Annie Stevenson and Peter Winter (AUS01) pushed the French favourite to the limit in a gripping offshore showdown at the Offshore Double Handed World Championships, showcasing the strength of Australian offshore sailing on the world stage.  

Stevenson and Winter secured an impressive second place at the World Championships in Marseille,France and were within striking distance to taking theWorld Title.After a two-day intense offshore battle, it was a mixed bag of emotions for the pair. “Excitement, uncertainty and a bit of nervousness,” said Stevenson. “It was an opportunity to compete at an international level, against some of the best double handed sailors in the world, on a boat we’d never sailed before. So, coming third in the qualifier and second in the final were results we were both really proud of.” 

Double Handed World Championships - World Sailing

The fleet was comprised of a combination of Olympic and professional sailors from across the world. The key contenders included; Simeon Tienpont (NED01) a veteran of the Volvo Ocean Race, and two-time America’s Cup winner andFederico Waksman (URU01), winner of the 2023 Mini Transat and Djemila Tassin (BEL01) the current class40 24-hour Distance World Record holder.  

However, Stevenson and Winter had their wits about them. Stevenson shared, “I think what made us different was our ability to adapt. Pete and I have raced together for a number of years on different boats in different roles, so we settled into the Sun Fast 30 OD pretty quickly considering we’d only been out on the boat once before the qualifier.” 

After a qualifying series, the true test of their skills came down to a 190 nautical mile two-day race.  

The race began with an upwind beat to Cannes, with winds exceeding 20knots and a punishing twometre swell. Theconditions placed significant pressure on crews, the best of the fleet showed strong boat handling, precise sail trim and excellent boat speed to come out on top. Stevenson and Winter rose to the challenge, remaining in contention as they sat in fourth. 

However, in the early hours of the final morning the conditions changed drastically, and a downwind run to the finish line settled in. The Aussie duo, who’s tactics differed from most of the fleet, stayed close to the shore finding the land breeze which propelled them intothe lead .  

A win for Australia was looking favourable, although as France continued to commit to the right-hand side, they managed toovertake andultimately took the win, with Australia finishing close behind in second.  

“It was a really well-run event with well-maintained boats, and after normally doing our own prep and boat work it was very nice to just turn up and sail,” said Stevenson. “It was great to see the energy in the community and meet like-minded people from around the world. I’d forgotten how much I love one design: everyone’s racing on a level playing field, so the race is decided on the water rather than before you leave the dock. We’re both already hoping to be back next year, whenit’s raced in Cannes.” 

The result reinforces the quality of offshore sailing talent within Australia, with Stevenson and Winter’s World Championships second place underlining Australia’s growing potential in double-handed ocean racing. 

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