Volkswagen Touareg European SB3 Championships

by Clare Molloy on 15 Jun 2007
Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy hosts the UK’s biggest SB3 regatta of the year so far with the 80 boat Volkswagen Touareg European SB3 Championships from 19-22 June.

A sparkling line-up of talent will take part in the four-day regatta, with entries from Australia, Ireland, France, Scotland, Wales, Italy and the Ukraine, as well as the bulk of the fleet coming from the host nation UK.

The SB3 has had unparalleled success not only within Europe but also around the world. In response to this growth, and with the USA about to take off and fleets in Singapore and Dubai, the class is moving towards full ISAF recognition in 2008. The European Championships will have full on-the-water judging, with a six man International Judge Protest Team as back up. The fleet will also be using the RYA Arbitration program for the first time.

Tuesday evening sees a Rules Seminar from the Judges, and a Volkswagen Touareg Sponsored BBQ, and the event will close with a prize giving Gala Dinner on the Friday, before the weary sailors head their separate ways.

So who will lead the running? Well, the big favourite has to be three times World Laser Champion Glenn Bourke, who has returned from his job as CEO for the Volvo Ocean Race to take the latest two Grand Prix Events in very tricky conditions.

Craig Burlton will be defending his title, Geoff Carveth has the UK National Champion’s crown from 2006, Colin Simonds from 2005. The Irish will be represented by 49er Olympian Tom Fitzpatrick, but for many, and the Irish will be keen to point out that he is one of theirs, the dark horse is Marshall King, who has made much of the early running in the Solent competitions.

So it could be Glenn in one of the newest boats, or Marshall in the oldest boat, 3014, that could be crowned Champion for 2007. Luc Videau of France, Luca Bacci from Italy, Mark Rushall, Paul Lovejoy, Mark Richards, Tim Fells, Peter Kennedy, Dave Jones, Chris Jennings, Simon Blake, Daniel Geoghegan and a host of other fleet champions will be trying to turn the form books on their heads.

One thing is for certain, no-one will know the winner until the end of the event, as the fleet of 80 boats will race in a qualifying series, with their final position after the flight races contributing as a non-discardable race result, along with four races in Gold and Silver fleets on the final day, with one discard from those four.

It should be nail biting stuff, and all will be praying for some nice swell and clean wind for some of the wild downwind wave-riding conditions these boats are now becoming renowned for……'