Flying Fifteen Europeans- Steve Goacher and Phil Evans retain title

by UK Flying Fifteen Association on 31 Aug 2010
An Atlantic size depression fell on the chasing crews as gale force winds meant no racing on the final day of the Flying Fifteen Europeans in La Rochelle.

Friday and the final day of the Championships came with two stings in the tail. Firstly the sore heads and lack of sleep from the Regatta Dinner the night before (some arrived at the club in their pyjamas) and secondly a weather forecast for 40 mph winds which came true. The heavy rain soon passed but the wind persisted as did an official weather warning. In the end the Race Officer John Coveney had little choice but to abandon the day’s racing.

So with the overnight positions confirmed it's congratulations to Steve Goacher and Phil Evans who overcame some challenging conditions and a very competitive fleet, to get their nose ahead just at the right time. Also well done to Andy Davis and Andy Couch from Blithfield SC in the runners-up spot, and Mike Hart and Richard Rigg in third.

The excellent organisation from the home club and the race team together with a very pleasant venue made for a most enjoyable event.

The final leading positions are:
1. Steve Goacher and Phil Evans 18 points
2. Andy Davis and Andy Couch 21 points
3. Mike Hart and Richard Rigg 23 points
4. Greg Wells and Mark Darling 24 points
5. Charles Apthorp and Alan Green 35 points
6. Alan Bax and Bill Masterman 37 points

The home club have yet to post the full results with discard. Keep an eye on http://www.srr-sailing.com!click_here

European Flying Fifteen Championships, Day 3

Day 3 dawned with a very light and wavering breeze and a pessimistic weather forecast. The Race Officer postponed the start until the breeze arrived: sunbathing and swimming were the order of the day for a while. Eventually, a light breeze arrived and slowly settled into a stable north westerly direction sufficient to allow racing.

The first race was sailed in a light wind. There was a slight advantage to the right side but the shifty breeze meant some place changing and mark moving. Mike Hart rounded the windward mark first and held the lead to the finish.

For race two the wind increased and then fell back. Those who headed hard right after the start fared best. Justin Waples and Ian Stowe led at the first mark and down the next leg but chose the wrong side for the next one and dropped into the teens. Goacher and Evans also went the same way but tacked back to salvage sixth place. Simon Kneller and Dave Lucas went right with the Andrew and Andrea Millband and Adrian Tattersall and Tim Smart. Tattersall and Smart had to tack to make the finish allowing the Millbands to take second place – surely the result of the week!

With one day to go there is a small margin between the leaders and several of the front runners are in a position to win the Championship. No pressure!

Overall with 1 discard:-
Goacher/ Evans (12,2,7,1,2,6) 18 points
Davis/ Couch (2,1,3,26,3,12) 21 points
Hart/ Rigg (6,3,11,5,1,8) 23 points
Wells/ Darling (8,4,1,14,6,5) 24 points
Apthorpe/ Green (4,13,5,3,10,17) 35 points
Bax/ Masterman (5,7,2,16,7,24) 37 points

With the possibility of a second discard if all races are concluded tomorrow the championship is still an open affair - watch out for two race winners Kneller/ Lucas (1,50,6,4,39,1) looking to discard that 39th and 50th.

European Flying Fifteen Championships, Day 2

Day two began with cloudy skies and a Force 3 wind rising to Force 4. Initially the wind was southerly but it veered later.

For the third time the fleet was away at the first attempt. Competition was as close as usual with Greg Wells, Alan Bax and Andy Couch in contention at the first mark.

After the first round the wind veered thirty degrees causing the Race Officer to move the windward mark. A substantial portion of the fleet carried on the old course losing substantially. There was some confusion about the need to round the spacer mark.

Greg Wells went on to win the race from Alan Bax and Andy Davis.

