Allen RS Feva World Championship overall

by Golly Tucker on 3 Aug 2014 An hour’s delay due to a late arriving sea breeze did little to calm the nerves on the final day of the RS Feva World Championship. This did allow the Class AGM to take place delayed as it was due to the late finish the day before. Ultimately the D flag launched the fleet into a shifty 8-10kt breeze.

The Race Officer's team did a grand job getting the final two races in to complete the series with the breeze topping out at some 10-12kts. All in all the varied conditions over both the qualifying series (One light and one breezy day) and the final series (One light, one just a fraction more than light and one breezy) gave a very true test and gave all sailors a fairly even chance of showing their talents off properly.

By the last day's races Harvey Martin and Bobby Hewitt (GBR) had a decent lead and needed to get into championship winning mode by managing the fleet rather than needing to go risky in search of more race wins. This they did magnificently popping in a 9-4 final day to win the title by 13pts. Closest challengers were Piers Nicholls and Freddie Peters (GBR) who gave it a good pop in case of a slip up but had to settle for the Silver medal. Nikol Stankova and Vaclav Brabec (CZE) also set about the task of trying to bridge the gap with relish by winning the penultimate race. But a sixth in the final race made sure of the Bronze medal and repeated their third place from the European Championships in May.

It was a good championship for the Eastern European nations with Simonas Jarsovas and Gabriele Petraityte (LTU) and best final day performance of all boats) nailing fourth down and Markus Lilienthal and Uko Rasmus Tideman (EST) taking out a well deserved sixth. They thus sandwiched James Hammett and Ben Todd (GBR) who were fifth. Team GBR sailors Will and Matt Taylor seventh and Finley and Daniel Armstrong 10th also sandwiched two Dutch boats. Top Dutch performance was achieved by Bo v Wendel de Joode and Ties Verploegh (NED) in eighth and Willemijn and Manus Offerman (NED) ninth.

In the Silver fleet Tristam Payne and Jake Carpenter (GBR) tidied up a smooth series witha 4,3 final day to take the top slot by 4pts from Jean Leo Touffet and Jade Saunier (FRA) and both of whom had a sizeable lead over third boat William and James Cunliffe (GBR).The spoils in the Bronze Fleet went to Martijn Jessurun and Nynke Nell (NED) from Roscoe Martin and Maddie Wylie (GBR) and Charlie Elliott and Will Knottenbelt.

The Ladies prize in a hard fought and tight series went to Hannah and Madeleine Bristow (GBR - Hannah not being a stranger to the top step of the podium having won the worlds with Bobby Hewitt in Italy last year but sailing with little sister this year!). Only 1pt separated Caroline Heiberg and Marie Bordal (NOR) in second from Jessie Main and Poppy Gilks (GBR) in third.

Jack Lewis and Lucas Marshall (GBR) took the Junior trophy comfortably (watch this space as the junior winners have a tendency of repeating success later!) from Jaroslav Cermak and Petr Kostal (CZE) in second with Will Caiger and Caitlin Atkin (GBR) third. The family Trophy was won by Will and Matt Taylor (GBR). Willemijn and Manus Offerman (NED) were a fantastic second while Finley and Daniel Armstrong (GBR) were third.

Yacht Club de Carnac were just the best hosts one could hope for in an event of this size and all thanks go them all. We shall await the 2015 winners in Travemunde, Germany with great interest. With five nations in the top 10, 18 Nations overall, 184 boats competing in fierce and friendly competition we also thank all the parents and volunteers who make it all possible!