Int 5.5 Metre Class eNews - December 2019
by Robert Deaves 4 Dec 2019 05:49 NZDT
Racing at the 2019 World Championship in Helsinki © Robert Deaves
It's just five weeks to the start of the 2020 Scandinavian Gold Cup and 5.5 Metre World Championship at the Royal Prince Alfred YC in Newport, Australia, and the excitement is growing for what looks like being a first class event in a great location.
Martin Cross has the following update:
Things are progressing well and boats have started arriving from overseas. We are expecting 27 boats for the Worlds, with 13 Moderns, nine Evolutions and five Classics.
It looks like we will have two 1983 America's Cup sailors joining the fleet with Phil Smidmore crewing on Skagerak (Mastman on the 12m and former winning crew in the Gold Cup and Worlds in 5.5m) and Rob Brown helming on Alpha Crucis (apart from Australia 2 crew also a multiple Worlds winner in the 18ft Skiff).
We also have an excellent race team. Dennis Thompson is the PRO and one of the top race officers in Australia. Jamie Clark is the head of the Jury, and he is joined by Richard Slater (current Chief America's Cup Judge) and Steve Hatch who has officiated at Olympics and the America's Cup.
Many of the Australian Evolutions and Classics have been renovated and are gleaming and ready to go. The competition in the Evolution fleet will be intense as we have some fast former World Championship and Gold Cup winning boats going head to head.
Most intriguing will be the showdown in the Classics between Carabella (Italy) and the renovated Baragoola (Australia). Which really is the fastest Classic?
Entry lists and more information can be found here
Champions to unite for 5.5 Metre Gold Cup and World Championship 2020
Here is the latest Press Release about the event. Read more here.
"5-Nations-Cup" - Winners in 2019
Since 2012 sailors of the Class are annually accumulating points in selected key-regattas, in five nations. For 2019 we do now have the pleasure to annouce the winners:
Best Modern boat is SUI 228, best Evolution boat is GER 84 and best Classic boat is AUS 26. While SUI 228 will be getting the Silver Cup from last years' winner BAH 21, the other two boats can keep the Cups, which they also won before, for another year. Enjoy a decent glass of Port, for which the Cups have been made. Cheers!
And, for those wanting to enter the competition in 2020, these are the selected locations: "Alpen Cup" (ITA), "Swiss Open" (SUI), "Hankoe Race Week" (NOR), "German Open" (GER) and "French Open" (FRA).
New Class Secretary
Sadly, due to personal reasons, Krista Crockford has had to step down from the role of Class Secretary. She will be replaced by Jennifer Lancaster.
Jenn is an American living in the UK and married to a British sailor. Her previous experience includes a year as Race Director at the St Francis Yacht Club in San Fransisco and prior to that 15 years as Yacht Racing Director at the Newport Harbour Yacht Club in California.
She recently has also taken on the role of Assistant Class Secretary to Louise at the J Class Association. Jenn can be contacted at
New 5.5 Metre Magazine for 2020
Following the success of the 70th Anniversary Yearbook in 2019, the 5.5 Metre Class intends to publish a magazine in 2020 to showcase the class and the racing. Advertising is available in the Magazine, as well as on the press releases, and the class website and is being encouraged from both class equipment suppliers as well as member's own companies. Production of the Magazine will be solely financed through advertising and dependent on sufficient advertising being generated.
Copies will be distributed to all 5.5 sailors free of charge, and used for promotion of the class at yacht clubs around the world.
With a package deal, advertisers can also gain exposure in the press releases and on the new website when it is completed. Manufacturers also have the opportunity to showcase technical developments and ideas through editorial content.
For more information and to download the Media Pack, please go here.
2020 Class AGM
The 2020 AGM will held on January 8th at 5pm at the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club in Newport, Australia. Please send any agenda items to Louise by 12th December. The agenda and associated papers will be sent out w/c 16th December. The Minutes from the 2019 AGM can be found here.
One matter to be decided is the venue for the 2021 Scandinavian Gold Cup and World Championship. There are two bids and these can be viewed at Hankø, Norway [PDF] and Travemünde, Germany [PDF]
Salzkammergut Preis
It is a great honour for Dirk Harms (AUT 24, Arcano) to donate the Salzkammergut Prize to the 5.5mR class. The trophy is made of a salt stone and an oak base from the Salzkammergut (above). The Salzkammergut is known for its beautiful landscape and its lakes. It gives the chance to sail next to cliffs as well as plane fields under fair winds.
The Salzkammergut Prize should be a challenge cup. The classic, evolution and modern boats should start as one fleet, whereby the winner of a race shall be determined by timekeeping and in regard of the Yardstick system. The boat, which is the winner over all races, shall be the winner of the Salzkammergut Prize.
The Salzkammergut Prize was last held in September 2019 in the sailing club Altmünster. We welcomed seven participants, including teams from Germany and Switzerland.
The Salzkammergut Prize will again be held from June 18 to June 21, 2020. Stay tuned.