Barry Coates finishes fourth at French Access Class Championships

by Richard Smallwood on 4 Jul 2009 This is the UK Team Report from the French Access Class Championships – 26 to 28 June 2009.

Held on the river Erdre at La Chapelle-sur-Erdre near Nantes in western France, this event gave the small UK contingent an excellent experience of international competition, with competitors from The Netherlands and Australia as well as the host country, especially as Team-UK all came away with prizes for finishing in the first three.

Racing started with light winds in the late afternoon of Friday, 26 June, with three races, each of about 25 minutes duration. At the end of the day, Keith Harris of New Forest Sailability was at the top of the 2.3 class results with a first and second to count, ahead of last year's French champion, Barry Coates (AUS), Vera Voobach (NEL) and with current UK champion, Ann Lewis, fourth counting two second places.

In the 303-Solo class Paul Holzherr, Frensham Pond, led with two first places with club-mate Tessa Watkiss next having two seconds to count. There was UK interest in two of the 303-Double boats with Rory Morrison and Tom Glasson sailing a New Forest boat and Mac Stowe of Rutland sailing with Maxime Stephan of France. Mac and Maxime were just ahead after three races, despite losing a protest to Rory and Tom!
[Sorry, this content could not be displayed]
Day 2 proved very frustrating for competitors and Race Officer alike as a very fickle wind refused to settle and, after attempts to get a race started in the morning and the afternoon, racing was abandoned for the day. In the very warm weather, the hosts arranged a tour by water along the Erdre into the centre of Nantes as compensation. In the evening a Championship supper was held for all competitors and helpers. Mac Stowe joined the group to play a few numbers on his trumpet.

Sunday, 28th, produced a steady wind and three more races were held. In the 2.3s Ann Lewis found her form, recording two firsts, and a fourth which she discarded. Vera Voorbach who, like Keith, uses full servo control recorded another first place which was enough to give her second place on a tie break with Keith. Barry Coates sailed the wrong course at the end of the last race and this robbed him of a probable second overall pushing him down to fourth. The ability of Vera and Keith to achieve second and third overall should give great encouragement to all who have to use servo control systems!

In the 303-Solos, Paul Holzherr finished with five first places to win overall, but Tessa found the hot conditions very trying and was just beaten for second overall by Cedric Castaldi of France. Mac and Maxime stayed ahead to take the 303-Double class from Rory and Tom. Two Dutch Liberties also competed with Jan Holtrop beating Wilma van den Broch, again on a tie break as they had three wins each.

The day finished with a long distance fun race up the River Erdre and back which was won by Paul Holzherr.

Final Results – French Access Class Championships

Access 2.3

Indique un équipage féminin, ( Benjamin, Minime, Cadet, Junior, Senior Vétéran )lace coureurs / équipage club sexe points

1 LEWIS Ann GBR F 9

2 VOOBACH Vera HET WITTE HUIS NED F 12 (3, 1, 5, 4, 3, 1)

3 HARRIS Keith NEW FOREST GBR M 12 (4, 2, 1, 3, 9, 2)

4 COATES Barry SOUTHPORT YC AUS M 14 (1, 6, 3, 5, 2, 3)

5 PARROT Patrick LACANAU FRA M 28 (12, 4, 4, 8, 6, 6)

6 ROZE Emmanuel SNO NANTES FRA M 34 (10, 5, 6, 10, 5, 8)

7 ROUSSE Hervé LA VOILE ENSEMBLE FRA M 36 (5, 7, 7, 7, 12, 10)

8 RIBEYROL Damien CVAN NANTES FRA M 38 (6, 8, 9, 6, 14, 9)

9 MEYER André AMBARES FRA M 43 (8, 9, 10, 9, 10, 7)

10 LECHAT Gilles CVAN NANTES FRA M 47 (7, 13, 12, 13, 4, 11)

11 J.SMIT Jasper HET WITTE HUIS NED M 51 (DNS, 14, 13, 11, 8, 5)

12 CROZET NICOLE ASPTT LYON VOILE FRA F 51 (9, 15, 11, 12, 7, 12)

13 BRAULT Jean Marc ASSHAV POITIERS FRA M 53 (11, 12, DNF, 2, 11, DNF)

14 ROUSSET PHILIPPE C V A N NANTES FRA M 58 (13, 10, 8, 14, 15, 13)

15 HIBON EMMANUEL C V A N NANTES FRA M 74 (DNF, 11, DNF, 16, 16, 14)

16 LESCOPE GAETAN C V A N NANTES FRA M 76 (DNS, 16, DNF, 15, 13, 15)

Résultat élaboré par Nicolas PLOQUIN (lic 0447034L, 44021-C V A N NANTES), réception : 28/06/2009 15:59:23

Access 303

Indique un équipage féminin, ( Benjamin, Minime, Cadet, Junior, Senior Vétéran )ace coureurs / équipage club sexe points

1 HOLZHERR Paul FRENSHAM POND GBR M 5 (1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1)

2 CASTALDI CEDRIC ASPTT LYON VOILE FRA M 10 (2, 3, 6, 2, 1, 2)

3 WATKISS Tessa FRENSHAM POND GBR F 13 (3, 2, 2, 3, 5, 3)

4 STEPHAN MAXIME C N PLOERMELAIS FRA M 19 (4, DSQ, 3, 4, 4, 4)

STOWE Mac M

5 GERMAIN MICHELLE ASPTT LYON VOILE FRA F 24 (6, 5, 5, OCS, 3, 5)

6 MORRISON Rory NEW FOREST GBR M 31 (5, 4, 4, OCS, RAF, RAF)

GLASON Tom M

7 LEBLE PHILIPPE C V A N NANTES FRA M 32 (8, 6, DNF, 6, 6, 6)

BERTOIA NADIA C V A N NANTES FRA F

8 PELON GRÉGORY C V A N NANTES FRA M 33 (7, 7, 7, 5, 7, 7)

BARIL ANNE SOPHIE C V A N NANTES FRA F

Résultat élaboré par Nicolas PLOQUIN (lic 0447034L, 44021-C V A N NANTES), réception : 28/06/2009 15:59:23

Access Liberty

Indique un équipage féminin, ( Benjamin, Minime, Cadet, Junior, Senior Vétéran )lace coureurs / équipage club sexe points

1 HOLTROP Sefke Jan HET WITTE HUIS NED M 7 (2, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1)

2 VAN DEN BROCH Wilma HET WITT HUIS NED F 7 (1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2)

Résultat élaboré par Nicolas PLOQUIN (lic 0447034L, 44021-C V A N NANTES), réception : 28/06/2009 15:59:23

http://accessclass.org/