NEWS

There was some more Aussie cheer, on Day Two of the Etchells World Championship. Noel 'Nitro' Drennan, has raced Etchells with Dennis Connor and John Bertrand, and his experience showed today, nailing the pin end of the start to win Race Three by a hansom margin. Drennan's bullet lifts his team above John Bertrand, but only into 2nd place. The Stars & Stripes of Steve 'Benji' Benjamin's team, from Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club Connecticut USA, leads the Etchells World Championship after three races.

The 2016 Etchells World Championship kicks off in Cowes, we hear from America's Cup legend, John Bertrand, about the quality of sailors.

The 2016 Etchells World Championship started in earnest today, with two intensely competitive races in the Central Solent. Teams from five different nations occupy the top ten places. However two teams from the Royal Brighton Yacht Club, Victoria Australia, finished the day at the top of the leaderboard.

Sunday 4th September Cowes, UK - 250 guests attended the Etchells World Championship Gala Reception, hosted by the Royal London Yacht Club. The Medina Marching Band opened proceedings, and Regatta Director, David Franks, welcomed the sailors to the regatta. As the flags of the 11 nations taking part were raised on Trinity Landing, the international gathering cheered everyone. 58 teams will battle it out in the Solent over the next six days, amongst them are the glitterati from the world of sailing, as well as passionate corinthian sailors.

After two days of tricky shifting breeze in the Solent, the New Zealand Team racing Feng Shui of Andrew Wills, Anatole Masfen and Matthew Kelway,  has won the 2016 Etchells Open European Championship. The team from Royal Akarana Yacht Club scored no worse than a seventh, in the four race series, to win the first regatta of the event, and bragging rights for the forthcoming 2016 Etchells World Championship. 

Kiwis on Top 

For the first day of the 2016 Etchells Open European Championship, Principal Race Officer, Phil Lawrence, prophesied that it might be a long day and he was spot on. The wind behaved worse than a wayward child, refusing to settle down until mid-afternoon. Once the wind settled into the northwest, three good races were held in the Central Solent. However, it wasn't until sundown that the fleet returned to Cowes Yacht Haven.

Provisional Results from the first day of the Etchells Open European Championship.

Racing got under way for the magnificent Etchells fleet, with a one-day practice regatta, organised by North Sails One-Design expert, and current Etchells World Champion, Skip Dieball. Competitors enjoyed on-the-water coaching and a video debrief after racing. 

Action for the international fleet gathered in Cowes for the 2016 Etchells World Championship starts today, Sunday 28 August at 1100 (gmt+1), with a Training Regatta hosted by 2015 Etchells World Champion, Skip Dieball. 

58 teams from all over the world have entered the 2016 Etchells World Championship, hosted by the Royal London Yacht Club. Boasting at least thirteen current and past Etchells World Champions, as well as Olympic medallist, America's Cup sailors, and world champions from numerous sailing classes. Twenty teams are from Great Britain and a dozen each from Australia and the United States of America. Four entries are from Hong Kong and as far afield as: Bermuda, Ireland, New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates.