Jonathan Lobert seals major Finn title after solid week in Marseille

by Robert Deaves on 14 May 2017 After a fabulous finale to a challenging week, Jonathan Lobert of France won his first ever major title in the Finn class. Ed Wright and Ben Cornish of Great Britain, both survived the Semi-Final to meet Lobert in the Final and secured silver and bronze.

Henry Wetherell made it three medals for Great Britain by winning the U23 European Championship. Arkadiy Kistanov of Russia took silver and Oskari Muhonen of Finland won the bronze.

Like the rest of the week, it was a long day with three races to get in. It started windless and with a long postponement onshore before the final race of the Opening Series could be sailed. Despite the earlier light forecast, it turned out to be one of the best races of the week, with nice waves, 10-15 knots, and sunny skies. Though the regatta leaders had already qualified for the Final, they both elected to sail the race. Anders Pedersen of Norway led all the way round for a huge win, to take the overall lead, while Lobert struggled and dropped to second overall.

Nicholas Heiner from the Netherlands, finished second, which boosted him into the top 10, while Wetherall secured the U23 title with a seventh place finish to also make the top 10. This meant that two of the three Croatians, who had all sailed an excellent week, dropped out of the top 10.

Wetherell said, “It’s really good to win the under 23 European Championships. It’s been an up and down week. I started off well, had a little dip mid-week and then had a good last race today and just managed to squeak into the top ten.”

“It was a really close race with Arkadiy. Up at the top mark it was really close and the bottom of the run we were still close and rounded opposite marks and then I had a better beat.”

On the competition. “It’s really tough. There are a lot of older guys here so it’s a real experience. Everyone knows what they are doing and everyone is quick. It’s good fun because no one ever really takes a race off. Everyone is always on their game.”

After a short wait for protest time, the Semi-Final was sailed just off the harbour entrance in a reasonably steady 10-15 knots. Wright broke away out of the start and crossed back ahead of the fleet. However the next shift favoured the right again and Wetherell rounded first from Cornish and Heiner. Cornish took the lead on the downwind and was never headed, while Wright looked out of the race. However he recovered on the second beat and then drew level with Wetherell and Milan Vujasinovic of Croatia. It came down to the last few pumps to the finish line with Wright crossing second by less than a boat length.

So Cornish and Wright proceeded to the Final. The wind dropped off for a while and it started to look doubtful a race could be started, but then the sequence got underway and the breeze returned to 10-12 knots at the top mark.

Pedersen was forced to tack away out of the start and was never again in contention as a big left-hander came in. The disaster struck Zsombor Berecz of Hungary when his halyard lock broke. He stopped to fix it but trailed at a distance for the rest of the race. Lobert owned the pin end of the line and was clear ahead when he tacked back, extending throughout the race for a big win. Wright was a clear second while Cornish held off Pedersen for third.

It’s interesting to note that the top four sailors all wore the yellow leader’s bib at some point during the week. However, the best sailor on points was Pedersen, and he was beaten by the format and went home empty handed.

Cornish said, “I came here with the intention of trying to win a medal, so that's obviously a really good result. It's nice to be going away from the first big event of the season with a bronze.”

He nearly didn’t even make the Finals. In the final fleet race, “I found myself trying to climb back through the fleet and ended up making my way into the Semi-Final. That was a good race for me, and then I progressed on to the Final with Ed. For me the priority switched and it was about winning a medal and so the risk management went down massively.”

On the fleet race Wright said, “There was a lot of pressure on the first race because I was in a position to be in the top three. I didn't manage to beat the Hungarian in that race so I had to go into the Semi-Final sail-off.”

“The Semi-Final was just a pump off on the last run. On the last downwind I managed to pass Henry, which got me into the Final. That was a really exciting part of the race actually; he was a little bit ahead of me at the top mark. I managed to try and cover him a little bit on the run and then to have the starboard advantage. Basically in the last 100-200 yards my winter's fitness training paid off and I was able to really just push the limits on the line and just pip him. It was quite exciting, and quite exhausting.”

In the Final, “Halfway through the race I decided to cover Anders and let Cornish and the French guy get away and do whatever they needed to do, I just needed to be top three. But I managed to end up with the silver medal luckily. A medal here is really exciting because it's the first event back, apart from Hyeres which was a warm up event last week. I'm sailing probably better than I have done ever at the moment. I'm fast upwind and downwind in all conditions and that's really exciting. The winter has paid off.”

He paid tribute to Pedersen, “He’s had an amazing regatta, he was in the top ten every race, very consistent, sailed very well, and it's seems such a shame.”

