Over 100 board sailors, inclusive of the top 19 in the world, will take to the water off Elwood Sailing Club this afternoon for the opening races of Sail Melbourne’s Formula Windsurfing World Championship.
Top heavy with current and former world champions, 2003 world champion Steve Allen and Allison Shreeve, the reigning Women’s P Racing world champion and recent women’s world speed record breaker, will head the Australian line up.
Shreeve, a 23 year old from NSW will experience strong challenges from the Women’s current and four time world champion, Dorota Staszewska from Poland and 2005 European champion Lucy Horwood (GBR).
However, the determined Aussie on Sunday finished an extraordinary fifth overall from the 51 entries in the Open Australian Formula Windsurfing Championship and won every race for the Women’s title with ease. Sean O’Brien won the Open title.
Allen will have his work cut out also, with competition from 2004 World Champion Micah Buzianis (USA) and champion windsurfer across a range of disciplines Antoine Albeau (FRA) and Wojtek Brzozowski (POL) winner of the 1999 and 2000 titles and crowned the Oceanic Continental Champion at Sail Melbourne in January 2005.
Port Phillip is where all the action will take place, with competitors vying for Open, Women’s, Youth and Masters Trophies. The oldest competitor is Tibor Ferenczy (AUS) who will turn 64 in late December and the youngest is Mitch Stephenson, who turned 16 yesterday.
These fast and colourful boards will provide great spectator viewing from shore side and visitors are encouraged to come and watch these exciting boardsailors in action as they reach speeds in the 20 knot range, or in layman’s terms, close to 50 kilometres per hour. Weather predictions look set to provide a day of thrills and spills on Port Phillip.
Twenty five countries will be represented at this World Championships; Australia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Finland, Italy, USA, Netherlands, Thailand, US Virgin Islands, Brazil, Argentina, New Zealand, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Denmark, Finland, Turkey, Norway, Portugal, Japan, Czechoslovakia, Belgium and Malaysia.
A full starting list and other information pertaining to the event can be found at: www.sailmelbourne.com.au
