Laurent Haÿ wins the International Finn Week in Cannes

by Jean François 17 Feb 2024 00:01 PST 13-16 February 2024

International Finn Week 2024 © Jehan Lerin

From 13 to 16 February, the Cannes Yacht Club organised the famous International Finn Week. More than 70 competitors, the majority of whom were foreigners, raced in the harbour of Cannes. The current world number one, the Frenchman Laurent Haÿ logically won the event for the third year in a row.

Already winner in 2022 and 2023, current world number one in front of more than 1000 ranked from 37 nations, vice-champion of Europe last year, Laurent Haÿ confirmed that he was indeed the best Finnist in the world at Finn's biggest event held in France, by winning in Cannes for the third consecutive year. In the eastern harbour of Cannes, Jérôme Nutte, director of the race committee, and his team once again proved their know-how, allowing them to compete in seven rounds over four days.

The Rochelais won by only three points ahead of Valérian Lebrun, former champion of France of Finn and vice-world champion of Yole Ok, the two Frenchmen relaying the Spaniard Ruben Serra Merckens, the Swiss Dominique Wälchi and the Dutchman Bas de Wall far behind.

"It was a great championship with a first round in the medium tyre, then after that it was more light," explained the winner. "Cannes is a beautiful stretch of water, but it's quite complicated and tactical. It was shifty but not a lottery, and that's what's interesting. As always, there were some great people and we had a two-man match with Valérian Lebrun, Master world champion in Finn, and former world champion in Europe. "

The three-time winner of the International Finn Week will be there again at the European Championship next October, again organised by the Yacht Club de Cannes. Jean-François Cutugno, president of the YCC and who was racing, taking a respectable place in the middle of the ranking against 70 competitors, does not hide his satisfaction. "We were able to compete in seven races in summer conditions with a synoptic wind that is always difficult to read in the eastern harbour. For the European Championship, which promises to be grandiose, the 150 competitors will be welcomed in a completely renovated club, that's for sure. Despite a difficult environment, the Cannes Yacht Club was able to face the challenge of organizing this week Once again, the club's staff and our volunteers have made this week a great sporting success and I am delighted about that. "

Finally, hats off to Pierric Bourbin from the Yacht Club de Cannes, winner in the "Legend" category.

