Australian Nationals Preview

PREVIEW 2012 A CLASS CATAMARAN AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: THE BATTLE OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONS

The John Cootes Furniture Australian A Class Catamaran National Championships will be a unique event for the Australian summer of sailing . The event will bring together three current World Champions to race at Wangi, on the waters of Lake Macquarie.

 Tom Slingsby is the current  World Laser champion (2011 now making three World Titles), and he is continuing to win virtually every International Laser event in the lead up to the 2012 Olympics.

 Nathan Outteridge is the 2011 champion in both the 49ner and International Moth Class, and is also looking good for a medal at the London Olympics. These two will be pitted against Steve Brewin, whom recently secured the 2011 A Class Catamaran World Crown in Aarhus, Denmark.

The form guide for this regatta will also be complicated by the infusion of a number of the AC 45 sailors who will be heading down under for the Christmas break in their AC 45 campaigns .

Team Oracle will be very well represented. James Spithill will bring along his tactician John Kostecki, and trimmer Dirk de Ridder. Darren Bundock and Tom Slingsby will represent the other Oracle AC 45.

Glenn Ashby and Adam Beashel will fly the flag for Emirates Team Zealand. All these sailors will be sailing on DNA A Cats, recently imported from the Netherlands.

Life at the top will be tough, as these sailor will be racing against other Australians whom filled the top six  places in the Danish Worlds. The Aussie Titles will be a true "Champion of Champions " contest.

Around 70 boats are expected to contest the event ,which will be hosted by the Wang (RSL)  Amateur  Sailing Club , under the direction of  PRO Tony Outteridge, during the first week in January Zhik will be the other major sponsor,in addition to John Cootes Furniture.

 Simon McKeown, a long time A Cat sailor and current Australian of the year has indicated that he is very much looking forward to competing in the regatta.

Interest in the regatta is very strong and we have received numerous enquiries from people who sail other classes of boats seeking to charter boats for the event.

Report by Bob Griffits