British Finn sailors dominate Marseille’s bay of contrasts

by Robert Deaves on 11 May 2017 Ed Wright, from Great Britain, has retaken the lead at the Finn European Championships in Marseille following another long day on the water after almost four full races were sailed. The ever consistent Norwegian, Anders Pedersen, is up to second while Jonathan Lobert, of France, is up to third.

The Bay of Marseille has been a bay of contrasts so far this week with yet another set of new conditions thrown at the competitors on the third day. The sailors are finding the bay both challenging and at times perplexing. Looking forward to a day of moderate to strong winds, the first two races were sailed in a building south-easterly wind with occasional rain, but the third race was abandoned as the wind died completely. The re-sail was eventually sailed in a light and patchy breeze after the Race Committee moved position.

Race four was a re-sail of the race abandoned on Tuesday with the lead changing at every mark. Tom Ramshaw, from Canada, led at the top after a shifty beat under the Point Rouge headland. Lobert had taken the lead by the gate but then Josip Olujic, of Croatia, found a shift on the left to pass everyone on the second beat. However the winner was Wright, who flew downwind to take the win from Lobert and Olujic.

In the increasing wind, Race five was a triangle course in slightly more wind with the rain easing as the fleet approached the top mark. Mikolaj Lahn, from Poland, led at the top and down the run, but it was Henry Wetherell, from Great Britain, leading round the next top mark and round the reaches to the finish from Lahn and regatta leader, Ben Cornish, from Great Britain.

Race six was where it started going wrong. With Oscar up at the start and a solid 15-18 knots everyone was set for another great race and for once an early finish. However it wasn't to be with the wind already dropping out at the top mark and R flag up to restrict free pumping. The wind dropped to around six knots on the run and there were huge place changes downwind. Wetherall had led at the top and extended round the gate from Milan Vujasinovic, from Croatia and Cornish. Wetherell managed to extend his lead on the next beat as the wind dropped completely for those behind and though he had wind all the way, the race was abandoned when he was 200 metres from the finish line. Most of the fleet was stranded near the windward mark.

After a short wait, the Race Committee moved position and set up a short windward-leeward course further away from the hills to windward. Former European Champion, Ioannis Mitakis of Greece, led round the top mark from the Croatians Vujasinovic and Olujic. It was a short race and Mitakis led through the gate, but Vujasinovic was in the lead at the top and extended downwind for the win, from Olujic, while Wright came through after another blistering downwind for third.

After six races sailed Vujasinovic had broken the British Sailing Team run of five race wins by three different sailors.

The day was won on the water by Pedersen who is piecing together an impressively consistent series with all top eight results.

“It’s been a good week being consistent in all my races. Unfortunately with the new format, if I can keep this up it doesn’t pay off that much. But I am happy with my sailing. I have been improving a lot especially downwind.

“It was shifty, and up and down so hard to get the right puffs. A frustrating day.”

Nicholas Heiner, from the Netherlands had a better day after a tough start to his first Finn major championship.

“I think today was another really tricky day. The race committee put us back underneath the mountain again so every time at the top mark it got really shifty and we had one race where there was no breeze at the top. So basically we sailed four races today, in some really challenging conditions from zero to 20 knots.”

“For myself I just needed to step it up a little bit. Keep my eyes out of the boat and set myself some priorities for today and I think in the end four top ten results, including one abandoned race, so pretty happy with the day.”

Wetherell is now the clear leader in the U23 European Championship after one of the best days on the water. He sits in eighth place overall, 40 points and nine places above Oskari Muhonen, from Finland. Evgenii Deiev, from Russia is in third place overall.

Wetherell commented, “The first two races went quite well with a seventh and a one, and the abandoned race I was winning that as well, but it got abandoned just before the finish, so would have been a great day, but in the fourth race I was in the mid-20s, so it was a good day but it could have been a lot better.'

“In the first two races the wind was quite a steadyish wind given that it was coming off the cliffs, but then gradually through the day the gust to lull got quite a bit bigger and got worse all day, so it was quite tricky.”

It was another long day on the water, but at least the championship is now back on schedule. Super strong winds have been forecast for Thursday, with the first warning signal delayed until 12.00 in the hope that the worst will have passed.

The key for the leading sailors now is to stay in the top 10 so they make the winner takes all finals on Saturday afternoon. A simplified format is being tested here of what was first tried in Palma. The top three boats in the opening series go straight to the five boat Final, while the next seven sail the Semi-Final, with the first two across the line advancing to the Final. It is intended to broadcast both the Semi-Final and Final through Facebook Live.