Lobert is the first French sailor to win the European title since Serge Maury won two titles in 1975 and 1976, and only the second French sailor to ever lift the title. He commented, “This morning I was not sure about sailing the final race, but then when I saw the weather forecast I was very uncertain. Then breeze kicked in and I was very tense and I knew I could lose everything from the work of the week.”

In the final, “I was really looking to have a line where I could keep on going if I wanted because I saw there was pressure coming but I was not sure if it was the right or left, so I want to make sure I could stay and wait the next shift, so that’s why I was really pushing to save the pin end and go on starboard as long I could. Then I got the shift and I was in front.”

“Winning the Europeans means a lot for me because, first, it’s in France, so I am very happy with this, and for once I am winning a championship. I have been many times second or third, so since I am on the top of the box I am very happy and the funny thing is I am in front of two British. So it’s nice as it’s always the British winning, so for once it’s someone else.”

The main conversation point this week has been the running of new format trials tested here this week. It was the second such test, with the first being in Palma earlier this year. It remains controversial and contested. Hopefully, following the survey that will be carried out next week the class will get a clearer insight into the feelings and thoughts of the class as it moves on to future regattas.

Results after Final

1 FRA - 112 Jonathan LOBERT
2 GBR - 11 Edward WRIGHT
3 GBR - 91 Ben CORNISH
4 NOR - 1 Anders PEDERSEN
5 HUN - 40 Zsombor BERECZ

Results after Semi Final

6 GBR - 71 Henry WETHERELL
7 CRO - 69 Milan VUJASINOVIC
8 GRE - 77 Ioannis MITAKIS
9 TUR - 21 Alican KAYNAR
10 NED - 89 Nicholas HEINER

Results after 10 races ( Discards : 1 )

