2018 International 6 Metre European Championship in La Trinite Sur Mer - Day 2
by Fiona Brown 4 Sep 2018 16:43 PDT
3-7 September 2018
Tuesday's second day of racing at the International 6 Metre European Championship 2018 was definitely a day of two halves. With two races planned and a forecast for the light north easterly wind to die completely during the afternoon, the race committee got proceedings underway promptly at 11.00. With a nice 8-10 knots and glorious sunshine both the Open and Classic fleets behaved themselves on the start line and got away at the first attempts on a two lap windward leeward course.
The first beat was the windiest of the regatta so far and the boats made a spectacular sight streaming out across Quiberon Bay. First around the windward mark in the Open Division was Jamie Hilton sailing Matt Brooks' 1989 Ian Howlett design Scoundrel. Once he finds the front of a fleet Hilton rarely relinquish pole position and he took full advantage of clear air and an open race course to retain his lead all the way to the finish. Jali Makila sailing Jane Ann, another Petterson design, this time from 1985, followed Scoundrel around the first mark just ahead of a tightly grouped chasing pack led by Andy Beadsworth helming Peter Harrison's St Francis IX and Rob Smith helming Paul Smith's Valhalla, a 1981 Peter Norlin design which won the 2012 European Championship at Nynashamn, who were all revelling in the stronger wind strength.
The wind held good down the first run but began to drop slowly as the boats came up the second beat. As Scoundrel confidently defended and increased her lead Jane Ann, who has just had a new Jason Ker designed keel fitted, had her work cut out fending off multiple challengers. By the second weather mark Rainer Muller's Thisbee (1987 Petterson) helmed by Michel Teweles, and Fredrich Dahlman's Nivola (1984 Petterson) had passed Valhalla and St Francis IX and were breathing down Jane Ann's neck. It was nip and tuck all the way but on the line Jane Ann held second with Nivola third, Thisbe fourth, Beat Furrer's Temptation 3 (1981 Pelle Petterson) fifth and St Francis IX sixth.
In the Classic fleet Robert Gierth's beautiful varnished Lillevi, built in Finland in 1938 to a Zake Westin design, was in flying form with a confident lead by the first mark which she held to the finish. His Majesty King Juan Carlos at the helm of José Cusí's Bribon Gallant (1947 Arvid Laurin) did everything he could to get past Lillvi and the two boats stretched out a decent lead over their nearest rivals. On the line however, Lillevi took victory by twenty nine seconds with Bribon Gallant second. Heading up the pack behind them was Eric Jespersen helming Rainer Muller's Llanoria into third, with Christof Rek's Marianne fourth, Alicia Freire's Titia fifth and Eric sixth.
As the boats crossed the finish line the wind was dying as the sea breeze killed the north easterly, but after a postponement the north easterly established itself again and race four got underway. Sadly by the time the Moderns were rounding the weather mark the wind was dying again and it wasn't long before the fleets were almost becalmed, forcing the race committee to abandon the race. It soon became clear that there was little hope of further wind for the day and everyone was sent home.
In the overall standings today's results have shaken up the Open Division's leaderboard. Jali Makila's Jane Ann moves up from fourth into a single point lead from Reinhard Suhner's Nivola, which jumps from third to second. Overnight leader Patrick Monteiro de Barros' Seljm finished ninth in the race which drops them down into third overall, four points behind the leader, while Peter Harrison's St Francis IX has moved up from sixth into fourth overall, three points behind Seljm.
In the Classics the leader board remains unchanged with Rainer Muller's Llanoria holding onto her overall lead by two points with Bribon Gallant helmed by His Majesty King Juan Carlos in second place and Erica six further points back in third.
After racing the crews enjoyed a delightful traditional Breton galette (pancake) party which was much enjoyed by all. But for the majority it was to be an early night as the abandonment of race four means that the race committee have brought the start time for tomorrow's first race forward from 11.00 to 10.00 to allow them to run up to three races to catch up the schedule. The forecast looks considerably more promising with 12 to 17 knots from the north east offered.
The regatta continues until Friday 7 September with a total of eight races scheduled to be raced by Thursday 6 September, with Friday 7 September being a reserve day.
Further information about the regatta can be found at www.6mr-european2018.fr
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