Fifty-five boats, one goal
When racing begins off Auckland’s Milford Cruising Club this weekend, 55 sailors from eight nations will line up for the PredictWind A-Class Catamaran World Championships 2025. Two titles are on offer, Open and Classic; and both fleets are packed with experience, skill, and stories that span the sailing world.
Among them are former world champions, Olympic medallists, and America’s Cup veterans. This year’s Worlds may be smaller than the record 179-boat fleet seen in Italy last year, but the quality is unmatched.
The Open fleet: foilers on the edge
In the foiling division, the rivalry runs deep. Poland’s Jakub ‘Kuba’ Surowiec (POL 41) arrives with his Exploder/Bryt as the reigning double world champion after back-to-back victories at PuntAla (2024) and Toulon (2023). His technical precision and calm under pressure make him the man to beat.
Australia’s Darren Bundock (AUS 88), two-time Olympic silver medallist and seven-time F18 World Champion, is again the consistent threat with his Ronstan. He finished runner-up in the Open foiling category at the 2024 A-Class Catamaran World Championship in PuntAla, Italy, in 2024 and remains one of the most analytical and composed sailors on the circuit.
Close behind is Ravi Parent (USA 76), the 2022 world champion and one of the few sailors (the other being the legendary Glenn Ashby) to have won the A-Class Worlds, F18 Europeans, and F18 World Championship titles all in the same year (2022). After mixed results last year, he’s back in form and hungry to reclaim the crown.
Italy’s Lamberto Cesari (ITA), runner-up in the 2025 European Championships in Riccione, Italy, has shown serious pace this year after training alongside the Australian squad. Watch for him to challenge the podium again.
The Australian contingent also includes Stevie Brewin (AUS 4), a three-time world champion whose speed in medium winds is legendary, and Adam Beattie (AUS 14), known for his explosive pace when conditions allow.
New Zealand’s Dave Shaw (NZL 270) leads the local challenge. A runner-up in the A-Class Catamaran World Championships in Weymouth, UK, in 2019, and dominant national champion, Shaw knows the Hauraki Gulf better than anyone. Home water, local knowledge, and quiet determination could give him the edge he needs to deliver New Zealand’s first A-Class Worlds victory in over a decade.
Other names to watch include Emmanuel Dode (FRA 2), current French champion; Michal Korneszczuk (POL 111), had a strong performance at the Riccione Euros; and Carolijn Brouwer (NED 888), one of the most decorated female sailors in the sport.
The Classic fleet: masters of control
The Classics bring a different kind of battle; less airborne, but no less intense. Andrew Landenberger (AUS 308) heads the line-up, a multiple world champion and former Olympic medallist who helped design the new Scheurer G8. Known simply as “Landy” across the fleet, his smooth style and tactical awareness make him a benchmark for others to chase.
Behind him, Switzerland’s Robin Maeder (SUI 007) brings versatility and precision. Usually a foiler, Maeder switches to the Classic division this year aboard the older Scheurer G7, fine-tuned for straight-foil performance.
New Zealand’s John Kennett (NZL 277), Mike Drummond (NZL 287), and Pat Ashby (NZL 271) are leading the local charge. Kennett’s lightweight frame and finesse make him dangerous in light airs, while Drummond’s design pedigree and deep understanding of performance tuning are major assets. Ashby, the reigning Classic National Champion, thrives when the breeze stiffens.
Also returning from 2024 are Jacek Noetzel (POL 1), Poland’s veteran A-Class pioneer, and Micky Todd (ESP 7), the Spanish-based Scotsman known for consistency across big-fleet regattas.
Among the new faces, local Danielle Haylock (NZL 252) stands out as one of two women competing across both fleets, a fearless sailor who’s proven she can hold her own when the wind pipes up. Danielle Haylock (NZL 252) is a competitive NZ A-Class Catamaran sailor known for her determined style in national events. She sails a Tom Block built straight board boat and is a consistent competitor.
Rivalries rekindled
The trans-Tasman rivalry is set to define this year’s racing. With 20 Australians and 18 Kiwis entered, expect some heated match-ups across the fleets. The rest of the field represents Poland, the USA, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Spain, and Switzerland — each adding international depth and style to the regatta.
The combination of technical mastery, local knowledge, and raw speed promises six days of intense competition. Pre-Worlds racing begins 9 November, followed by the main event from 11–16 November.
The sailors know the stakes. For some, it’s a chance to defend their titles; for others, a chance to etch their names into class history. And for the locals, it’s about proving once again that Auckland remains one of the world’s great sailing capitals.
When the first start horn sounds over Castor Bay, experience, technology, and instinct will collide, and by week’s end, two new A-Class world champions will emerge.
