A-Cat Europeans- Team NZ's Ashby leads after two days in France

by Sail-World on 25 Jun 2014 Emirates Team NZ wingsail trimmer, and seven times World Champion, Glenn Ashby leads the 2014 Europeans Championship organized by Cercle Voile Bordeaux, France, after two days of sailing.

Today Lake Hourtin saw decent winds for the third and fourth qualifying races. Ashby won both races in fleet A and Jason Waterhouse did the same in the B fleet.

Germans Georg Reutter and Matthias Dietz are holding third and fourth overall but tied in 10 points.

Emirates Team NZ skipper, Dean Barker having a foray into the foiling singlehander lies in 18th place overall, counting creditable 8,6,8 places in the fleet. Chris Nicholson (AUS) skipper of Emirates Team New Zealand crewed Camper in the last Volvo Ocean Race lies in 26th place overall after four races have been sailed.

Unstable Midrange to 5 knots are the mixed conditions the fleet is having here at Carcans.

The Course area in both fleets had some uneven patches as yesterday, and a late stable breeze entered too just after the races.

Tomorrow the fleet will be divided in Gold and Silver.

Light winds prevailed for the first two races of the Europeans, the first leg of the day was possible to trapeze, downwind with some speed, and from then on it was 4-6knots racing.

Although some managed to foil while others were dead flat. In the B fleet Ashby won with ease his first race. He was sailing his 'Alien' mode (With some breeze he had no competition whatsoever). For the second, with 4-5knots it was not that easy and he finished third.

Two fleets were organized due to the 117 sailors. Excellent view having that much As racing together.

In the Gold fleet Brewin was smoking too in foiling mode, but got a BFD.

For the rookie Argentines it was a tough start, coming from the F18 with jib/spi, the downwind legs in 5 knots are a treat.

Ian Rodger (ARG) managed to score a 17 in the second race and holds 48 overall.

We are really enjoying this event and the Class, lot to learn and Lake Hourtin is a perfect place for A-Cat school.

Many non foiling boats are sailing and it was a good way to start in the sense of giving the sailors and designers a good test in those light wind Full results

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