Auckland’s Milford Cruising Club hosted a picture-perfect start to the PredictWind A-Class Catamaran World Championships 2025, as the world’s fastest single-handed cats gathered for the two-day Pre-Worlds warm-up regatta. Held 8–9 November off Castor Bay, the event set the tone for a week of world-class racing on Auckland’s northern waters.
The Pre-Worlds followed a week of training in patchy 6–10 knot northeasterlies, with PredictWind calling the conditions precisely. By Saturday morning, around 50 boats were on the water, tuning and testing foil settings ahead of the first official races. The light, onshore breeze built to a steady 8–11 knots in the afternoon, creating short wind-against-tide chop that tested balance and patience more than raw power.
The event’s relaxed atmosphere didn’t stop it from offering an early glimpse of who was dialled in.
In the Open foiling division, local skipper Dave Shaw (NZL 270) dominated from the first start. Shaw, a past A-Class national champion and 2019 Worlds runner-up, took three convincing wins to finish with a perfect 1–1-1 scoreline (3 net points). Italy’s Lamberto Cesari (ITA 13) followed with 3-1-3 (7 net points), showing sharp boat speed and confident handling in the moderate breeze. France’s Emmanuel Dode (FRA 2) settled into third overall with 2-4-4 (10 net points), ahead of Bailey White (USA 320) and Michal Korneszczuk (POL 111) rounding out the top five.
The top five in the Classic (non-foiling) division were shared between Australian and New Zealand sailors. A standout newcomer, Jamie Jochhiem (AUS 956), delivered an impressive 1-1-2 (4 points) to claim a decisive overall win ahead of three-time World Champion Andrew Landenberger (AUS 308) on 3-2-6 (11 points). Kiwi Steve Ashley (NZL 246) matched that total with 2-5-4 (11 points) to take third, while Andy Landenberger (AUS 300) and Mike Drummond (NZL 287) rounded out the top five. With several fleets closely bunched, there’s every chance the leaderboard will look different once the Worlds get underway.
By Sunday afternoon, the breeze steadied at 7–9 knots for the final races. The mirrored conditions allowed sailors to refine setups and get a feel for Castor Bay’s unique rhythm—a blend of soft swells, light current, and shifting coastal winds. From the beach, the turquoise water and dark sails of the Open fleet drew an audience of club members, volunteers, and locals enjoying the sight of the world’s best A-Class sailors at full stretch.
Although the Pre-Worlds results carry no championship points, they confirmed strong early form for both Shaw and Jochhiem, each topping their fleets with clean sweeps. With over 50 boats now measured and already competing in the main Worlds on 11 November, the stage is set for faster winds, tighter duels, and another showcase of what makes these lightweight cats some of the most captivating boats on the planet.
Learn more at Boating New Zealand:
https://www.boatingnz.co.nz/category/sport/sailing-sport/predictwind-a-class-catamaran-worlds/
