Sunday 8th April 2018

Ben Hutton-Penman and Abi Jayasekara travelled to Clearwater Bay, Florida over Easter to take part in the 2018 RS Feva World Championships.  It was the first time the RS Feva Worlds have taken place in America and attracted the best sailors from all over the world including Australia, China, Europe, USA and Canada.  Most of the top GBR boats also travelled.

The event took place over six days but Ben and Abi travelled out early to allow them to do some pre event training and get used to the waters and the complex tidal patterns.  It also allowed them some fun and to sail in the Gulf of Mexico with dolphins which was a very special treat.

Only thirteen of the fifteen scheduled race series were completed as little wind on the final day saw racing abandoned after about three hours of trying.  Ben and Abi sailed brilliantly and, most importantly, very consistently over the race series and with five wins and three second places and counting only 23 points in eleven net races, they were crowned RS Feva World Champions and top mixed pair.

The RS Feva is a very competitive class and the largest represented junior two handed dinghy.  It is sailed by both girls and boys in equal measure but teams are more often all boys or all girls.  Since Ben and Abi got together in September last year they have rarely been out of the top five in any race they have sailed which is testament to the great team they are.  It is also fantastic that currently both the RS Feva National and World Championship cups reside in Burnham!

Ben and Abi will continue to compete in the Feva this year, they will finish their winter training in the National Junior Squad and then go to the Nationals in May and the Europeans in August.

Nick Hutton-Penman