There are now just four Opening Series races left before the cut is made, with the last race scheduled for Saturday morning, before the Semi-Final and Final on Saturday afternoon.

Results after six races

1 GBR - 11 Edward WRIGHT - 23
2 NOR - 1 Anders PEDERSEN - 26
3 FRA - 112 Jonathan LOBERT - 28
4 GBR - 91 Ben CORNISH - 29
5 HUN - 40 Zsombor BERECZ - 38
6 GRE - 77 Ioannis MITAKIS - 42
7 CRO - 69 Milan VUJASINOVIC - 49
8 GBR - 71 Henry WETHERELL - 51
9 AUS - 261 Oliver TWEDDELL - 55
10 CRO - 1 Josip OLUJIC - 56

Results:

Pos	Sail	Competitors	Grp	P Net	P tot	r.1	r.2	r.3	r.4	r.5	r.6	Club/Country
1	GBR   11	WRIGHT Edward	FIN/FINN	23.00	86.00	1 1.0	1 1.0	BFD 63.0	1 1.0	17 17.0	3 3.0	GRANDE-BRETAGNE
2	NOR   1	PEDERSEN Anders	FIN/FINN	26.00	34.00	5 5.0	5 5.0	4 4.0	8 8.0	4 4.0	8 8.0	NORVEGE
3	FRA  112	LOBERT Jonathan	FIN/FINN	28.00	41.00	4 4.0	4 4.0	8 8.0	2 2.0	10 10.0	13 13.0	S R ROCHELAISES
4	GBR   91	CORNISH Ben	FIN/FINN	29.00	81.00	3 3.0	8 8.0	1 1.0	14 14.0	3 3.0	52 52.0	GRANDE-BRETAGNE
5	HUN   40	BERECZ Zsombor	FIN/FINN	38.00	56.00	2 2.0	10 10.0	2 2.0	18 18.0	15 15.0	9 9.0	HONGRIE
6	GRE   77	MITAKIS Ioannis	FIN/FINN	42.00	67.00	14 14.0	7 7.0	6 6.0	10 10.0	25 25.0	5 5.0	GRECE
7	CRO   69	VUJASINOVIC Milan	FIN/FINN	49.00	86.00	11 11.0	6 6.0	37 37.0	24 24.0	7 7.0	1 1.0	CROATIE
8	GBR   71	WETHERELL Henry	FIN/FU23	51.00	89.00	7 7.0	14 14.0	38 38.0	6 6.0	1 1.0	23 23.0	GRANDE-BRETAGNE
9	AUS  261	TWEDDELL Oliver	FIN/FINN	55.00	87.00	6 6.0	13 13.0	32 32.0	4 4.0	12 12.0	20 20.0	AUSTRALIE
10	CRO   1	OLUJIC Josip	FIN/FINN	56.00	86.00	24 24.0	9 9.0	18 18.0	3 3.0	30 30.0	2 2.0	CROATIE
11	CRO   52	BUGARIN Nenad	FIN/FINN	57.00	100.00	21 21.0	3 3.0	7 7.0	5 5.0	21 21.0	43 43.0	CROATIE
12	TUR   21	KAYNAR Alican	FIN/FINN	58.00	82.00	16 16.0	24 24.0	5 5.0	19 19.0	6 6.0	12 12.0	TURQUIE
13	NED   89	HEINER Nicholas	FIN/FINN	58.00	86.00	22 22.0	11 11.0	28 28.0	11 11.0	8 8.0	6 6.0	HOLLANDE
14	EST   2	KARPAK Deniss	FIN/FINN	62.00	84.00	20 20.0	16 16.0	3 3.0	12 12.0	11 11.0	22 22.0	ESTONIE
15	POL   16	LAHN Mikolaj	FIN/FINN	76.00	139.00	13 13.0	15 15.0	BFD 63.0	15 15.0	2 2.0	31 31.0	POLOGNE
16	RUS   6	ARKADIY Kistanov	FIN/FINN	76.00	107.00	17 17.0	31 31.0	31 31.0	7 7.0	5 5.0	16 16.0	RUSSIE
17	FIN   8	MUHONEN Oskari	FIN/FU23	91.00	119.00	18 18.0	28 28.0	11 11.0	28 28.0	24 24.0	10 10.0	FINLANDE
18	GER  259	KASUESKE Phillip	FIN/FINN	93.00	125.00	32 32.0	21 21.0	19 19.0	23 23.0	23 23.0	7 7.0	ALLEMAGNE
19	RUS   4	DEIEV Evgenii	FIN/FU23	94.00	132.00	29 29.0	38 38.0	10 10.0	22 22.0	22 22.0	11 11.0	RUSSIE
20	CAN   18	RAMSHAW Tom	FIN/FINN	98.00	135.00	37 37.0	29 29.0	12 12.0	9 9.0	27 27.0	21 21.0	CANADA
