Dart 18 Belgium Nationals at the Royal Belgium Sailing Club

Alan & Fiona Kernick at the Dart 18 Belgian Nationals © Event Press

Matt Ambrose & Sarah Wren at the Dart 18 Belgian Nationals © Event Press

Marco Manganelli & Rachel Foster at the Dart 18 Belgian Nationals © Event Press

3 UK teams made the crossing to Knokke to make up the 32 boat fleet for the 2006 Belgium Nationals. Even though it was a small UK contingent, 2 of the podium positions were taken by the British sailors. Once again the Royal Belgium Sailing Club excelled with great racing, entertainment and prizes.

Day 1 started with an hour postponement to let the wind fill in. Once the wind arrived it was a variable F1/F2 sometimes gusting F3. The French team of Pierre Betsch and Isabelle Monod-Boissel made the early running getting to the windward mark 1st. After a lot of place changes Alan and Fiona Kernick (Red Insurance) took the win followed by Betsch/Monod-Boisel with UK pair Matt Ambrose and Sarah Wren in 3rd place.

Race 2 saw ex-world champions Thierry and Christine Wibaux easily take the gun with Ambrose/Wren 2nd and Kernick/Kernick finishing 3rd.

The wind got up to a good F3/4 for race 3, Wibaux/Wibaux finished 1st again followed by Ambrose/Wren in 2nd. Frens and Jente Hoving from Netherlands took a well earned 3rd leaving Ambrose/Wren as the overnight leaders.

The club in normal tradition put on a remarkable BBQ and partying went on long into the night.

Race 4 started with a good F3 breeze blowing, but very strong tides. The competitors that chose to go out to sea lost out badly to those hugging the coast. Kernick/Kernick took their 2nd win of the event followed by Betsch/Monod-Boisel with Wibaux/Wibaux 3rd. Ambrose/Wren unfortunately suffered gear failure making their chances of retaining their overnight lead difficult. Race 5 had more wind but even more tide. Again some of the fleet tried the offshore route to their detriment. Wibaux/Wibaux stormed into an early lead but Kernick/Kernick managed to chase them down to take the win, Wibaux/Wibaux finishing 2nd and Ambrose/Wren back in contention with a 3rd.

Final race - Wibaux/Wibaux needed to win race 6 to take the title and again blasted off to a big lead on the first lap. On the second beat Kernick/Kernick managed to overtake and take a narrow lead around the windward mark and hold this to the finish giving them the title. Wibaux/Wibaux secured 2nd place with British pair Marco Manganelli and Rachael Foster taking 3rd.

Overall Results: