JUSTIN Visser and Simon Wheeler, from Royal Lymington Yacht Club and Parkstone Yacht Club respectively, have won the 29er Youth World Championships in San Francisco.

The duo also tied third in the open competition.

Visser and Wheeler, sponsored by Musto, won the most races out of any team (six out of the 18 races sailed) and finished top British boat.

However, it could have been very different but for a costly mistake and an even costlier boat breakage.

The event was a great success, with tough conditions of strong winds, steep chop and lots of tide.

Competitors had three days of qualifying races before being separated into fleets of Gold, Silver and Bronze for another three days of racing, to decide the World Champion.

Visser and Wheeler started the regatta in the best possible way, winning their first race on San Francisco Bay by a convincing margin, and then took an early and large lead in the second race.

However, it was then that disaster struck, when, in strong breeze and large waves, a stainless steel pin holding up the mast snapped just metres from the finishing line.

The mast went over the side and the race was lost, with the team returning a did not finish on the first day.

However, the pair went on to take the outright lead of the event, with some stunning sailing, on day two.

They scored 1, 1, 3 and 1 in tricky conditions to put the previous day's disaster behind them and jump 40 places in one day.

The final day of qualifying was not so good for Visser and Wheeler however, receiving an OCS disqualification when they were placed second in the first race of the day. They also took 12th in the other race.

Expecting another discard so they could drop both their DNF and their OSC and qualify first or second, the duo were not too disappointed with the day.

However, when the organisers decided to call it a day when the wind got too strong and ultimately end the qualifying series without a second discard, Visser and Wheeler knew that their hopes of winning the World Championships were very slim having qualified 15th.

Over the course of the next three days and with their backs to the wall, they battled with some of the best skiff sailors in the world and put together the best results in the Gold Fleet - pulling back a large points deficit to finish the regatta in fourth overall.

They actually tied for third place but lost out on tie-break. They were also the overall Youth World Champions.

"We are very happy with our result, and felt we sailed very well throughout the week. There are a few 'what-ifs' but overall we are very pleased," said Visser after the event.

The pair now move onto the Olympic class 49er, and hope to make early impressions on a quality fleet, but are not expecting too much at this point.

Gypsy Moth IV will shortly be visiting Poole Yacht Club. The late Sir Francis Chichester's famous yacht will arrive late on Wednesday, August 17, and will spend the next day and evening in Poole.

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Chichester's original voyage, Gipsy Moth will once more set sail on the high seas in search of adventure in September.

This time her journey will take her around the world following the trade winds and is expected to take 22 months - considerably longer than Chichester's 274 days. For her circumnavigation, Gypsy Moth will be under sails made by Crusader Sails of Poole.

This week sees the biggest gathering of GP14s ever seen on the South Coast as Poole Yacht Club host the GP14 national championships.

More than 60 of the dinghies are taking to the water for two 'flights' in the racing fleet and a further 11 are exploring Poole's harbour in the cruising section.

Parkstone Yacht Club's annual Poole Week will be taking place between August 21 and 26.

There will be classes for all types of dinghy and entry details can be obtained on 01202 743610.