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Pts
1	FRA 75	Laurent HAŸ	17013	2	1	‑9	3	2	5	2	15
2	FRA 111	Valérian LEBRUN	CNLOC	1	4	3	4	5	‑24	1	18
3	ESP 9	Rubén SERRA MERCKENS	Club Maritimo Mahón	8	3	7	11	10	6	DNC	45
4	SUI 41	Dominique WÄLCHLI	RCO	10	13	6	‑25	3	2	17	51
5	NED 29	Bas de WAAL	WSVHWH	9	10	2	2	18	12	DNC	53
6	SUI 83	Jürg WITTICH	SVB	16	‑29	11	8	4	4	13	56
7	FIN 201	Kristian SJÖBERG	NJK	12	‑25	17	6	7	7	10	59
8	GER 8	Jürgen EIERMANN	RCR	14	7	23	9	‑41	3	9	65
9	ESP 71	Xavier PENAS	Club vela Palamós	11	9	1	12	DNC	39	12	84
10	NED 7	Cees SCHEURWATER	WSVHWH	15	2	4	UFD	29	32	5	87
11	ITA 4	Francesco FAGGIANI	Triestina della Vela	25	16	16	15	15	‑29	6	93
12	SUI 57	Rudolf BAUMANN	TYC	‑51	18	14	30	1	20	21	104
13	SUI 95	Michael GOOD	SVM	13	6	‑35	16	34	21	16	106
14	NOR 26	Steffen EMHJELLEN	ASKR	17	22	15	10	28	UFD	18	110
15	SUI 12	Franz BÜRGI	TYC	‑41	8	8	33	6	34	22	111
16	NED 133	Tobias de HAER	KWVDK	36	11	26	18	‑45	13	8	112
17	ESP 7	David TEROL	CNHV	5	UFD	13	1	12	16	DNC	114
18	POR 21	Filipe SILVA		4	12	5	UFD	17	11	DNC	116
19	FRA 38	Audoin McHEL	CNLRO	7	26	28	7	‑46	44	4	116
20	CZE 75	Vladimir SKALICKY	LK Stechovice	‑38	20	34	13	16	18	19	120
21	GBR 567	Martin HUGHES	WARSASH SC	18	24	30	24	19	‑31	11	126
22	NED 148	Peter PEET	KWVDK	3	UFD	19	22	13	14	DNC	138
23	FRA 57	Morvan BOURBIN	CANNE	33	14	‑38	23	38	26	7	141
24	FRA 66	Philippe LOBERT	CNARR	29	‑51	32	36	20	15	15	147
25	NED 977	Sjoerd HOFLAND	KWS	20	31	22	21	32	22	DNC	148
26	FRA 880	Herve BRILLAUD	CNFER	39	15	‑49	34	14	19	30	151
27	SUI 33	Bernhard SEGER	SVB	47	23	20	14	31	17	DNC	152
28	GBR 74	Lawrence CRISPIN	Stone SC	6	27	18	17	37	48	DNC	153
29	UKR 10	Valentyn KLYMENTYEV	ORYC	26	5	10	20	BFD	33	DNC	161
30	ESP 182	Alejandro CARDONA	Club Náutico Ibiza	24	36	40	27	24	10	DNC	161
31	NED 13	Huub de HAER	KWVDK	‑52	32	37	35	23	9	26	162
32	GBR 61	John HEYES	Warsash SC	31	34	‑43	32	30	35	3	165
33	GER 488	Andreas FRANKE	RCR	45	46	21	39	9	8	BFD	168
34	FRA 60	Jean Francois CUTUGNO	CANNE	‑54	30	33	41	40	27	20	191
35	FRA 96	Florian FAUCHEUX	CN Canet Perpignan	23	19	39	29	36	46	DNC	192
36	BAH 1	Pierric BOURBIN	CANNE	‑55	39	27	42	35	37	14	194
37	NED 144	Mels JONGENEEL	KWVDK	27	UFD	41	31	11	23	DNC	200
38	SUI 99	Laurent CHAPUIS	CNM	34	38	24	5	49	53	DNC	203
39	NOR 41	Christian DAHL	ASKR	21	17	12	19	BFD	UFD	DNC	203
40	SUI 39	Hans STÖCKLI	SCMd	46	35	29	45	25	30	DNC	210
41	FRA 3	Aubert LEROUGE	MERVE	30	40	36	28	51	28	DNC	213
42	GBR 13	Roman KHODYKIN	Hayling Island Sailing Club	22	43	50	38	21	40	DNC	214
43	FRA 888	Bernard CLAUDEL	CANNE	‑49	33	47	43	26	36	29	214
44	GER 477	Harald LEISSNER	JSR	35	21	‑48	48	47	41	23	215
45	SUI 1	Hans FATZER	YCA	32	‑49	31	40	42	47	27	219
46	GER 335	Axel RIMMELE	YCI	57	DNC	DNC	DNC	8	1	24	224
47	GER 202	Rolf ELSAESSER	STSC	44	42	‑51	46	22	45	28	227
48	NED 248	Kit KATTENBERG	KWVDK	19	28	BFD	26	39	49	DNC	228
49	GER 236	Andreas LOHMANN	TSVH	48	47	‑54	37	48	25	25	230
50	FRA 9	Benoit THOMAS	CANNE	NSC	41	25	49	44	42	31	232
51	SUI 27	Dominik HAITZ	YCZ	43	37	42	47	27	50	DNC	246
52	FRA 112	Christian BESSE	CANNE	‑59	48	45	53	53	38	33	270
53	GER 151	Hendrik W‑ SCHWARZ	SLRV	58	44	44	51	33	51	DNC	281
54	FRA 51	Laurent HILL	CANNE	53	53	53	52	52	‑57	32	295
55	GER 678	Christian WILMERS	YCI	56	52	52	44	‑58	55	36	295
56	GBR 18	Jonathan PYKE	Hayling Island Sailing Club	37	57	46	57	57	43	DNC	297
57	NOR 55	Arild HELDAL	RØYK	28	56	55	50	56	56	DNC	301
58	GER 315	Christoph BOOG	ACADL	50	55	‑60	54	55	58	34	306
59	SUI 85	Thomas FRAUTSCHI	RCO	DNF	54	58	55	54	54	35	310
60	GER 19	Andreas BOLLONGINO	JSR	40	45	DNC	DNC	50	52	DNC	321
61	FRA 89	Olivier le BIAVANT	ACADL	60	50	57	56	43	59	DNC	325
62	FRA 15	Philippe RINALDI		42	58	56	UFD	DNF	DNC	DNC	357
63	GER 311	Ralf WAGNER	YCI	DNS	59	59	58	59	60	DNC	362
64	FRA 211	Jerome LEBEC	CNBPP	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	402
64	FRA 800	Yves ZOCCOLA	ACADL	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	402
64	GBR 43	Paul PEGGS	Solo Offshore Racing Club	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	402