Pos	Sail	Competitors	Grp	P Net	P tot	r.1	r.2	r.3	r.4	r.5	r.6	r.7	r.8	r.9	r10	Club/Country
1	FRA  112	LOBERT Jonathan	FIN/FINN	1.00	72.00	4 4.0	4 4.0	8 8.0	2 2.0	10 10.0	13 13.0	1 1.0	8 8.0	1 1.0	21 21.0	S R ROCHELAISES
2	GBR   11	WRIGHT Edward	FIN/FINN	2.00	132.00	1 1.0	1 1.0	BFD 63.0	1 1.0	17 17.0	3 3.0	11 11.0	13 13.0	17 17.0	5 5.0	GRANDE-BRETAGNE
3	GBR   91	CORNISH Ben	FIN/FINN	3.00	161.00	3 3.0	8 8.0	1 1.0	14 14.0	3 3.0	52 52.0	6 6.0	20 20.0	36 36.0	18 18.0	GRANDE-BRETAGNE
4	NOR   1	PEDERSEN Anders	FIN/FINN	4.00	62.00	5 5.0	5 5.0	4 4.0	8 8.0	4 4.0	8 8.0	14 14.0	10 10.0	3 3.0	1 1.0	NORVEGE
5	HUN   40	BERECZ Zsombor	FIN/FINN	5.00	84.00	2 2.0	10 10.0	2 2.0	18 18.0	15 15.0	9 9.0	9 9.0	1 1.0	15 15.0	3 3.0	HONGRIE
6	GBR   71	WETHERELL Henry	FIN/FU23	6.00	148.00	7 7.0	14 14.0	38 38.0	6 6.0	1 1.0	23 23.0	16 16.0	15 15.0	21 21.0	7 7.0	GRANDE-BRETAGNE
7	CRO   69	VUJASINOVIC Milan	FIN/FINN	7.00	127.00	11 11.0	6 6.0	37 37.0	24 24.0	7 7.0	1 1.0	8 8.0	4 4.0	20 20.0	9 9.0	CROATIE
8	GRE   77	MITAKIS Ioannis	FIN/FINN	8.00	122.00	14 14.0	7 7.0	6 6.0	10 10.0	25 25.0	5 5.0	10 10.0	24 24.0	10 10.0	11 11.0	GRECE
9	TUR   21	KAYNAR Alican	FIN/FINN	9.00	136.00	16 16.0	24 24.0	5 5.0	19 19.0	6 6.0	12 12.0	7 7.0	28 28.0	11 11.0	8 8.0	TURQUIE
10	NED   89	HEINER Nicholas	FIN/FINN	10.00	146.00	22 22.0	11 11.0	28 28.0	11 11.0	8 8.0	6 6.0	2 2.0	17 17.0	39 39.0	2 2.0	HOLLANDE
11	CRO   52	BUGARIN Nenad	FIN/FINN	117.00	160.00	21 21.0	3 3.0	7 7.0	5 5.0	21 21.0	43 43.0	18 18.0	6 6.0	5 5.0	31 31.0	CROATIE
12	EST   2	KARPAK Deniss	FIN/FINN	125.00	165.00	20 20.0	16 16.0	3 3.0	12 12.0	11 11.0	22 22.0	3 3.0	34 34.0	40 40.0	4 4.0	ESTONIE
13	CRO   1	OLUJIC Josip	FIN/FINN	129.00	192.00	24 24.0	9 9.0	18 18.0	3 3.0	30 30.0	2 2.0	BFD 63.0	9 9.0	7 7.0	27 27.0	CROATIE
14	RUS   6	ARKADIY Kistanov	FIN/FU23	131.00	162.00	17 17.0	31 31.0	31 31.0	7 7.0	5 5.0	16 16.0	21 21.0	5 5.0	9 9.0	20 20.0	RUSSIE
15	AUS  261	TWEDDELL Oliver	FIN/FINN	146.00	182.00	6 6.0	13 13.0	32 32.0	4 4.0	12 12.0	20 20.0	36 36.0	7 7.0	23 23.0	29 29.0	AUSTRALIE
16	POL   17	KULA Piotr	FIN/FINN	158.00	221.00	26 26.0	18 18.0	25 25.0	21 21.0	9 9.0	28 28.0	BFD 63.0	16 16.0	2 2.0	13 13.0	POLOGNE
17	SWE   33	SALMINEN Max	FIN/FINN	161.00	224.00	9 9.0	2 2.0	BFD 63.0	UFD 63.0	20 20.0	14 14.0	5 5.0	32 32.0	6 6.0	10 10.0	SUEDE
18	FIN   8	MUHONEN Oskari	FIN/FU23	163.00	211.00	18 18.0	28 28.0	11 11.0	28 28.0	24 24.0	10 10.0	13 13.0	48 48.0	19 19.0	12 12.0	FINLANDE
19	CAN   18	RAMSHAW Tom	FIN/FINN	175.00	212.00	37 37.0	29 29.0	12 12.0	9 9.0	27 27.0	21 21.0	31 31.0	18 18.0	14 14.0	14 14.0	CANADA
20	RUS   4	DEIEV Evgenii	FIN/FU23	185.00	230.00	29 29.0	38 38.0	10 10.0	22 22.0	22 22.0	11 11.0	25 25.0	45 45.0	22 22.0	6 6.0	RUSSIE
21	CZE   5	TEPLY Ondrej	FIN/FU23	187.00	250.00	30 30.0	20 20.0	BFD 63.0	30 30.0	18 18.0	15 15.0	20 20.0	27 27.0	4 4.0	23 23.0	REPUBLIQUE TCHE
22	FRA   17	PIC Fabian	FIN/FINN	190.00	226.00	12 12.0	25 25.0	36 36.0	16 16.0	29 29.0	26 26.0	15 15.0	26 26.0	13 13.0	28 28.0	S R ROCHELAISES
23	POL   16	LAHN Mikolaj	FIN/FINN	191.00	254.00	13 13.0	15 15.0	BFD 63.0	15 15.0	2 2.0	31 31.0	19 19.0	38 38.0	26 26.0	32 32.0	POLOGNE
