U23 Finn Worlds - Great welcome for U23 Finn sailors in Aarhus

by Robert Deaves on 5 Jul 2016 2016 U23 Finn World Championship - After a couple of false starts the wind died and the practice race at the 2016 U23 Finn World Championship in Aarhus, Denmark, was abandoned and the fleet headed back to the Kaløvik Boat Harbour.

Earlier in the day the event was officially opened at an informal ceremony at the harbour.

In opening the event on behalf of the organising authority, Lars Illum Stachelhaus said, “Seen through the eyes of the world, Aarhus is a small city. Seen with our eyes we are the smallest, big city in the world. We love it in a big way but, in a small city atmosphere.”

Speaking to the Finn youth he said, “Kaløvik is one of the largest sailing clubs in Denmark with a long history of building Olympic sailors. On a daily basis more than 100 boys and girls spend their afternoons and evenings and their weekends trying to become exactly what you are, some of the best sailors in the world.”

“It is our hope that our focus on you as a sailor will give you the desire to come back in the coming years as we prepare for the World Sailing Championships in 2018. Since 1866 when the first international regatta took place in the bay of Aarhus, it has become a tradition to welcome sailors from around the world on a regular basis. This year is no exception. We have been looking forward to seeing you in our cosy little harbour.”

Corinne McKenzie, Executive Director of the Finn Class replied, “I think it is very important to be here in Denmark, with such a big tradition in the Finn class, with so much knowledge, and to be in a club that is so professional and so family oriented and friendly. This, for us, is a perfect combination. We feel at home and know we are being looked after.”

“One of the reasons to come here was to give you a first experience of the World Sailing Championship in 2018 that’s going to be the first Olympic qualifier for Tokyo and I know that this is a benchmark in everyone’s mind at the moment. Some are concentrating on Rio, but Tokyo is really what you are aiming for and this is the first step to get there.”

Later, the practice race was scheduled for 15.00. With many large clouds coming down the race course, the first start was abandoned after a huge left shift, the second after a huge right shift and the third after the clouds sucked away all the wind. With only one boat left on the start line by that time, the race committee practiced a full sequence, before abandoning for the day.

The first warning signal of the 2016 U23 Finn World Championship is scheduled for 12.00 on Tuesday, with three races each day until Friday, before the final race on Saturday.