RS800 European Championships 2023 at Circolo Vela Torbole, Lake Garda, Italy - Day 2

Another day of perfect skiff sailing conditions at the RS800 European Championship at Circolo Vela Torbole. Flat water and a consistent 15 knots meant that the racing was tight all the way through the 30 boat fleet. With the race course set in the middle of the lake, both corners looked favourable for potential gains.

In the first race, the events' leading four boats chased the breeze on the left hand side. However, local legends Geoff Carveth & Lez Dhonau led the fleet to the first mark having won the right hand side. Tom Morris & Guy Filmore, and Phil Walker & John Mather were the earliest to gybe and took the lead in the pressure under the cliffs.

After showing that the right hand cliffs looked to be a gain feature Maria Stanley & Tommy Darling won the starboard end and led the fleet out to that side. After gybe setting and heading back to the same gain feature Maria & Tommy showed the fleet exactly where the lay line wasn't, overstood by 10 boat lengths and handed the lead to Tom & Guy.

The afternoon breeze was falling away in the last race and it was a high risk strategy to chase the gain features on the corners of the race course. Luke and Emma played the shifts up the middle, sailed the shortest distance to the mark and led the fleet the whole way round, extending their lead with great pace in the marginal downwind conditions.

It is the Crews Union tonight so look forward to tomorrow's report to find out if everyone makes it home / makes it to the race course / stays with their sailing partner, after a night of drinking and complaining about how annoying helms are!

Emma and Luke McEwen lead the RS800 Europeans at Lake Garda, Italy day 2 - photo © Emilio Sabtinelli

Results after day 2:

RS800 Europeans at Lake Garda, Italy day 2 - photo © Emilio Sabtinelli