SB20 Worlds 2014 Heading for Russia

15th January 2013

#sb20 – The 2014 SB20 World Championships have been awarded to Yacht Club Hercules in St. Petersburg, Russia. The Championships will run from 5th to 11th September.

The Russian SB20 fleet has seen significant growth since 2009 and the Russian teams are highly competitive on the international circuit. Oleg Zherebtsov, Chairman of the SB20 class in Russia won the 2012 SB20 European Championship in Medemblik and was placed 3rd (on equal points to the Champion) at the recent 2012 UON SB20 World Championships in Hamilton Island, Australia. Oleg has been the driving force behind the growth of the SB20 Class in Russia, and was delighted that the 2014 World Championships will take place in St. Petersburg. Today there are 23 boats in Russia and there is strong growth forecast for the coming years.

The Yacht Club Hercules organised the finish of the 2008-09 Volvo Ocean Race and has experience in hosting European championships. Hercules boasts a highly qualified technical staff and secretariat. Further news and developments about Hercules can be followed on their website: www.port-hercules.com .

The SB20 Class received four high quality bids from yacht clubs in sailing hot spots around the world to host the 2014 World Championships. "It's been a difficult task separating these bids from each other," explained Ed Russo, SB20 World Council President, "And we are extremely appreciative of the effort and interest from these competing Clubs."

Ahead of the 2014 World Championships in St. Petersburg, the SB20 Fleet will contest their 2013 World Championships in Hyeres, France from September 7th to the 13th where a fleet of over 100 SB20 boats is expected.

The SB20 class provides low cost, high intensity, big fleet racing and attracts some of the most recognisable names in sailing today.

Published in SB20

Tagged under

SB20

About The Author

Afloat.ie Team

Email The Author

Afloat.ie is Ireland's dedicated marine journalism team.

Have you got a story for our reporters? Email us here.

We've got a favour to ask

More people are reading Afloat.ie than ever thanks to the power of the internet but we're in stormy seas because advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news sites, we haven’t put up a paywall because we want to keep our marine journalism open.

Afloat.ie is Ireland's only full–time marine journalism team and it takes time, money and hard work to produce our content.

So you can see why we need to ask for your help.

If everyone chipped in, we can enhance our coverage and our future would be more secure. You can help us through a small donation. Thank you.

You might also want to read...

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