21	POL   17	KULA Piotr	FIN/FINN	99.00	127.00	26 26.0	18 18.0	25 25.0	21 21.0	9 9.0	28 28.0	POLOGNE
22	GBR   29	MC COY Peter	FIN/FINN	104.00	167.00	DNF 63.0	19 19.0	40 40.0	13 13.0	13 13.0	19 19.0	GRANDE-BRETAGNE
23	ITA   1	BALDASSARI Filippo	FIN/FINN	105.00	168.00	15 15.0	12 12.0	33 33.0	29 29.0	16 16.0	RET 63.0	ITALIE
24	DEN   24	HOEJEN CHRISTIANSEN Andry	FIN/FINN	106.00	145.00	19 19.0	23 23.0	20 20.0	25 25.0	19 19.0	39 39.0	DANEMARK
25	SWE   33	SALMINEN Max	FIN/FINN	108.00	171.00	9 9.0	2 2.0	BFD 63.0	UFD 63.0	20 20.0	14 14.0	SUEDE
26	FRA   17	PIC Fabian	FIN/FINN	108.00	144.00	12 12.0	25 25.0	36 36.0	16 16.0	29 29.0	26 26.0	S R ROCHELAISES
27	CZE   5	TEPLY Ondrej	FIN/FU23	113.00	176.00	30 30.0	20 20.0	BFD 63.0	30 30.0	18 18.0	15 15.0	REPUBLIQUE TCHE
28	ITA   59	SPADONI Alessio	FIN/FINN	116.00	154.00	35 35.0	17 17.0	14 14.0	26 26.0	38 38.0	24 24.0	ITALIE
29	ARG   48	OLEZZA Facundo	FIN/FINN	119.00	182.00	31 31.0	35 35.0	22 22.0	17 17.0	14 14.0	RET 63.0	ARGENTINE
30	ESP   7	MUSCAT Alejandro	FIN/FINN	121.00	156.00	27 27.0	26 26.0	17 17.0	35 35.0	26 26.0	25 25.0	ESPAGNE
31	IRL   6	MCCLELLAND Oisin	FIN/FINN	134.00	170.00	28 28.0	32 32.0	24 24.0	36 36.0	33 33.0	17 17.0	IRLANDE
32	UKR   5	GUSENKO Andrii	FIN/FINN	136.00	174.00	25 25.0	27 27.0	15 15.0	34 34.0	35 35.0	38 38.0	UKRAINE
33	FIN  218	TAPIO Nirkko	FIN/FINN	138.00	201.00	10 10.0	DNF 63.0	BFD 63.0	27 27.0	34 34.0	4 4.0	FINLANDE
34	AUS   2	MCMILAN Rob	FIN/FINN	143.00	193.00	8 8.0	22 22.0	50 50.0	37 37.0	40 40.0	36 36.0	AUSTRALIE
35	GER   25	KOHLHOFF Max	FIN/FINN	150.00	213.00	34 34.0	DNF 63.0	13 13.0	31 31.0	28 28.0	44 44.0	ALLEMAGNE
36	SWE   11	PETTERSON Johannes	FIN/FU23	150.00	189.00	38 38.0	39 39.0	34 34.0	20 20.0	31 31.0	27 27.0	SUEDE
37	NZL   64	MC CARTY Brendan	FIN/FINN	158.00	201.00	36 36.0	42 42.0	21 21.0	43 43.0	41 41.0	18 18.0	NOUVELLE ZELAND
38	FIN  225	HYRYLAINEN Mikael	FIN/FINN	160.00	204.00	23 23.0	44 44.0	41 41.0	32 32.0	32 32.0	32 32.0	FINLANDE
39	FIN  118	MOISIO Wltteri	FIN/FU23	162.00	215.00	44 44.0	30 30.0	9 9.0	50 50.0	53 53.0	29 29.0	FINLANDE
40	GBR   98	TWEEDLE Cameron	FIN/FU23	173.00	226.00	33 33.0	43 43.0	23 23.0	38 38.0	36 36.0	53 53.0	GRANDE-BRETAGNE
41	FRA   2	DEVINEAU Antoine	FIN/FINN	191.00	254.00	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	16 16.0	39 39.0	43 43.0	30 30.0	S N O NANTES
42	FRA  297	BOISARD Guillaume	FIN/FU23	195.00	244.00	45 45.0	34 34.0	35 35.0	49 49.0	47 47.0	34 34.0	CN Sainte-Maxime
43	GER  595	GORGELS Simon	FIN/FU23	199.00	247.00	48 48.0	41 41.0	48 48.0	40 40.0	37 37.0	33 33.0	ALLEMAGNE
