in Advance Half Ton Classic Cup at Royal Nieuwpoort Yacht Club - Days 2 & 3
by Half Ton Classics Cup 8 Aug 2024 14:25 AEST
5-9 August 2024
2Farr on course for the cup, but vintage half-tonners barely impressed
Day 2
The start of Tuesday's two scheduled races were postponed due to lack of wind. A little after noon, the starting gun was fired. Just like Monday, the wind conditions were just enough in terms of speed and stability. The concentration of the crew was severely tested in this slow waltz. Marc Vanoogten, helmsman of the Général Tapioca (BEL 7548): In some areas, the wind dropped and you lost precious meters and even places, he said. One or two knots of wind more or less make a lot of difference in these conditions.
Patrick Boardman (2Farr / IRL2296) was surprised at the start and found himself blocked in the pack.. Nevertheless, the crew managed to turn the deficit into a 4th place in the about an hour-long race. Tom and Jeremy Florizoone of the Red Cloud (BEL 8500) took the lead and finished first. Which later, at the award ceremony of the day, resulted in a smashing applause and the symbolic day prize: a winch handle.
While the teams with the most modernized boats were fighting in the vanguard, a similar battle was unfolding just behind them. But here with the authentic half tonners, the vintage fleet. Jaques Lemaire of the Waverider surprisingly came out with a 9th and a 5th place, making him the leader in the Vintage class. Jacques completely refurbished the 1977 wood/epoxy boat in a few weeks' time, especially for this cup. His team was formed only ten days ago. But with his coaching leadership, based on years of competitive sailing, the chemistry works. "Even before I sailed Vaurien as a trainee, I had already sailed with the Waverider," he adds, underlining the personal connection with this Laurie Davidson design.
Day 3
On Wednesday three races were held, two windward / leeward tracks and a round the cans of about 8.5 nautical miles. Current, waves and 10 - 12 knots of wind ensure that the race is different.
Harmony by John Swan (IRL 1484) is the first to cross the finish line. Followed by King One (Espen Kamperhaug, NOR 18094) and 2Farr (Robert O'Leary, IRL 2269). In the Vintage class it is Farther Bruin's turn to finish first. Coxswain Charles-Edouard Poncelet explains: "With our relatively low rating, we prefer long courses to short ones, because we can take more advantage of them." Their ambition to finish within the first ten in the overall ranking came a step closer.
You would think that this would bring the final chances of winning the optimized Half Tonners more clearly into sight, but that is not counting on the wind. In the 'Round the cans', the breeze climbs up to 20 knots. Concorde (Bror A Berge, FRA 19292) goes around the windward buoy seconds ahead of the 2Farr to achieve the best result so far. The Norwegian sailing friends on the Concorde finish 4th.
Harmony (IRL 1484) finishes third. Marc Vanoogten is happy. "The Géneral Tapioca needs wind. With gusts of up to 20 knots, we shoot into high gear. Of course, we had to work for it, but for us second place is not a real surprise." Because there were too many false starts, the race control showed the Black Flag before the final start gun. First Red Cloud seemed to be disqualified, but after a jury hearing the Belgians where granted 'redress', what keeps them in the third place over all.
Results after Day 3:
1: 2Farr / Robert O'Leary / IRL 2269 / 12.2 pts
2: King One / Espen Kamperhaug / NOR 18094 / 16.8 pts
3: Red Cloud / Tom Florizoone / BEL 8500
Vintage
7: Waverider / Jacques Lemaire / BEL 3486 / 45.2 pts
Series
14: Hullabaloo XV / David Evans / GBR 108 / 73.1 pts