Please select your home edition
Edition
Doyle_SailWorld_728X90px_GP TOP

ISAF Sailing World Cup Hyeres - Strong start for Fletcher and Sign

by Lindsey Bell on 22 Apr 2014
Dylan Fletcher and Alain Sign, 49er - ISAF Sailing World Cup Hyeres 2014 Richard Langdon/British Sailing Team
At the ISAF Sailing World Cup Hyeres 2014 the 49er defending champions Dylan Fletcher and Alain Sign made their podium intentions clear on a fantastic first day of racing in Hyeres on Monday (21 April).

The European Champions were quick out of the blocks on a three-race day for the men’s skiff fleet, while the Sonar trio of John Robertson, Hannah Stodel and Steve Thomas took an early advantage to sit them on top of the standings after two races in the three-person Paralympic fleet.

The 2013 edition of this Hyeres World Cup saw a confidence boosting first regatta win for Fletcher and Sign – and with the duo having been on the podium in major regattas three more times since, including a bronze at the Palma World Cup two weeks ago, they’re buoyed by their form coming into this event.
'We certainly did ourselves pretty proud out there,' admitted Fletcher, who is poised in overall second place with Sign after the first day of competition. 'We had a good first race and won that one, and then had a couple more top threes so we’re really chuffed with how it went.

'It couldn’t really have gone much better. It was 10-14 knots, bit of chop, the sun was out and 40 boats on the racecourse made it pretty hectic, but it was great fun!'

But with a strong 49er fleet racing at this final World Cup event of the 2013-14 season – including a return for Australia’s Olympic Champions Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jenson – the British Sailing Team duo know there’s a lot of work still to do on the five remaining days of competition.

'As soon as we get into gold fleet it’s going to be really tough,' Sign explained. 'We’ve got pretty much everyone from the Worlds here so it’s a real test of how the season’s going to pan out and how we can gain even more up until the Worlds in Santander, so it will be good to see how we go.

'Through qualifying it’s just about trying to keep it really simple off the startline, do the simple things really well and see where we end up when it comes to gold fleet racing and then plan the rest of our attack on the rest of the series.

'I think it’s just about making sure we don’t do anything stupid for the first couple of days and see how we get on in gold fleet.'

Not to be outdone, Fletcher’s girlfriend Charlotte Dobson and crew Sophie Ainsworth saw a solid start to their regatta in the women’s 49erFX fleet, with a race win among their three races seeing them into third after the opening day.

'We had brilliant racing today,' enthused Dobson. 'The forecast wasn’t fantastic and we came down expecting a bit of a crouch-off, but the wind picked up pretty quickly and we had a lovely three races in 10-14 knots in the end.

'Our race course is quite close into the shore and there are quite a lot of refracting waves, so the sea state is quite challenging. It was pretty hard to sail the boat today but we managed to have three pretty good races, so we’re pretty happy really.'

Dobson has fond memories of the southern French venue from her time in the Laser Radial, and in the 49erFX last year where she won silver sailing with Mary Rook.

'I love Hyeres. I did well in Hyeres in my Laser as well – I’ve never won here though. I’ve come third once and second twice, so maybe this time we can do a bit better!'

British sailors also saw a strong start in the Nacra 17 event, with Pippa Wilson-John Gimson and Ben Saxton-Hannah Diamond each sharing a race win from the three multihull races on Monday. Local heroes and World Champions Billy Besson-Marie Riou took an early lead with two race wins from the three, but the two British teams are right behind in overall second and third places respectively after this opening day, with Lucy Macgregor-Andrew Walsh in eighth.

Eilidh McIntyre’s splinted finger didn’t appear to impact her racing on Monday, as she and Sophie Weguelin picked up a seventh and a third from the two races in the 470 Women’s fleet to see them poised in third place, while in the 470 Men’s event, a three-race day improved as it went on for Luke Patience and Elliot Willis. The duo, competing in just their second event together since teaming up in February, scored 14,9,3 for their day.

In the Paralympic fleets, John Robertson, Hannah Stodel and Steve Thomas saw a great start to their regatta with an opening day of three,two to sit them on top of the Sonar leaderboard, while Miami World Cup winner Megan Pascoe had a consistent day in the 2.4mR event, posting two third places to place third overall going into day two. Paralympic Champion Helena Lucas is poised in sixth.

