At the recently concluded SB20 World Championships on Dublin Bay, it was announced that the current Class President, Irish sailor Jerry Dowling, was stepping down after three years in the role, handing over to the class's first Southern Hemisphere appointment,
the current Australian Association chairman - Scott Glanville.
As regular Afloat readers know, Dowling finished in the top ten at the Dun Laoghaire championships, sailing with Stefan Hyde and his brother Jimmy Dowling.
Busy Dowling is also the Commodore of the Royal Irish Yacht Club, which successfully hosted the 58-boat championships.
“It’s been a pleasure to serve the Tony Castro-designed SB20 Class over the last three tumultuous years. The Class has proved to be resilient, to say the least. We’ve grown in Australia, Singapore and the UAE, as well as in Malta and Finland. I am very proud that my club, RIYC, is hosting this year’s World Championships with an entry of 58 boats from 12 nations,” Dowling said on the announcement.
He added: “This is an incredible number considering what has happened over the last years, and is a testament to the strength of Class. In my tenure as president, I have secured the hosting of the world championships for the next three years. The class is in a very good place despite the challenges ahead. May I wish Scott the very best during his reign as class president.”
After the next year’s World Championship in the Netherlands (17th-23rd June 2023), the fleet will travel south, to Dubai, in February 2024. Later that year, in late September/early October, the Maltese SB20 Association will host the European Championship together with the Royal Malta Yacht Club.
