SB20 World Championships Awarded to Yacht Club Circolo Vela Torbole, Italy

3rd April 2014

#sb20 – Following the successful 90 boat fleet at the 2013 Audi SB20 World Championship at Hyeres, France last September and ahead of the 2014 World Championship at the Yacht Club Hercules in St. Petersburg, Russia this coming September, the SB20 fleet and World Council have decided on the next top notch sailing venue for their 2015 World Championship.

The 2015 SB20 World Championships have been awarded to the Yacht Club Circolo Vela Torbole, Lake Garda, Italy. The Championship will take place in July 2015.

The Italian fleet has consistently been strong since the SB20's first boats and Torbole was also the host of the 2010 World Championship which was a major success with over 100 boats in two separate fleets for the five days of typical Lake Garda July weather. The entire class is looking forward to this event in 2015.

"This is a fabulous location and especially during the summer months when the event will take place" explained Ed Russo, SB20 World Council President. "The Worlds will be organised by highly qualified sailing club with worldwide recognition for high quality world championship competitions"

The competition will be lead by the GBR fleet coming off their 5th Worlds champion Craig BURLTON) and Jerry HILL who won the Worlds in Torbole in 2010. However, the 2013 Worlds showed that the other fleets are nipping at the heels of the strong GBR fleet with Luka RODION (UKR), Roger HUDSON (RSA), Sebastien COL (FRA) and Jean-Baptiste BERNAZ (FRA) in the second through fifth places respectively.

"As the newly appointed Italian SB20 Class President, I am very happy the 2015 SB20 Worlds will be held in Torbole" stated Gian Matteo PAULIN. "This year will be crucial for the continued growth of the Class and the 2015 Worlds in Italy will allow us to work with renewed enthusiasm. The competition from the foreign crews is a challenge that doesn't scare us, we have already shown at both the Worlds in Hyeres and the last Primo Cup in Monaco that our sailors have what it takes to compete in any conditions. We can't wait to have you all on the start line of the first regatta in Torbole!"

The Italian 2014 Circuit consists of four events, two of which will take place in North Lake Garda. Italian 2015 circuit built in order to allow the fleet to experience both the Italian and the Portuguese waters.

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

SB20 (formerly Laser SB3)

The Laser SB3 was designed by Tony 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

Previous 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

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