Here is the report that I wrote for the Garda EuroCup event. I’ll
be quicker getting the next few to print so I can get them up on
the relevant web sites around the place.
What do you think?
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The first round of the 2004 29er EuroCup circuit was completed in
early April, with three days of racing from the Circolo Acquafresca
on Lake Garda, Italy. 36 crews competed, with teams traveling from
Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and
Australia.
The commitment and skills of some of the National teams made quite
an impressive spectacle, with the highly organised Danish
contingent arriving with their 12 boats and coach at the regatta
site five days prior to the event for a series of pre-regatta
training sessions. The skilled Finnish team of 4 boats and coach
arrived soon after followed by the Italian team and coaches, then
the Swiss/German team and coach. Being the first major event of the
season, it was surprising to see such good sailing well before the
regatta even started, obviously some people take their 29er sailing
very very seriously!
The pre-regatta training showed a variety of conditions, from the
fresh Ora to light and shifting Peler winds. Following the
completion of the training and on the eve of the regatta itself,
Sabrina from Acquafresca threw a welcoming party, with plenty of
food, drinks, live music - and after everyone had sufficiently
loosened up - dancing.
Day 1 of racing saw an uncharacteristically strong Peler wind from
the North prevailing for the entire afternoon. The fleet was
thoroughly tested in 15-25 knots and rolling chop, 8 degree air
temperatures and 8 degree water. A fresh layer of snow was kind
enough to deposit itself on the tops of the mountains alongside the
lake!
It was in these relatively warm conditions that the Finnish team of
Arcarda - Laurie Lehtinen & Miika Pennanen excelled. Clearly
the most consistent team in the fresh conditions, Lehtinen/Pennanen
scored one 1st, three 2nds and a 3rd in the five races. The all
important drop race came into effect after five races, allowing the
Australian team of David O’Connor & Scott Babbage to sneak into
the lead at the end of the day. After a first race disaster, where
the Australians finished a lap early while vying for the lead, the
Aussies regrouped to score a 2nd and finish with three 1sts. Other
winners on the first day were the impressive Danish Champions, Bo
Schulein & Simon Jensen, who took control early in the first
race and maintained it around the three laps to the finish.
Day 2 saw another uncharacteristic set of conditions, with a light
Ora of 3-8 knots prevailing for all four races. In the first race
of the day, another Danish crew, Norbo/Norbo lead from start to
finish. The Danes were followed around the course by
O’Connnor/Babbage, with the Finnish girls team of Silja Lehtinen
& Silja Kanerva snatching 2nd place on the finish line.
Lehtinen/Pennanen showed great tactics in the light winds to lead
early in the remaining three races. O’Connnor/Babbage stayed close,
and ran down the Finns on the light downwind legs to win the next
two races. O’Connor/Babbage lead at the final top mark in the last
race of the day only to have the tables turned, with
Lehtinen/Kanerva and the Danish girls Helle Orum Nielsen &
Maria Gade taking out the placings on the line.
The final day of racing promised a return to Garda’s fresh
conditions, however the fleet was again confronted with an
uncharacteristically strong yet variable Peler wind. The first race
of the day threw a few strange gusts at the fleet, with
Lehtinen/Pennanen leading clearly early in the race and
O’Connor/Babbage buried deep in the fleet. The first downwind saw
the Danish teams of Norbo/Norbo and Schulein/Jensen run away with a
tricky set of gusts to snatch the lead from the Finns. The
Australians fought their way back to 3rd by the last top mark, only
to gybe into oblivion on the final downwind and finish a distant
5th. The Finns recovered to 2nd, and closed the overall gap on the
Australians to only a few points.
As conditions settled down for the remaining races,
O’Connor/Babbage showed their downwind speed to take the lead from
Lehtinen/Pennanen in the penultimate race. The Australians finished
first and secured the regatta. The final race saw the German team
of Fabian Schreiner & Maurer lead early, closely followed by
the Finnish boat Smopex, Paetau/Lendberg. O’Connor/Babbage closed
the gap and unceremoniously snatched the lead from the Germans a
lap before the finish.
At the completion of 3 days of racing and up to five days of
training, all the teams were thankful for the chance to rest. As
boats and cars were packed for the trip home, the skies cleared,
temperature rose and the prevailing strong Ora breeze filled in -
the best weather for the week!
Overall O’Connor/Babbage won with 15 points, followed by
Lehtinen/Pennanen on 24 and Schulein/Jensen on 42. Finnish &
Danish teams dominated the top ten placings, and are sure to be a
force to be reckoned with in future events. The event saw some
excellent sportsmanship throughout the fleet, with the mainland
European 29ers grouping together for an assault on the British team
at the next EuroCup event in Weymouth, on the 8-9th of May.
For more information on the 29er and the EuroCup series, visit the
International 29er web site at www.29er.org
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