Defending Overall and Mixed World Champion Ireland's Clementine van Steenberge from the National Yacht Club returns to defend her title, this time with her new teammate, Jessica Riordan, the 2023 World Female 29er silver medalist from the Royal St George Yacht Club.
As regular Afloat readers know, the Dun Laoghaire Harbour duo is in top form. They led the World Sailing Youth Championships on Lake Garda at the halfway stage earlier this month before finishing fifth.
The stage is set for intense competition as the 29er World Championship kicks off in Aarhus, Denmark. This year's event is already making history as the largest 29er World Championship ever, with 518 sailors from around the globe vying for the coveted medals.
As well as the defending champion, Ireland will be represented by another four 29er teams, including Lucia Cullen and Alana Twomey, who won the European Championships in 2023 (Female) and came fourth Female at the Europeans in Gdynia, Poland 2024, will represent the RstGYC, NYC and RCYC in Denmark.
Hosted by Sailing Aarhus, the championship will witness fierce competition and showcase the next generation's top sailing talents.
The Aarhus International Sailing Centre is gearing up to welcome over 500 young sailors as the World Championship in the 29er boat class gets underway today, August 1st. With a total of 259 crews from more than 30 different countries registered to compete in Aarhus Bay, the excitement and anticipation are palpable. Participants are fervently making their final preparations, registering their boats, and gearing up for the opening ceremony on Saturday.
With six days of exhilarating sailing ahead, the competition will culminate on August 9, as this year's World champions in the Men, Women, and Mixed categories are crowned. The strong Danish representation, including two crews from the Danish Sailing Association’s youth national team.
Director of Aarhus International Sailing Centre, Jon Koch Hansen, expressed his excitement in welcoming the young sailing talents, their coaches, and families to the event. The sailing centre, situated in the heart of the city, stands as a testament to Aarhus's capability to host large, international events, thanks to the support from Sport Event Denmark, The City of Aarhus, the Salling Foundations, and other partners.