Most of the competitors have already competed in the Australian National championship, won by two-times world champions Chris and Darren Nicholson from Lake Macquarie in New South Wales, Australia. Since their world 505 title wins, Chris Nicholson has shown his sailing versatility by becoming the Australian champion in 18-foot skiffs and winning a heat of the Tornado catamaran world championship.
The Nicholsons are favourites for the seven-race world championship, along with four-times world 505 champions Krister Bergstrom and Martin Westerdahl from Sweden and defending champions Jeremy Robinson and Bill Masterman from England.
Others expected to sail well include Americans Jeff Miller and Mike Martin along with other Australian crew Greg Searant and Kane Sinclair who finished runners-up in the Australian title.
Among the competitors is America's Cup yachtsman Iain Murray who is sailing as crew for his wife, Alex, in a new carbon fibre 505, while several "golden" oldies" of 505s will be sailing in a shortened series, among them australia's" yachting knight, Sir James Hardy.