Finn fleet set for European Masters title clash on Lake Garda
by Robert Deaves 1 Sep 04:35 PDT
5-8 September 2023
World No. 1, Laurent Hay, FRA © Robert Deaves
The 2023 Finn European Masters takes place next week at Campione del Garda, Italy. There are 98 entries from 23 nations on the entry list. It's the last major championship of the year and has attracted a diverse fleet including a number of non-Europeans.
The host club, Univela Sailing, is located at the northern end of Campione del Garda, a small village on the western side of Lake Garda. The club is a self-contained facility that was used as an Italian training base. It occupies a magnificent location with beautiful views across the lake.
With 98 entries it will the largest Finn European Masters ever held and an indication that Finn sailing continues to develop, and that the fleet remains as deep as ever.
World No 1. Laurent Hay, from France, is perhaps considered a favourite. He is still looking for a first major win, following runner up placings at all three major events so far this year - Finn Gold Cup, Europeans and World Masters, which cemented his position at the top of the World Rankings. Last year's champion, Giacomo Giovanelli, from Italy, is not defending his title this year.
However, competition on Garda will be tough with a number of other top ranked and former class champions taking part. Valerian Lebrun, also from France, won the Finn World Masters in 2021. World No. 4 Filipe Silva from Portugal won the Finn World Masters earlier this year in Kavala and is the only competitor taking part to have won the European Masters before, back in 2019.
From The Netherlands, Peter Peet was third at the World Masters in 2022 and fifth in Kavala, while Bas de Waal was runner up at the 2021 European Masters. France's Florian Faucheux finished third in Spain last year while Spain's David Terol, Britain's World No. 7, Lawrence Crispin, and two-time World Masters champion, John Greenwood, Denmark's Otto Strandvig, Slovakia's World no. 8, Peter Mosny, third at the 2023 World Masters and Australia's Paul Mckenzie will be sure to be challenging the front of the fleet.
Garda is always a favourite for the Finn class and with much of northern Europe seemingly heading into an early Autumn, many are looking forward to a week of typical Garda weather with temperatures in the high 20s and reliable winds.
Registration and equipment inspection begins on Sunday 3 September, with a series of eight races from 5-8 September.