Allen & PA Consulting RS Feva Worlds in Medemblik - Results

by Jon Partridge on 29 Jul 2017 The dinghy park was buzzing on the final day of the RS Feva World Championships 2017 presented by PA Consulting and Allen Sailboat hardware. This championship was still wide open as there was only one point separating first and second place in Gold fleet. Henry and Rupert Jameson (GBR) were leading overnight from Eli Liefting and Rose Dickson (NZL) by that one point.

The fleet were released from the beach in overcast condition with 8-10 knots on the race course. The PRO wasted no time in getting the Gold fleet away.

Eli and Rose nailing a bullet in the first race today gave them a one point advantage going into the final race, as Team Jameson finished third behind Pierce Harris and Alfie Cogger (GBR).

Silver and Bronze fleets were also away on the course with very tight racing. Leading the Silver fleet was GBR's Tim and Abby Hire, and at the front of the Bronze fleet was the Czech paring of Štepán Mann and Jan Richter. The Silver fleet offered fantastic entertainment, where spectators felt as if you could throw a tea towel over the entire fleet at any one time. 60 boats would round each mark in less than a minute!

So after seven fantastic races in Gold fleet it would simply come down to the last race: Eli and Rose against Team Jameson. In simple terms Eli and Rose needed to beat Team Jameson on the water, or Team Jameson needed to win to guarantee the championship. As they went up the first beat both boats had clearly been nervous of starting and were buried in the pack.

At the first windward mark Eli and Rose had dragged themselves out of trouble, up into fifth place, with Team Jameson rounding in 22nd.

By the time the fleet had reached across to the outer loop Team Jameson had made up ten places, to twelfth, but at the second windward mark they were unable to improve their position. At the final leeward mark Eli and Rose rounded in fifth, five places ahead of Team Jameson, and simply needed to sail a short beat to the finish to be named World Champions.

For the first time in ten RS Feva championships the trophy has gone to the Southern hemisphere, with Eli and Rose being crowned overall RS Feva World Champions 2017. Team Jameson were second, and Pierce and Alfie took third.

Sian Talbot and Eloise Clapson McBride (GBR) had a fantastic week and were named RS Feva Ladies World Champions. The Junior category was won by Austrians Johanna Böckl and Benjamin Kogard.

A full report from this fantastic championships, naming all the other category winners, will be published on Monday.

See full results.