24	DEN   24	HOEJEN CHRISTIANSEN Andry	FIN/FINN	194.00	233.00	19 19.0	23 23.0	20 20.0	25 25.0	19 19.0	39 39.0	23 23.0	21 21.0	27 27.0	17 17.0	DANEMARK
25	GER  259	KASUESKE Phillip	FIN/FU23	195.00	228.00	32 32.0	21 21.0	19 19.0	23 23.0	23 23.0	7 7.0	22 22.0	23 23.0	33 33.0	25 25.0	ALLEMAGNE
26	FIN  218	TAPIO Nirkko	FIN/FINN	197.00	260.00	10 10.0	DNF 63.0	BFD 63.0	27 27.0	34 34.0	4 4.0	4 4.0	22 22.0	18 18.0	15 15.0	FINLANDE
27	ITA   59	SPADONI Alessio	FIN/FINN	205.00	243.00	35 35.0	17 17.0	14 14.0	26 26.0	38 38.0	24 24.0	29 29.0	12 12.0	32 32.0	16 16.0	ITALIE
28	ITA   1	BALDASSARI Filippo	FIN/FINN	209.00	272.00	15 15.0	12 12.0	33 33.0	29 29.0	16 16.0	RET 63.0	17 17.0	30 30.0	24 24.0	33 33.0	ITALIE
29	GBR   29	MC COY Peter	FIN/FINN	216.00	279.00	DNF 63.0	19 19.0	40 40.0	13 13.0	13 13.0	19 19.0	41 41.0	44 44.0	8 8.0	19 19.0	GRANDE-BRETAGNE
30	IRL   6	MCCLELLAND Oisin	FIN/FINN	221.00	257.00	28 28.0	32 32.0	24 24.0	36 36.0	33 33.0	17 17.0	26 26.0	14 14.0	25 25.0	22 22.0	IRLANDE
31	ESP   7	MUSCAT Alejandro	FIN/FINN	224.00	287.00	27 27.0	26 26.0	17 17.0	35 35.0	26 26.0	25 25.0	BFD 63.0	11 11.0	16 16.0	41 41.0	ESPAGNE
32	GER   25	KOHLHOFF Max	FIN/FINN	232.00	295.00	34 34.0	DNF 63.0	13 13.0	31 31.0	28 28.0	44 44.0	32 32.0	3 3.0	12 12.0	35 35.0	ALLEMAGNE
33	UKR   5	GUSENKO Andrii	FIN/FINN	236.00	274.00	25 25.0	27 27.0	15 15.0	34 34.0	35 35.0	38 38.0	12 12.0	33 33.0	31 31.0	24 24.0	UKRAINE
34	SWE   11	PETTERSON Johannes	FIN/FU23	282.00	345.00	38 38.0	39 39.0	34 34.0	20 20.0	31 31.0	27 27.0	BFD 63.0	29 29.0	30 30.0	34 34.0	SUEDE
35	AUS   2	MCMILAN Rob	FIN/FINN	293.00	347.00	8 8.0	22 22.0	50 50.0	37 37.0	40 40.0	36 36.0	35 35.0	54 54.0	29 29.0	36 36.0	AUSTRALIE
36	NZL   64	MC CARTY Brendan	FIN/FINN	299.00	342.00	36 36.0	42 42.0	21 21.0	43 43.0	41 41.0	18 18.0	24 24.0	42 42.0	35 35.0	40 40.0	NOUVELLE ZELAND
37	FIN  225	HYRYLAINEN Mikael	FIN/FINN	300.00	344.00	23 23.0	44 44.0	41 41.0	32 32.0	32 32.0	32 32.0	28 28.0	36 36.0	37 37.0	39 39.0	FINLANDE
38	ARG   48	OLEZZA Facundo	FIN/FU23	310.00	373.00	31 31.0	35 35.0	22 22.0	17 17.0	14 14.0	RET 63.0	DNEj 63.0	2 2.0	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	ARGENTINE
39	FRA   2	DEVINEAU Antoine	FIN/FINN	320.00	383.00	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	16 16.0	39 39.0	43 43.0	30 30.0	30 30.0	31 31.0	42 42.0	26 26.0	S N O NANTES
40	GER  595	GORGELS Simon	FIN/FU23	325.00	373.00	48 48.0	41 41.0	48 48.0	40 40.0	37 37.0	33 33.0	27 27.0	41 41.0	28 28.0	30 30.0	ALLEMAGNE
41	FIN  118	MOISIO Wltteri	FIN/FU23	339.00	396.00	44 44.0	30 30.0	9 9.0	50 50.0	53 53.0	29 29.0	44 44.0	37 37.0	43 43.0	57 57.0	FINLANDE
42	FRA   75	HAY Laurent	FIN/FINN	346.00	395.00	41 41.0	40 40.0	42 42.0	41 41.0	39 39.0	49 49.0	37 37.0	35 35.0	34 34.0	37 37.0	S R ROCHELAISES
43	GBR   98	TWEEDLE Cameron	FIN/FU23	362.00	425.00	33 33.0	43 43.0	23 23.0	38 38.0	36 36.0	53 53.0	51 51.0	43 43.0	DNF 63.0	42 42.0	GRANDE-BRETAGNE
44	FRA  297	BOISARD Guillaume	FIN/FU23	363.00	412.00	45 45.0	34 34.0	35 35.0	49 49.0	47 47.0	34 34.0	33 33.0	40 40.0	48 48.0	47 47.0	CN Sainte-Maxime
