Flying Dutchman World Championships days 6 and 7

by Richard Phillips on 1 Oct 2012 At the 2012 Flying Dutchman World Championship, after eight races, Szabolcs Majthényi and András Domokos are the provisional winners of the event with a race in hand.

There was no racing on Friday 28 September due to lack of wind. Racing was postponed to the lay day on Saturday 29 September. On Friday evening the Championship dinner was greatly enjoyed by approx. 160 competitors, supporters and volunteers. A number of sponsored prizes were given away on the basis of bow numbers drawn from a hat.

After a short shoreside postponement due to lack of wind on Saturday, boats were released from the harbour in sunshine for what proved to be a great day of racing with a good breeze for race 7 and 8.

However fog patches wafted through the course and some of the leading boats have claimed redress as they could not see the next mark of the course. Other boats were caught pumping by the Jury which was vigilant during the fog patches.

After a General Recall, the Black flag was displayed and the 43 FDs got away to a clean start. The 10 to 12 knot SW wind enabled the fleet to quickly disperse across the course. The local sailors went hard right into the shore. During the first lap the fog kept coming and going.

At the first leeward mark the rounding order was first Szabolcs Majthényi and András Domokos - HUN 70, second Enno Krammer and Ard Geelkerken - NED 26, third Andrew McKee and Mathew Bismark - NZL 111, fourth Kay-Uwe Lüdtke and Kai Schäfers -GER 88, fifth Nicola and Francesco Vespasiani - ITA 4, sixth Dirk Bogumil and Michael Liskin - GER 199.

The fog continued to come and go on the second lap. At the end of the run on lap 2, the rounding order of the first five boats was the same. GER 19 had moved up to sixth place.

At the finish HUN 70 won with NZL 111 second having passing NED 26 which finished third.

By the start of Race 8 the wind had increased to 15 to 18 knots and boats had changed to Clew 2. There was a significant chop on the water on top of the swell. A few boats went ashore and did not participate further.

Waves and wind resulted in capsizes, boats trawled spinnakers at the leeward mark and the conditions remained foggy. The first six boats at the leeward mark on the second lap were first NED 26, second HUN 70, third GER 88, fourth Kilian König and Johannes Brack - GER 113, fifth GER 199, sixth Jan Lechler and Jens Salow - GER 100.

At the finish the order of the first four boats remained unchanged. Most of the boats finished in foggy conditions.

As the last boats returned to the harbour the fog lifted and the sun shone!

Once ashore competitors and volunteers enjoyed a tasty snack and a glass of beer in the Regatta marquee.

Provisional Results

Race 7 - First six to finish:

1st Szabolcs Majthényi and András Domokos - HUN 70,
2nd Andrew McKee and Mathew Bismark - NZL 111,
3rd Enno Krammer and Ard Geelkerken - NED 26,
4th Kay-Uwe Lüdtke/Kai Schäfers - GER 88,
5th Paul Scoffin and Pavel Ruzicka - NZL 145,
6th Kilian König and Johannes Brack - GER 113.

Race 8 - First six to finish:

1st Enno Krammer and Ard Geelkerken - NED 26,
2nd Szabolcs Majthényi and András Domokos - HUN 70,
3rd Kay-Uwe Lüdtke/Kai Schäfers - GER 88,
4th Kilian König and Johannes Brack - GER 113,
5th Jan Lechler and Jens Salow - GER 100,
6th Andrew McKee and Mathew Bismark -NZL 111

Provisional Overall Results after Race 8 net of two discards:

1st Szabolcs Majthényi and András Domokos - HUN 70 - 12 pts
2nd Kay-Uwe Lüdtke/Kai Schäfers - GER 88 - 16 pts
3rd Enno Krammer and Ard Geelkerken - NED 26 - 17 pts
4th Nicola and Francesco Vespasiani - ITA 4 - 28 pts
5th Peggy Bahr/Torsten Bahr - GER 19 - 39 pts
6th Ralph Jambor and Jens Schreibe- GER 135 - 45 pts

The ninth and last race is scheduled for 1200hrs on Sunday 30 September. Flying Dutchman Worlds website