US sailors Mike Martin and Adam Lowry have won the 2016 SAP 505 World Championship hosted at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy. 130 boats competed in superb conditions across 9 races. Former 2015 World Champions and fellow Americans, Holt and Smit took second overall with Germany’s Hunger and Kleiner finishing third.
Martin and Lowry built up a massive 20-point lead securing three firsts in an exceptionally competitive fleet. The final race brought drama for the 2016 victors as they rounded the first windward mark buried deep into the 30s, putting their title hopes in significant jeopardy. As Weymouth Bay put on sparkling sailing in 14-16 knots, Martin and Lowry fought back.
The fleet split down the run, and significant pressure differences across the pitch produced more place changing. At the bottom gate it was Holt and Smit that led marginally from Wolfgang Hunger and Julien Kleiner. The German boat opted to take the opposite side of the gate to Holt and the left hand side of the beat. However, Martin and Lowry also chose some good lines to move up the fleet, rounding in the high teens, enough to win the championship. Mike Martin is unique in being a previous winner as both a crew in 1999 and as a helm ten years later.
The Classic fleet also enjoyed the WPNSA conditions, with UK’s Michael Wilson and Phil Hardisty completing a clean sweep of first places in the seven races held.
Roger Deane, 505 UK Class President, commented on a superb championship at WPNSA:
“The world class race management by the team from the WPNSA ensured a full schedule of races was held and that racing was as fair as possible to all. Title sponsors SAP, with Gul and Allen combined to make this a truly memorable event. The 505 Class will return to WPNSA for future events by popular demand.”
With the only bad weather falling on the lay day and winds ranging from 6 – 28 knots on the race days, Weymouth and Portland provided a true test for the competitors.
Pete Allam, Chief Executive, WPNSA said, “the 505 Class was a pleasure to have at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy it is always rewarding to receive praise on the venue and organisation from such an established international racing fleet.”
