Article by the International Musto Skiff Class Association
Next week, Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA) will be hosting the ACO 13th Musto Skiff World Championship 2024. The annual regatta is taking place from 14th – 20th July and over 70 Musto Skiff sailors from the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, France, Armenia, South Africa, and Australia have now entered to compete in the Championship.
Following our recent interview with GBR sailor, Bill Maughan, we spoke to GBR sailor Dan Vincent to find out how he’s preparing for his Championship, what the odds are that he’ll land a 7th in the 2024 Worlds, and who he sees as the top challengers for the favourite, Sam Pascoe.
Following the 2023 Worlds at Lake Garda, you wrote an insightful and honest article reflecting on your World Championship results in the Musto Skiff. What preparations have you made to get ready for the up-coming 2024 Worlds at Weymouth and Portland?
The article you are referring to is the one I wrote reflecting on my strange pattern of results (7th overall in every one of the four Musto Skiff Worlds I have competed in). In terms of preparing for this year’s Worlds, I haven’t done anything remarkably different from the previous four attempts, and therefore, I wouldn’t be surprised if I get a similar outcome. I was able to get a new-style mainsail in the first batch, and I have sailed with it most weekends and throughout the winter, including an enjoyable tilt at the SailJuice Winter Series, which I can thoroughly recommend. Despite this, and on the evidence of the recent National Championships, I don’t feel I am sailing particularly quickly, so I may do exactly what the textbook says you shouldn’t and change my settings just before the Worlds.
Your first Musto Skiff Worlds was at Weymouth and Portland in 2012. What are you most looking forward to about returning to this iconic Olympic-class venue?
The last two days of the 2012 Weymouth Worlds delivered some amazing conditions and some of the most memorable racing I have had in a Musto Skiff. Because of the sheltered launching at the Academy, you can nearly always get out, and in the Portland Harbour, the water is a bit flatter than at most other sea venues; therefore, you can run racing in strong wind conditions where elsewhere you would be sat on the beach looking at the postponement flag. The Race Officer also has the choice to go out in the Bay, and at the 2018 Castle Cove Nationals, wind and wave conditions allowed us to have a swell time playing in the swell. In summary, I am looking forward to a bit of both, but if I had to choose, I would like at least one day that scares us (a little bit).
You had a good result at last year’s Musto Skiff Worlds in Garda, finishing in the top 10 and winning 1st place in the Master category. Have you set yourself a target for this year’s Worlds? Where are you hoping to finish?
I am hoping to finish anywhere except seventh. No, I haven’t set any targets; it gets harder every year. The current World Champion, Matt Houvenhagel, wasn’t on anyone’s radar and just pitched up and dominated. Newer, younger sailors like Rob Richardson, Bill Maughan, and Sam Barker will be really difficult to beat, and also, those scamps who have just turned 45 (Jamie Hilton) mean there will be really strong new competition in the Masters categories. I would love to win a race, and a top-10 finish would be nice, and I am kind of looking forward to the battle with Jamie Hilton, Graeme Oliver, and a number of others to hang on to the Master’s Championship.
Earlier this year, the class decided to move to a square top mainsail. How are you finding sailing the Musto Skiff with the new mainsail design?
I think it’s a marginally nicer sail, both to look at and sail with, but I don’t think I have it dialled in the same way as I did with the old pin head. The leach opens more readily, and I think I play the mainsail a bit too much, or I need more kicker or something, but I haven’t gotten it fully sorted. Hopefully, I will have nailed it by the Worlds (or, more likely, by the end of the Worlds). I think the more exciting development is the Musto ‘X’ small rig, and I am looking forward to seeing that bring some newer, younger, lighter sailors into the class.
Finally, what’s your prediction for this year’s ACO 13th MUSTO Skiff World Championship 2024?
Sam Pascoe is going to be most people’s favourite, and I think Rob Richardson is one of the sailors most likely to push him hard. If it is consistently breezy, the top two steps of the podium could be Bill Maughan and Danny Boatman; if it is consistently light-medium, then Sam Barker could end up on top. I think Andy Tarboton is always very good at putting a series together, and Dan Henderson hasn’t sailed much but has been very quick when we have seen him. Eddy Bridle is a dark horse. After that, there are about 10–20 good sailors who could win a race and, with a bit of luck, put together a series. I think Chris Haslam will be hard to beat for the inaugural Musto Skiff X World Championship, and I hope he has some stiff competition.
How to enter the ACO 13th Musto Skiff World Championships
Entry is still open for the ACO 13th Musto Skiff World Championship 2024, which includes a Pre-Worlds on the 14th of July*, followed immediately by World Championship racing over the 15th to 20th of July. Entry also includes organised socials across the event week, as well as a Gala Dinner on the Friday evening featuring a special guest speaker—more details to be announced soon!
Entry is available online at https://webcollect.org.uk/msca. A 50% discount for youths (aged 25 or under on 1st of January 2024) is available until the entry closes on 14th July 2024. You can view the NOR and more event details on the class event guide at https://mustoskiff.com/2024-worlds/
* Entry closes at midnight on 8th July 2024, but entries may still be accepted at the discretion of the Organising Authority up to 14th July 2024. Contact membership@mustoskiff.com to find out about potential places for late entry.
Feature image: Dan Vincent – ACO 11th Musto Skiff World Championship 2022 / © Bernardí BIBILONI
