SeaSailSurf®#OffshoreSailing
Offshore World Championship : L30 adopted BY World Sailing
mardi 26 mars 2019 –
The L30 is a light, modern one design boat with racing at its core, making it a perfect fit for the Championship. As a one design boat, every boat is the same length, weight and features the same equipment and rigging to ensure the sailors are competing on an even playing field.
Valletta, Malta will host the inaugural edition of the Offshore World Championship in October 2020 and will be the first time the L30 is showcased on the world stage.
First tested in November 2015, the L30 boat concept was drawn up by Olympic medallist and Volvo Ocean Race Volvo Ocean Race #VolvoOceanRace competitor Rodion Luka. Andrej Justin, designer of RC44, brought the L30 to life, combining all round offshore performance, ease of logistics, a strict one-design model and global, ready to race, affordability.
The Championship will be a two-person mixed competition (one man, one woman) between nations, featuring 20 boats. The boats will be chartered by the national teams and allocated to sailors one week ahead of the Championship via a boat draw before sailors have time to test and prepare for the challenge that lays ahead of them. Held alongside the Rolex Middle Sea Race, the competitors may be required to sail the full course or a reduced course depending on the weather conditions.
The Offshore World Championship will engage countries new to double-handed offshore sailing by providing a full fleet of L30s that are ready to use at the event venue. L30s will also be available to charter in Europe for training from the summer of 2019.
Kim Andersen, President of World Sailing, commented,
"The L30 Class share our ambition to grow double handed offshore sailing globally. The boat is well designed to cater for the demands of offshore sailing and will provide the sailors competing in Malta next year with a stern challenge.
"The boat has been trialled by some of the world’s leading sailors including Charles Caudrelier (FRA), Ian Walker (GBR), Abby Ehler (GBR) and Torben Grael (BRA). Their feedback has been crucial in the development and progression of the boat following the first concept.
"When the boat becomes available for charter this summer, I am sure the sailors are going to enjoy the challenge and thrill of sailing it as their preparation for the Offshore World Championship commences."
Rodion Luka, CEO of L30 One Design, said,
"Our team is proud to be a technical partner of World Sailing’s and to support the Offshore World Championship. I have no doubt that this event will bring our sport to a new level, engaging a wider audience and opening new horizons for offshore sailors around the globe.
"I am glad that sailors will have a good chance to sail the L30 and feel its outstanding technical performance as well as versatility and affordability."
Further information on the qualification system and race format will be announced in due course.
About the Offshore World Championship
Announced in 2017, the Offshore Sailing World Championship will be a powerful platform to accelerate the interest and growth of offshore one-design mixed double-handed sailing within the sailing community.
The 2020 Offshore Sailing World Championship will be organised in collaboration with the Royal Malta Yacht Club and World Sailing.
Originally earmarked to be held in 2019, World Sailing postponed the hosting to 2020 to allow a full qualification system to be developed, allowing ample opportunity for Member National Authorities to qualify and prepare for the event.
The Championship will be a two person mixed competition (one man, one woman) between nations, featuring 20 boats. Held alongside the Rolex Middle Sea Race, the competitors may be required to sail the full course or a reduced course depending on the weather conditions. It is designed to cater to the fast-growing double-handed offshore community worldwide. An important goal is to engage countries new to double-handed offshore sailing by providing turnkey equipment ready to use at the event venue as well as boats being available to charter in Europe for training from the summer of 2019.
About the L30 Class
The L30 boat concept was developed by Ukrainian Olympic medallist and 2008-09 Volvo Ocean Race sailor, Rodion Luka, Luka joined up with Slovenian Andrej Justin, designer of the RC44 to create the L30, combining good all round offshore performance, ease of logistics ensuring it’s fully trailable, low maintenance, a strict one design and affordability for a wide range of sailors all around the world.
The boat was first tested in November 2015 and is designed to perform in strong and light wind. The boat is equipped with Trim Tab that adds more performance sailing upwind and facilitates downwind sailing in strong breeze. Two lifting rudders provides safety at sea in extreme conditions and decline the foil resistance in light wind.
The L30 has featured at several international events including the 2018 Vegvisir Race in Denmark, where it won the open doublehanded division, the 2017 Barcolana Race and at its 2018 Class Championship in Lake Balaton, Hungary. Four nations, including Germany, Hungary, Ukraine and Hong Kong competed on Lake Balaton.
Find out more about the L30 Class here - www.L30class.org.
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