Fleet abuzz
Sailors join the WASZP class to breaking up their training regimes as they head towards Tokyo Olympics.
Photography by Renting Ribs Spain
20 August 2020
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Since the inception of the WASZP in late 2016 the class has been creating a sustainable culture, from the grass roots weekend warriors through to Olympic and professional sailors.
The growth of the WASZP fleet spawned from the different way class organisers conduct events, with an emphasis on the sailors and their needs. As the organisers put it: “the sailors are the most important stakeholders.”
Over the last 12 months the WASZP class has formed strong links with SailGP and has begun forming its own youth pathway with a professional circuit, again outside of the traditional pathways.
The strength of the 18-35 year old age group shows the strength of retention within the class and will only be good for the sport going forward.
Affordability and accessibility have been the WASZP biggest advantages in attracting sailors to the class.
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Due to this, the class has seen many Olympic and professional sailors taking to the WASZP to blow off some steam in between their rigid campaigns.
Spanish 49er sailors have taken to the WASZP as a perfect cross trainer to their campaigns towards the Tokyo Olympics, names like Diego Botin and the Alonso brothers who all race WASZPs in their spare time have been competing for years against each other on the circuit. Also from Spain, Jordi Xammer has spent time in the WASZP and Olympic coaches Jared West and Javier Torres have also been sailing with them while coaching at the highest level.
Women Olympians are loving the opportunity to get foiling in the WASZP, of note is Berta Betanzos and Kahena Kuhnze both Olympic 49er sailors of Spain and Brazil who own WASZPs and get out sailing in between campaigns. Kahena is the current Olympic Gold Medallist in the 49erFX class and Berta has competed in 2 Olympics as well as winning the 2011 ISAF World Championships in Perth in the 470 Class.
Kahena who won Gold at the Rio Olympics 2016 has particularly enjoyed her time on the WASZP in between the 49erFX.
“I originally bought the boat in Spain when my 49erFX crew Martine was competing in the Volvo Ocean race for Team AkzoKnobel. It was something to stay active and sharp in between training.”
For now the girls are focused on Tokyo, however they are looking at adding some more WASZPs to the fleet and racing in Brazil.
Kunze says “Hopefully when we get a break after Tokyo we can compete at International level against some of the other FX girls in the WASZP.”
Recently joining these sailors, are Alex Maloney from NZ who won silver to Kahena in the 49er FX to Kahena at the Rio Games. Also the most recent addition is 49erFX sailor Giulia Conti from Italy, a veteran of four Olympic Games who has joined the fleet.
The 2021 European Championships are well into planning with Spain the favoured location in September and the 2022 International WASZP Games to be held in Lake Garda Italy.
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