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SB20 World Champs Head for France

7th December 2012
SB20 World Champs Head for France

#SB20 – The SB20 Class World Council have announced the class will host their sixth World Championships in Hyères, France in 2013. Racing will take place between Monday 9th and Friday 13th September and will be hosted by the internationally acclaimed COYCH.

COYCH has a wealth of experience running excellent national and international regattas including the Hyeres Olympic Week and the Club was recently named by the ISAF as the host for one of the six Sailing World Cups.  Entries for the SB20 2013 Worlds are expected from over 15 countries with crews coming from as far away as Australia, Singapore and the UAE. The number of entries, which will exceed 100 boats, will be significant from Italy, UK and Russia while the French entries will represent about 30% of the total fleet.

The SB20 fleet has experienced strong growth in France recently; the local class is supported by the dealer, Marçon Yachting, base in Martigues. "In France, we are delighted to host the SB20 World Championship next year, a truly international class" explained Edward Russo, President, SB20 World Council. "One of the key ingredients in a successful SB20 event is choosing the correct location and we are confident that by  awarding the Championship to COYCH in Hyères we have ticked this very important box!"

The SB20 will be exhibited at Salon Nautique de Paris from 7th – 16th December at the Porte de Versailles. To view a new SB20, built by White Formula in the UK, please visit stand number EF90.

Published in SB20
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SB20 (formerly Laser SB3) information

Designed by Tony Castro, the SB20 is a British-built strict one-design 6.15m keelboat conceived as a wide appeal, affordable, competitive sportsboat for teams of three or four sailors. It is also, arguably, the most successful sportsboat in the world with 800 owners competing regularly in a programme of exciting local, national and international events.

Originally known as the Laser SB3, the SB20 continues to deliver on its pioneering promise: a boat that is fun, fast and easy to sail by anyone of any age; the best value-for-money sportsboat in the market.

The Laser SB3 was designed by Castro and launched in 2002. In 2007 the Laser SB3 was awarded ISAF Recognised Status and the first World Championships were held in Ireland in 2008. In 2012, Tony Castro appointed a new builder, Sportsboat World. At this time, the Laser SB3 was renamed the SB20 and building was returned to the UK from Malaysia. The ethos of the class continues.

The boat is a strict one-design class, economic to buy and campaign, easy to sail with a simple deck layout and electric downwind performance delivered by the generous sail plan. The boat has a lifting keel, can easily be launched from a slipway and towed behind a family car.

Previous SB20 World Champions

2008 GBR: Geoff Carveth, Roger Gilbert, Roz Allen & Sarah Allan

Host National Yacht Club, Dun laoghaire, Ireland

2009 GBR: Craig Burlton, Stephen White, Adam Heeley

Host Clube Naval de Cascais, Cascais, Portugal

2010 GBR: Jerry Hill, Grant Rollerson, Joe Llewellyn

Host Circolo Vela Torbole, Lake Garda, Italy

2011 GBR: Geoff Carveth, Andy Ramus, Ian Mills & Emma Clarke

Host Royal Torbay Yacht Club, Torquay, UK

2012 GBR: Geoff Carveth, Lesley Dhonau, Roger Hudson & Asenathi Jim

Host Hamilton Island Yacht Club, Queensland, Australia

2013 GRB: Craig Burlton, Stephen White, Adam Heley Host COYCH Club, Hyeres, France