RS:X World Champion Nick Dempsey picked up three consistent top-five results in the men’s windsurfing event, placing 10th overall with training partner Tom Squires right behind him in 11th.

In the single-handed Laser event, Nick Thompson and Elliot Hanson are 19th and 20th respectively after three races, while Hannah Snellgrove is 14th after day one in the Laser Radial event.

Racing at the ISAF Sailing World Cup Hyeres continues on Tuesday 22 April with the final medal races scheduled for Saturday 26 April.

For more information: click here
Vaikobi Custom TeamwearPalm Beach Motor YachtsC-Tech 2020 Battens 2 728x90 BOTTOM

Related Articles

Who let the dogs out?
We can tell you who is going to win the 2025 Sydney to Hobart before it is even run! Yes indeed. Who? Now in the canine world there's a thing called, 'Best in Show'. However, right here, right now, out of all the entries, we can tell you who is going to win the 2025 Sydney to Hobart, before it is even run.
Posted on 19 Oct
Rolex Middle Sea Race Day 2
Leaders Raise the Tempo The 2025 Rolex Middle Sea Race is now over 24 hours in. On the plus side there has been no repeat of last year's heinous first night, and the fleet is making steady progress.
Posted on 19 Oct
iQFOiL Youth & Junior Europeans 2025 day 1
Promising breeze, top performances and high expectations as racing gets underway in Sardinia The 2025 iQFOiL Youth & Junior European Championships officially got under way today in Arzachena, North Sardinia, with 306 athletes from 28 nations ready to battle it out on the pristine waters of this beautiful area.
Posted on 19 Oct
18ft Skiff SIXT Spring Championship Race 2
Also the first race of the Club Championship on Sydney Harbour for the Alf Beashel Memorial Trophy After last Sunday's opening race of the season had to be abandoned when 30-knot Westerly winds swept across the course, racing finally got underway when the Australian 18 Footers League sailed for the Alf Beashel Memorial Trophy, on Sydney Harbour today.
Posted on 19 Oct
Globe40 2025/26 Stage 2 Update
Belgium Ocean Racing - Curium and Credit Mutuel 1 mile apart in the forties The incredible duel between the Belgian and French contenders continues in the forties after 4,890 miles of racing! Late Friday, as they passed Gough Island, Benoit Hantzperg and Renaud Dehareng seemed to have gained a small cushion of miles (28.8)
Posted on 19 Oct
VX One North American Championship overall
Christopher Alexander dominates final day to win The 2025 VX One North American Championship wrapped up in spectacular fashion at Gulfport Yacht Club, where Chris Alexander, sailing his brand-new boat Counterproductive alongside Ricky Welch and Chandler Self, delivered a final day for the history books.
Posted on 19 Oct
Rolex Middle Sea Race: Up and running
The fleet departed from Grand Harbour at 11am on Saturday This morning at 11.00, the 46th Rolex Middle Sea Race got under way from Grand Harbour. The gathered fleet was gently propelled out of the magnificent amphitheatre, assisted by an easterly breeze that built as yachts closed on the exit to the open sea.
Posted on 18 Oct
iQFOiL Youth & Junior Europeans 2025 preview
306 of Europe's most talented young sailors gather in North Sardinia The stunning waters of North Sardinia are about to welcome the 2025 European Youth & Junior Championships, hosted by Club Nautico Arzachena.
Posted on 18 Oct
46th Rolex Middle Sea Race underway
Competitors tackle the challenging and scenic 606-nautical mile course The 46th edition of one of sailing's great offshore races commenced earlier today from the Maltese capital Valletta. A revered and historic event, the Rolex Middle Sea Race always welcomes an impressive and diverse international fleet.
Posted on 18 Oct
2025 Freestyle Pro Tour Naxos day 2
Foilstyle delivers and tow-in turns up the drama After a lively opening day and a calm morning at the lagoon, the second day of the Freestyle Pro Tour Naxos once again brought light winds to the Aegean.
Posted on 18 Oct