2025 Offshore Double Handed World Championships!
I am Super excited to announce that I will be competing in the 2025 Offshore Double Handed World Championships!
Lorient was the first location to host this new and exciting regatta, with the event gaining attraction from crews around the world. This year organised by the RORC with the support of Cap-Regatta, Yacht Club de France, Lorient Grand Large and Jeanneau, the 2025 Offshore Double Handed World Championship will be held in Cowes, Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom, from 22 September to 1 October 2025. The regatta will allow up to 28 teams to enter made up of 1 female sailor and 1 male sailor. The regatta will consist of up to two qualification races, a repechage race, if needed and conditions allow, and a grand final race.
The racing area in the Solent and English Channel is one of the most historic and challenging racing locations in the sport. Complex racecourse’s with strong tidal currents and landscapes effecting the wind, that can offer many tactical and strategic advantages and disadvantages! Teams will race in the one design Sun Fast 30, It is one of the first production model sailboats built from a recyclable resin. With all teams racing in this one design class, it will be pure skill and determination that will produce a winner, with competitors being able to make their own navigation using software and weather files.
Two teams have been selected by Yachting New Zealand to compete in this regatta and represent New Zealand. Anna Merchant and Aaron Hume-Merry will be our friendly Kiwi competitors on the race course. Having two teams from NZ gives a good opportunity to work with each other in the build up to the event in order to get the best result.
My co-skipper for this event will be Megan Thomson, a name recognised worldwide within the racing scene. Megan is currently ranked 6th in women's match racing and a silver medalist in The 2024 Women’s World Match Racing Champs. She is the Skipper of 2.0 racing team and former crew member of Volvo 65 Team Jajo, which competed in the last Ocean race. A female sailor that has the ultimate ability to make a one design boat go fast and in the right direction. I have sailed with and against Megan in some regattas and I know she is a determined winner with a positive attitude and brings good vibes to any race team.
As a double handed duo it will be our first time racing with each other, however I am confident that together we bring enough skill covering all areas and can achieve a fantastic result. Im Looking forward to some close and exciting sailing against other competitors from around the globe, and once again represent New Zealand on the world stage!