Jock Calvert battles adversity to finish well at Finn Euros
by David Sygall 19 Mar 2018 04:48 PDT
9-17 March 2018
Finn European Championship © Robert Deaves
Former windsurfing exponent Jock Calvert has finished an encouraging eighth in the 32-boat U23 division at the 2018 Finn European Championship, overcoming extreme conditions and a bout of illness to place highly in an otherwise frustrating regatta for the Australian team.
Calvert, who was crowned sailboard champion at the 2015 Australian Youth Championships, came second to Finn class U23 teammate Lewis Brake at the Finn National Championships at Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron in January. However, the Tasmanian turned the tables in Cadiz, Spain, securing a consistent set of results across the eight races.
“I didn’t put my best week together, but given all the circumstances, I'm still happy with how its all gone and the progress we've made,” he posted.
“Looking forward to another racing opportunity in Palma in a few weeks!!”
The Cadiz regatta was contested mostly in solid winds which whipped up rolling swells, leaving little room for error. Calvert was also struck by a stomach illness on the penultimate day, which left him weakened and lacking sleep.
While Calvert was pleased with his result, Australia’s top two Finn sailors, Jake Lilley and Oli Tweddell, were less so. Tweddell started with a fifth place in Race 1 but came 46th in Race 2. He maintained a determined outlook to grab three more finishes in the top third of the fleet before coming 16th in Race 8 and a credible 26th overall.
National champion Lilley struggled to find his rhythm and ended up 46th, while Brake came 53rd in the Opens and 15th in the U23s.
The title was won by Great Britain's Ed Wright, who pipped Dutchman Nicholas Heiner in the Medal Race, with Sweden's World Champion Max Salminen third.