The World 8 Metre Championship continues this week under exceptional meteorological conditions, with stable winds around 15 knots and, most importantly, a choppy sea that has tested the crews competing on the penultimate day of the 2023 world championship. With today's two races, the total valid races now stand at 8, and with the current forecasts, the Race Committee is optimistic about concluding the championship with two more races tomorrow, Saturday, September 2nd.
The race start procedures at sea began punctually at 11:45, with the starting line located just a few hundred meters from the shores of Quarto dei Mille. It was a spectacle for those at sea and for those who could enjoy the sight of the 8 Metres dancing from the shore. As is now customary, there were very aggressive starts, and on the second attempt, the Committee had to give both starts with a black flag. The consistent wind allowed these magnificent yachts to show their full potential with remarkably fast race times. Almost all of them completed the 4 legs of the course in just over an hour, with the entire fleet arriving within a 10-minute span, except for the two older hulls, Silhouette (1910) and Elfe II (1912), which, with grace and elegance, always struggling to catch up with the fleet but certainly stand out for their timeless beauty and their antique rigs.
The results after 8 races leave little room for serious changes, with the 3 modern boats (Swiss Yquem II, Austrian Conquistador, and Australian Mirabelle) having solidified their positions in the overall standings. The gaps between them are significant, but with two more races to go, the world title will be decided at sea tomorrow. Behind the 3 modern boats, the three yachts from the 1930s, Bona, Vision, and Carron II, are still very close, occupying the fourth, fifth, and sixth positions respectively. There was great excitement on the dock at the end of the races, as evidenced by Mark Bradford, the helmsman on board Mirabelle by Peter Harburg, as well as the skipper of the 100' Black Jack: "Another beautiful day at sea, very competitive races, and a formed wave. We are very pleased to have come to Genoa and were surprised by these conditions."
Jean Fabre, the Swiss owner of Yquem II, shares the same opinion: "First time in Genoa, and after 15 years of sailing with this boat, we are very satisfied. Both for the results and for the beauty of the place and the racecourse."
Join us at sea tomorrow for the final day of this World Championship with the first race starting at 11:00 AM.