44	GBR  707	DIXON Callum	FIN/FU23	202.00	250.00	40 40.0	36 36.0	39 39.0	42 42.0	45 45.0	48 48.0	GRANDE-BRETAGNE
45	FRA   75	HAY Laurent	FIN/FINN	203.00	252.00	41 41.0	40 40.0	42 42.0	41 41.0	39 39.0	49 49.0	S R ROCHELAISES
46	RUS  777	GRISHNIAKOV Artem	FIN/FU23	206.00	269.00	39 39.0	DNF 63.0	46 46.0	44 44.0	42 42.0	35 35.0	RUSSIE
47	FRA   99	ALLAIN DES BEAUVAIS Marc	FIN/FINN	208.00	263.00	43 43.0	45 45.0	26 26.0	46 46.0	48 48.0	55 55.0	S N O NANTES
48	BER   9	ROCKAL Evane	FIN/FINN	209.00	260.00	49 49.0	33 33.0	51 51.0	33 33.0	44 44.0	50 50.0	BERMUDES
49	POL   52	STROMSKI Krzysztof	FIN/FU23	219.00	274.00	51 51.0	46 46.0	27 27.0	55 55.0	50 50.0	45 45.0	POLOGNE
50	HUN  911	HAIDEKKER Elemer	FIN/FINN	222.00	271.00	47 47.0	47 47.0	43 43.0	48 48.0	49 49.0	37 37.0	HONGRIE
51	FRA  111	LEBRUN Valerian	FIN/FINN	229.00	292.00	46 46.0	37 37.0	DSQj 63.0	47 47.0	52 52.0	47 47.0	S R ROCHELAISES
52	ITA   83	SAVIO Matteo	FIN/FU23	240.00	303.00	DNC 63.0	DNC 63.0	45 45.0	45 45.0	46 46.0	41 41.0	ITALIE
53	SLO   99	OREL Jan	FIN/FU23	240.00	303.00	50 50.0	48 48.0	44 44.0	UFD 63.0	56 56.0	42 42.0	SLOVENIE
54	GBR   88	TWEEDLE Jonathan	FIN/FINN	243.00	306.00	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	30 30.0	53 53.0	57 57.0	40 40.0	GRANDE-BRETAGNE
55	HUN   11	HAIDEKKER Peter Pal	FIN/FI NN	245.00	301.00	52 52.0	49 49.0	47 47.0	56 56.0	51 51.0	46 46.0	HONGRIE
56	GER  231	JESCHULL Denny	FIN/FINN	257.00	320.00	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	29 29.0	52 52.0	59 59.0	54 54.0	ALLEMAGNE
57	FRA   28	GRALL Sebastien	FIN/FINN	281.00	344.00	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	49 49.0	51 51.0	55 55.0	DNF 63.0	S N BANDOL
58	FRA  113	DADURE Sylvain	FIN/FINN	284.00	347.00	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	55 55.0	57 57.0	58 58.0	51 51.0	C.V.C.E.P. SACLAY
59	FRA   66	LOBERT Philippe	FIN/FINN	287.00	350.00	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	53 53.0	54 54.0	54 54.0	DNF 63.0	S N O NANTES
60	ESP   57	GOROSTEGUI Victor	FIN/FINN	294.00	357.00	42 42.0	DNF 63.0	DNC 63.0	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	ESPAGNE
61	FRA  869	BAUMGARTEN Regis	FIN/FINN	299.00	362.00	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	52 52.0	58 58.0	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	S R V ANNECY
62	FRA   27	LALLEMAND Pierre	FIN/FINN	306.00	369.00	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	54 54.0	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	S N BANDOL

Penalties and redress : 44 (5 BFD; 3 DNC; 31 DNF; 1 DSQ; 2 RET; 2 UFD; )