Please select your home edition
Edition
Noble Marine 2022 SW - LEADERBOARD

In Rarefied Company

by Mark Jardine 6 Feb 2024 20:00 UTC
Matt Wearn crosses the line to win the 2024 ILCA 7 Men World Championship © Jack Fletcher / Down Under Sail

Winning the ILCA 7 Worlds is one of the pinnacle achievements in sailing. Winning it more than once puts you in rarefied company.

Until now, in the 50-year history of the Laser / ILCA 7 World Championship, just seven sailors have multiple world titles in the class: John Bertrand (USA, 2), Glenn Bourke (AUS, 3), Robert Scheidt (BRA, 9!), Ben Ainslie (GBR, 2), Tom Slingsby (AUS, 5), Nick Thompson (GBR, 2) and Pavlos Kontides (CYP, 2). That's quite a list.

Matt Wearn has just joined this list, which puts him amongst these legends, and it was by no means easy. The 152 entries at Adelaide Sailing Club saw a range of conditions, and after the second day Norway's Hermann Tomasgaard led the charge, but Wearn kept knocking in top results to take the lead on day 3. Great Britain's Micky Beckett kept the pressure on, just a single point behind Wearn after day 4, but the cream rose to the top, with the penultimate day, held in 25+ knot winds, proving decisive.

Going into the Medal Race with an 8-point lead, Matt then proceeded to find a clear lane at the start, leading at every mark, crossing the finish line first. That's how to win in style.

He's now gone back-to-back, winning both the 2023 and 2024 ILCA 7 World Championship titles, and he's the Olympic champion in the class, having won gold at Tokyo 2020.

Big wind sailing in a singlehanded hiking dinghy is tough. I can't count the number of times I've gone upwind, wishing the rounding mark closer, then trying to catch my breath for the first half of the downwind leg while trying not to get into a death roll.

At the top end of the sport there's no time to relax. The downwind legs are just as physical as the upwinds, and all the time you need to keep your head in the game to think tactically. The manoeuvres and kinetics on board need to be second nature.

We spoke to Matt after the Worlds to find out how he's developed his skills:

"I owe a lot of my hiking fitness to the base that was built through my early years in the boat. I was fortunate enough to be guided by Arthur Brett on what the right technique is, and have continued to use these philosophies through my entire career. This, I believe, allows me to be more efficient from a physical sense, which in turn keeps the heart rate lower and allows me to think clearer, especially at the back end of a 20 minute upwind. Obviously time in the boat and years of sailing in those types of conditions also gives you a great advantage when you need it."

The class itself, and strict one design sailing, means you can't lean on a technical advantage. At the big championships you don't even sail your own boat as the equipment is supplied, as Matt explained:

"The one design nature of the class means you are on an equal playing field. The fact that when we go to major events the boats are supplied, so you have to be able to adapt to the small variances, brings the best sailors to the top. The simplicity of the design, with minimal ability to change anything, means that you have to be on top of your tactical decisions due to everyone's boat speed being the same."

Being an Olympic year, sealing this win is a huge confidence boost ahead of Paris 2024, but also frees up Matt to work on any aspects of his sailing ahead of the Games:

"It's amazing! To win the Worlds last year and stamp my authority at the top of the fleet again was great, but to go back-to-back and also in an Olympic year feels amazing! It's so important to get good results on the board early in the year so you can concentrate on fixing what needs to be fixed pre-Games without the results pressure."

It is ominous indeed for his fellow competitors when the best is already looking at how to get better. Matt Wearn has truly entered the pantheon of greats and is the man to beat in Marseille when the Olympic ILCA 7 racing starts on Thursday 1st August.

Mark Jardine
Sail-World.com and YachtsandYachting.com Managing Editor

Related Articles

Jazz Turner completes Project FEAR
Drama right to the end in her non-stop, solo, unassisted navigation of the British Isles Jazz Turner has completed Project FEAR, her non-stop, solo, unassisted navigation of the British Isles in her Albin 27 yacht. A flotilla of supporters met her in Seaford Bay, which grew and grew the closer they came to Brighton Marina. Posted on 1 Jul
Project FEAR is in the final few days
Charity circumnavigation almost over, in record time, with a record total raised Jazz Turner is expected to reach home (Brighton Marina) on Monday 30th June or Tuesday 1st July. She has sailed round the British Isles - all round Ireland and the Shetland Islands - without any assistance in 27 days so far. Posted on 28 Jun
A brief history of marine instrument networks
Hugh Agnew has been involved since the outset, and continues to develop at the cutting edge One man who has been involved since the outset, and continues to develop at the cutting edge, is Hugh Agnew, the Cambridge-educated mathematician who is one of the founders of A+T Instruments in Lymington, so I spoke to him to find out more... Posted on 25 Jun
Project FEAR turns southwards
Charity circumnavigation progress report from the Shetland Islands Last month I didn't even know that Muckle Flugga existed. Yet today, the very name of the island brought tears of emotion to my eyes, as I heard Jazz Turner scream it out in victory, in a video she took when passing the lighthouse. Posted on 22 Jun
Video Review: The Amazing Cure 55
Composite Construction meets Cruising Convenience It was two years ago at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show that I talked to Dave Biggar about his ideas and plans for the Cure 55. At the 2025 show I got to step on board the yacht and see how his ideas became reality. Posted on 17 Jun
Jazz Turner's fundraising target is smashed
Already £30k raised for Sailability, so it's time to up the ante Jazz Turner has now passed the northern-most tip of Ireland and is on her way to the Shetland Islands, and at the same time her fundraising total of £30,000 has been smashed! Posted on 15 Jun
Jazz Turner is now nearing Ireland
Fundraising circumnavigation almost hits the £30k target after just 8 days afloat As at the 10th June Jazz is 8 days out from Brighton, and starting to near Ireland. Jazz had hoped to be further along than this, but the winds have been forcing her to stay close-hauled ever since she started. Posted on 10 Jun
Video Interview: Onboard the Excess 14
At the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show 2025 Excess have moved forward their designs with the Excess 13 and 14 cruising catamarans, so seeing the Excess 14 was high on the priority list, as well as talking to some exceptional high performance sailors on board to learn their thoughts. Posted on 3 Jun
Jazz Turner sets off around the British Isles
Wheelchair cast aside for a gruelling fundraising voyage for Sailability We have been following Jazz Turner on a quest to become the first female wheelchair user to complete a solo, non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation of the British Isles. Today she left Brighton Marina, velcro-ed to the windward side on the epic voyage. Posted on 2 Jun
Where to purchase adaptive sailing equipment
Seats, hoists, etc for sailors with a disability Several organisations have contributed their knowledge regarding where to purchase adaptive sailing equipment such as seats for dinghies and hoists for wheelchair users to get into boats. Posted on 1 Jun
Barton Marine Pipe GlandsSunstorm Marine - Mesh Bag - RIBSelden 2020 - FOOTER