2015 RS Feva Eurocup Grand Final – Day 1 overall

by Frances Peters on 20 Sep 2015 Today saw the opening of the first ever RS Feva Eurocup Grand Final being held at the new Regatta Centre in Muiderzand, Holland.

Sailors arriving early yesterday enjoyed a series of evening training races in gorgeous sunshine and fresh breeze on the Markermeer in preparation for racing today. After the first two Eurocup events this summer; the RS Feva European Championships and the Crown Cup and Czech National Championships, this event will complete the series and decide the first RS Feva Eurocup Champion.

By start time there was a steady eight knot breeze and the sun had broken through the clouds; everything was in line for a super day. Evidently eager to race, boats struggled to stay the correct side of the start line but after two general recalls they were away. Pressure on the left side of the beat and a slight left shift meant everything was pointing that way. It was the Czech boat, Jakub Dobry and Tereza Dobra that saw the gain and led to mark one before gybing out at the mark. Jack Lewis and Lucas Marshall (GBR) were hot on the Czech heels, followed by Dutch team, Lizet de Vries and Juldou Gerritsen. The Dutch and the British split from the leaders and embarked on their own battle on the right. Dobry and Dobra extended their lead to take the first gun of the series, meanwhile Ties van der Stroom and Floris Breuking of the Netherlands managed to sneak in between their teammates and the Brits to finish third just behind Lewis and Marshall.

A big cloud darkened the race course and with it, the wind increased slightly. Picking up where they’d left off, Dobry and Dobra, and Lewis and Marshall got straight into a battle on the left of the course, while the rest of the fleet bunched in the middle of the course. Another Czech boat, Jaroslav Cermak and Petr Kostal popped out from the fleet to cross the duelling pair. After a season of tight racing with their teammates, each taking turns to lead the other, Cermak and Kostal snatched the opportunity to lock horns with Dobry and Dobra and tacked on them, taking their lane. Their strategy worked and they led the first lap of the race before a shift saw Dobry and Dobra sneak past the leading pair to take another race win. Lewis and Marshall chased, forcing Cermak and Kostal to settle for third.

The sun returned but the wind was on the decrease. It was set to be a light and tactical race. Local knowledge proved advantageous as Dutch team, Linze Andringa and Job Modderman led to the mark. Dobry and Dobra continued their form and were not far behind with Lewis and Marshall on their heels. True to form the two boats opened fire and embarked on what seemed to be their own private race. By the leeward mark they filled the top two spots and proceeded to break free from the fleet. In the end it was the Brits’ turn to win. Lisolette Beemster and Rick van de Luur took third ahead of Cermak and Kostal.

A challenging final race in a continually dying breeze meant the race was shortened to finish at the second windward. Van der Stroom and Breuking took the final win of the day to slot them into fourth position overnight. Meanwhile Cermak and Kostal followed to leave them in third overall, ahead of Lewis and Marshall, who will go into tomorrow with a narrow lead on Dobry and Dobra.

Boats have returned to shore to be welcomed by music and a BBQ on this calm evening. High fives all round for the Czechs as they peered over the results; a solid day that leaves them hot on the heels of the leading British boat and a discard could change everything! Any battles of the day have been left on the water and sailors are happy to let their hair down in this friendly and welcoming venue. Let’s see what tomorrow brings!

Provisional results
 

No	Zeilno	Naam	Punten	1	2	3	4
1	GBR 4945	Jack Lewis, Lucas Marshall	8,0	2	2	1	3
2	CZE 5707	Jakub Dobrý, Tereza Dobrá	9,0	1	1	2	5
3	CZE 2186	Jaroslav Cermak, Petr Kostal	14,0	5	3	4	2
4	NED 3691	Ties van der Stroom, Floris Breuking	19,0	3	8	7	1
5	NED 2878	Lizet de Vries, Jildou Gerritsen	23,0	4	7	6	6
6	NED 3524	Nynke Verwoerd, Annabel Wickel	26,0	6	5	8	7
7	NED 1619	Liselotte Beemster, Rick van de Luur	28,0	10	4	3	11
8	NED 5251	Linze Andringa, Job Modderman	32,0	12	11	5	4
9	NED 5253	Mette Rijk, Merle Louwinger	32,0	7	6	9	10
10	NED 5623	Philine van Cranenburgh, Bernard Brinkel	44,0	8	13	11	12
11	NED 5089	Selma van der Tuin, Sam Leenhouts	51,0	13	10	15	13
12	NED 5254	Hanna Rijk, Britt Abma	62,0	17	9	dnf	8
13	USA 5026	Kim Abma, Bente Knoppers	68,0	11	15	dnf	14
14	NED 6067	Rick Vendrig, Stan Vendrig	69,0	18	14	dnf	9
15	NED 5248	Ties de La Court, Koen Stein	72,0	15	16	13	dnf
16	NED 587	Jip Groen, Lot Groen	75,0	9	dsq	10	dnf
17	NED 4551	Dirk Elderenbosch, Otto de Fraiture	82,0	14	dsq	12	dnf
18	CZE 1609	Barbora Pourova, Thomas Klus	84,0	16	12	dnf	dnf
19	3519	Mathijs van der Kroft, Britt van den Burg	89,0	dnf	19	14	dnf
20	NED 5670	Chris Schoneman, Gijs Verhulst	92,0	19	17	dnf	dnf
21	NED 4309	Maaike Boele, Pien Snelderwaard*	94,0	20	18	dnf	dnf
22	NED 2925	Floor Bleijerveld, Raul Wolters	97,0	21	20	dnf	dnf
23	NED 3465	Stan Niestadt, Arthur Nankman	112,0	dnc	dnc	dnc	dnc
23	NED 3470	Joost Dragt, Arend-jan Timmermans	112,0	dnc	dnc	dnc	dnc
23	NED 4494	Olivier Elderenbosch, Pieter Bokhoven	112,0	dnc	dnc	dnc	dnc
23	NED 3473	Laurens Demer, Charlie Biesbroek	112,0	dnc	dnc	dnc	dnc
23	3475	Gijs Dutilh, Ocker Stroop	112,0	dnc	dnc	dnc	dnc