45	GBR  707	DIXON Callum	FIN/FU23	372.00	422.00	40 40.0	36 36.0	39 39.0	42 42.0	45 45.0	48 48.0	39 39.0	50 50.0	38 38.0	45 45.0	GRANDE-BRETAGNE
46	BER   9	ROCKAL Evane	FIN/FINN	378.00	429.00	49 49.0	33 33.0	51 51.0	33 33.0	44 44.0	50 50.0	45 45.0	39 39.0	47 47.0	38 38.0	BERMUDES
47	FRA   99	ALLAIN DES BEAUVAIS Marc	FIN/FINN	388.00	443.00	43 43.0	45 45.0	26 26.0	46 46.0	48 48.0	55 55.0	42 42.0	53 53.0	41 41.0	44 44.0	S N O NANTES
48	ITA   83	SAVIO Matteo	FIN/FU23	390.00	453.00	DNC 63.0	DNC 63.0	45 45.0	45 45.0	46 46.0	41 41.0	38 38.0	25 25.0	44 44.0	43 43.0	ITALIE
49	POL   52	STROMSKI Krzysztof	FIN/FU23	397.00	460.00	51 51.0	46 46.0	27 27.0	55 55.0	50 50.0	45 45.0	BFD 63.0	19 19.0	49 49.0	55 55.0	POLOGNE
50	FRA  111	LEBRUN Valerian	FIN/FINN	404.00	467.00	46 46.0	37 37.0	DSQj 63.0	47 47.0	52 52.0	47 47.0	34 34.0	49 49.0	46 46.0	46 46.0	S R ROCHELAISES
51	RUS  777	GRISHNIAKOV Artem	FIN/FU23	410.00	473.00	39 39.0	DNF 63.0	46 46.0	44 44.0	42 42.0	35 35.0	BFD 63.0	46 46.0	45 45.0	50 50.0	RUSSIE
52	HUN  911	HAIDEKKER Elemer	FIN/FU23	424.00	487.00	47 47.0	47 47.0	43 43.0	48 48.0	49 49.0	37 37.0	43 43.0	47 47.0	DNF 63.0	UFD 63.0	HONGRIE
53	SLO   99	OREL Jan	FIN/FU23	434.00	497.00	50 50.0	48 48.0	44 44.0	UFD 63.0	56 56.0	42 42.0	40 40.0	55 55.0	51 51.0	48 48.0	SLOVENIE
54	GBR   88	TWEEDLE Jonathan	FIN/FINN	447.00	510.00	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	30 30.0	53 53.0	57 57.0	40 40.0	47 47.0	56 56.0	50 50.0	51 51.0	GRANDE-BRETAGNE
55	GER  231	JESCHULL Denny	FIN/FINN	460.00	523.00	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	29 29.0	52 52.0	59 59.0	54 54.0	48 48.0	51 51.0	52 52.0	52 52.0	ALLEMAGNE
56	HUN   11	HAIDEKKER Peter Pal	FIN/FINN	463.00	526.00	52 52.0	49 49.0	47 47.0	56 56.0	51 51.0	46 46.0	49 49.0	59 59.0	DNF 63.0	54 54.0	HONGRIE
57	FRA   28	GRALL Sebastien	FIN/FINN	495.00	558.00	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	49 49.0	51 51.0	55 55.0	DNF 63.0	50 50.0	52 52.0	DNF 63.0	49 49.0	S N BANDOL
58	FRA   66	LOBERT Philippe	FIN/FINN	506.00	569.00	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	53 53.0	54 54.0	54 54.0	DNF 63.0	46 46.0	57 57.0	DNF 63.0	53 53.0	S N O NANTES
59	FRA  113	DADURE Sylvain	FIN/FINN	513.00	576.00	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	55 55.0	57 57.0	58 58.0	51 51.0	53 53.0	60 60.0	53 53.0	DNF 63.0	C.V.C.E.P. SACLAY
60	FRA  869	BAUMGARTEN Regis	FIN/FINN	528.00	591.00	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	52 52.0	58 58.0	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	52 52.0	58 58.0	DNF 63.0	56 56.0	S R V ANNECY
61	ESP   57	GOROSTEGUI Victor	FIN/FINN	546.00	609.00	42 42.0	DNF 63.0	DNC 63.0	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	ESPAGNE
62	FRA   27	LALLEMAND Pierre	FIN/FINN	558.00	621.00	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	54 54.0	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	DNF 63.0	S N BANDOL

Penalties and redress : 79 (11 BFD; 3 DNC; 1 DNE; 48 DNF; 1 DSQ; 10 PGE; 2 RET; 3 UFD; )