an immediate impact in the 2022 Northern Triangle - their first multi-day race together - claiming line honours in their division. The following year, they were first overall on line and PHRF in the mixed-team category of the Round North Island, also winning PHRF division honours on leg one. In April 2024, they added a third-place overall finish in the Three Kings Race as part of Clockwork Racing.
They also competed at last year’s world championships in Lorient, France, finishing ninth in their group. Only the top five boats in each flight progressed to the 48-hour final. Marsh and renowned match-racer Thomson will be competing at the offshore world champs for the first time.
"Last year, Aaron and I were selected to represent New Zealand at the 2024 double-handed offshore worlds in Lorient, gaining valuable insights in a highly competitive international offshore fleet," Merchant said. "We learnt a lot – not just on the water, but also in the logistics and off-water management needed to be fully prepared to race. We're taking all of that into this year's campaign and aiming to make it through to the finals. We're stoked to have been selected by Yachting New Zealand as NZL Team 1 – bring it on!"
The 2024 event featured 22 teams from 16 nations and delivered a range of testing conditions, from 30 knots and two-metre swells to flat calms, resulting in a thrilling final leg where the lead changed multiple times. The British duo of Maggie Adamson and Cal Finlayson eventually claimed the world title by just 65 seconds.