Race four proved to be no less testing with another large shift on the last lap. The form book so far was rather upset. Those who took the left side of the course generally felt the benefit but the right was better on the last beat. Steve Goacher and Phil Evans got early onto the lifted tack and led from start to finish. Pip Hudson made the most of the conditions to finish second and Charles Apthorp was third. Some of the previously well-placed competitors were well down the field opening up the competition. Without a discard Steve Goacher and Phil Evans are the mid-point leaders but with the top six competitors within 6 points of each other it's all to sail for.

Flying 15 - European Championship, Leading positions after 4 races (50 entries)
1 3821 GOACHER Steve / EVANS Phil RWYC 22.00pts
2 3957 APTHORPE Charles / GREEN Alan HAYLING ISLAND SC 25.00
3 3917 HART Mike / RIGG Richard PDSC 25.00
4 3920 WELLS Greg / DARLING Mark HISC
5 3941 BAX Alan / MASTERMAN Bill HISC 30.00
6 3958 DAVIS Andy / COUCH Andy BLITHFIELD S.C 32.00
7 3961 BIET Arnaud / CONSTANT Fabien Y.C.DINARD 38.00
8 3954 WAPLES Justia / STAVE Ian RC Y.GBRC. 38.00
9 3681 HUDSON Pip / NASH Peter BROKBOURNE SC 50.00
10 3955 BROWNING Gill / GRADY Martin HISC 60.00

For a full breakdown of the results http://www.srr-sailing.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/co_id_46384_fly2.htm!click_here

European Flying Fifteen Championships, Day 1

Fifty boats from 6 countries assembled for the Flying Fifteen European Championships under the burgee of the Societe de Regates des Rochelaises.

Among the fleet were five former World Champions and a cluster of National Champions. The biggest fleet was the British one with the home French fleet next largest. The scene was set for some exciting racing.
After some particularly stormy weather in the days before the regatta the first race day produced a beautiful sunny day with a light Force 2-3 breeze from the north west shifting west. The Race Officer set a one-lap windward – leeward course for the first race.

Defending champions Steve Goacher and Phil Evans got off to a bad start in a collision at the start of the first race followed by two turns. The race was dominated by Andy Davis and Andy Couch sailing Ken Dodd’s Dad’s Dog’s still dead and Simon Kneller and Dave Lucas.

There appeared to be no particular gain from one side of the course and those who made best use of the wind shifts fared best. Kneller and Lucas prevailed with Davis and Couch second. Arnaud Biet and Fabien Constant were third and Charles Apthorp and Alan Green fourth.

The second race was a two-lap windward leeward course with a slight shift of the breeze. Simon Kneller was first over the finish line only to be disqualified for being over the line at the start. Steve Goacher and Phil Evans took the lead but lost it in a tacking duel after a windshift to Andy Davis and Andy Couch.

Thus, at the end of the first day Andy Davis and Andy Couch lead with Mike Hart and Richard Rigg in second having sailed very consistently.

The forecast for day two is for light breezes and possibly stormy weather on day 3.

An exciting contest is in prospect.

Flying 15 - European Championship, Leading positions after 2 races (50 entries)
1 3958 DAVIS Andy COUCH Andy BLITHFIELD S.C 2 1 3 3pts
2 3917 HART Mike RIGG Richard PDSC 6 3 9 9
3 3920 WELLS Greg DARLING Mark HISC 8 4 12 12
4 3941 BAX Alan MASTERMAN Bill HISC. 5 7 12 12
5 3821 GOACHER Stene EVANS Phil RWYC 12 2 14 14
6 3961 BIET Arnaud CONSTANT Fabien Y.C.DINARD 3 11 14 14
7 3959 GOODARD Andy MAL Hartland DOVESTONE S.C 7 8 15 15
8 3957 APTHOP Charles GREEN Alan HISC 4 13 17 17
9 3954 WAPLES Justia STAVE Ian RC Y.GBRC 14 5 19 19
10 3883 LAVERY John O'BRIEN David NATIONAL .Y.C 16 6 22 22
11 3955 BROWNING Gill GRADY Martin HISC 17 9 26 26
12 3899 THOMPSON Michael MILLINGTON Simon CHEW VALLEY LAKE 15 14 29 29