International Yngling World Championship - Victory for Maarten Jamin

by Peter Campbell on 8 Jan 2012 International Yngling World Championship, conducted by the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, was held in Sydney, Australia from 2nd to 8th January 2012.

Only three points today separated the first three boats at the end of a magnificent regatta to decide the 2012 World Championship for the International Yngling one-design keelboat class, with victory going to defending champion, Maarten Jamin, from The Netherlands.

Jamin, a dual world champion in the three-crew keelboat, finished with 40 points, two points clear of fellow countryman Tom Otte on 42 points, with one point to third placegetter, Australian champion Michael Nash on 43 points. Nash had led the series going into the final race.

The demanding regatta comprised ten close and intensive races over four days in conditions that ranged from light and flukey easterly breezes to a full on north-easterly sea breeze on the final day.

Jamin and Nash went into the final day of competition equal on 30 points. In race nine, a second place to Nash and a fifth to Jamin put the Australian three points ahead going into the 10th and final race this afternoon.

But Nash and his crew of Mel Nathan and Greg Hartnett crashed to an 11th in the decider, costing them the World Championship. With only one discard race, Nash already had a 13th place and was forced to carry the 11th.

In contrast, Jamin, with Jaap Smolders and Menno Berens as crew, maintained his consistency with another fifth place in the final race, sufficient to give them the 2012 World Championship by two points.

Otte and his crew of Diederik Kuilers and Reinier Tromp made a determined bid for another World title, with a 3-2 result on the final day, beating Nash by one point for second place.

The final two races went to Australian Matt Whitnall, lifting him to sixth overall. Fellow Australian Hamish Jarrett, who had been an early leader in the World championship, finished fourth overall, while another Dutch competitor, Anne-CHristianne Kentgens, placed fifth overall in an impressive series by the young sailor.

Final standings, top ten in 45 boat fleet:
1. Maarten Jamin (NED) 4-6-1-1-(12)-2-8-8-5-5, 40 pts
2. Tom Otte (NED) 5-4-6-(11)-8-4-1-9-3-2, 42 pts
3. Michael Nash (AUS) 2-3-4-6-(13)-1-11-3-2-11, 43 pts
4. Hamish Jarrett (AUS), 1-8-7-3-1-(11)-9-7-4-8, 48 pts
5. Anne-Christianne Kentgens (NED) 3-12-2-(21)-2-6-6-10-6-10, 57 pts
6. Matt Whitnall (AUS) 10-19-(20)-16-10-3-2-11-1-1, 73 pts
7. Mikkel Winston (DEN) 13-5-3-15-(16)-5-14-6-7-7, 75 pts
8. Lucas Lier (DEN) 8-2-12-13-15-14-13-1-(44ocs)-6, 84 pts
9. Neville Whitty (AUS) 9-7-27-9-23 (44bfd)-3-2-12-3, 95 pts
10. JP van de Meeren (NED) 7-10-11-10-22-7-7-20-11-(24), 72 Yngling World Championship website