First day of racing at the 5.5 meter World Championships could not have started better for Team Baghdad securing a bullit with a lead from start to finish.

The sailing was done in very nice conditions; Southerly breeze at between 10-16 knots and a slight swell. Team Baghdad started close to the committee boat and tacked early.

We anticipated a slight right hand shift and once there we got enough of a right-hander to cross the fleet for a narrow lead at the top mark says helmsman Kristian Nergaard.

Closest on Team Baghdad’s heels were Bahamian “New Moon” and British “Girls on Film”.

The rear of the race was pretty straightforward but we had to stay on our toes not letting our narrow lead to slip away concludes middle crew Johan Barne.

Robert Deaves further elaborate on today’s racing on 5.5class.org :

The opening race of the 2020 International 5.5 Metre World Championship, hosted by the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club in Newport, Australia, was sailed in a moderate southerly on the Palm Beach Circle. Winner of last week’s Scandinavian Gold Cup and defending world champions, Artemis XIV (NOR 57, Kristian Nergaard, Johan Barne, Anders Pedersen), lead the only race from start to finish.

Girls on Film (GBR 40, Peter Morton, Andrew Palfrey, Andrew Mills) was second with New Moon II (BAH 24, Mark Holowesko, Christoph Burger, Peter Vlasov) crossing in third. There are 24 boats from seven nations taking part including 12 Moderns (built after 1993), nine Evolutions (built between 1970 and 1993) and three Classics (built before 1970).

With the wind increasing to 14-18 knots and a big sea state, the first race was a great test for everyone. The right side was favoured with Artemis XIV and Girls on Film early across while New Moon II started at the pin and crossed over later. Artemis XIV rounded the top mark ahead and was never headed, while Girls on Film passed New Moon II on the second top mark.

Andrew Palfrey, middleman on Girls on Film, said, “A really nice day I don’t think it gets much better than that. The sun wasn’t out but it was a fantastic breeze with not many shifts and the sea state was pretty nice upwind and some waves to catch downwind.”

The world championship continues Friday with two more races scheduled. A series of nine races concludes on Monday 13 January.

Results after first race
1 Artemis XIV (NOR 57, Kristian Nergaard, Johan Barne, Anders Pedersen)
2 Girls on Film (GBR 40, Peter Morton, Andrew Palfrey, Andrew Mills)
3 New Moon II (BAH 24, Mark Holowesko, Christoph Burger, Peter Vlasov)
4 Ali Baba (BAH 23, Craig Symonette, Flavio Marrazi, Will Alloway)
5 Clark Kent (NOR 64, Petter Fjeld, Christen Horn Johannson, Thomas Borgan)

Full results can be found here and photo gallery here .