John Bacon, Joost Houweling and Ed Wright sailing Ku Ring-Gai III (AUS 66) win the 2024 5.5 Metre World Championship, hosted by the Yacht Club de l’Odet.
Despite not winning a race, Bacon’s team was the sole entry to count only top five results and only one other boat, Artemis NOR 57 of Kristian Nergaard, Johan Barne and Trond Solli-Saether, made it through the championship with a scoreline entirely inside the top 10.
Nevertheless, overall victory was never a foregone conclusion for Ku-Ring-Gai III, as they picked up a disqualification for a start line infringement under the U flag in the second race.
As a result, unlike many of the top boats, Bacon’s team didn’t have the luxury of being able to discard a lack lustre race later in the series.
John Bacon commented . . . “We’ve had five or six years in 5.5s now and I can’t believe we just won a world championship – I’m just so glad to be here,” he added “I’ve stood on a lot of shoulders to get here – we’ve got a great crew, with two good guys who got me off the start and made me look good, so I’m absolutely delighted. It was a great regatta, with 10 races and a bit of every weather.”
The final two races were sailed in heavy airs in Benodet, with two second places lifting Artemis to second overall, eight points behind Ku-Ring-Gai lll.
Aspire of Przemek Gacek, Mateusz Kusznierewicz and Kilian Weise, took third overall in Gacek’s first 5.5 Metre world championship as helm, much to his delight, while Ali Baba SUI 224 of Flavio Marazzi, Julie Marazzi and Eline Marazzi was fourth.
The Jean Genie GBR 43 of Peter Morton, Andrew Palfrey, Ruairidh Scott, excelled in the stronger winds, winning both final races by a comfortable margin, finishing fifth overall.
The accolade for first Corinthian team – equally as much of an achievement as winning the overall title – went to John B (BAH 20) of Gavin McKinney, Lars Horn Johannessen and Mathias Dahlman in ninth overall.
Classic fleet – Manuela V (ITA 36) of Guido Tommasi, Matteo Barison and Andrea Racchelli, lead the Classic fleet in a boat he has owned for a couple of decades and completely restored.
Evolution division – ChlikaChlikaChlika (SUI 169) an ex world championship winning boat from 1989, of Antonin Radue, Pascal Radue and Patrick Huguenin, took victory in the Evolution division.
Next year’s 5.5 Metre world championship will be held in Sopot, Poland, while the 2026 event will be in Athens.
5.5 Metre class Worlds – Final Leaders after 10 races (29 entries):
1st AUS 66 Ku-Ring-Gai III – John Bacon – 29 pts
2nd NOR 57 Artemis – Kristian Nergaard – 37 pts
3rd POL 17 Aspire – Przemak Gacek – 45 pts
4th SUI 224 Ali-Baba – Flavio Marazzi – 46 pts
5th GBR 43 The Jean Genie – Peter Morton – 55 pts
6th BAH 25 New Moon III – Mark Holowesko – 61 pts
7th SUI 214 Caracole – Bernard Haissly – 66 pts
8th GBR 41 Girls On Film – Louise Morton – 67 pts
9th BAH 20 John B – Gavin McKinney – 77 pts
10th Beta Crucis – Martin Cross – 78 pts
