May 13 - 19, 2019 / Weymouth, UK

2019 Volvo European Championship

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Blue denotes Junior (U23) teams.

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Blue denotes Junior (U23) Teams

European Only Results

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15.05.2019

49er Men: Softer is Harder

The breeze softened a little today, but that just meant the standard of the racing got harder on day 3 of the Europeans in Weymouth. Unlike the previous two days of high-wave action, there was little risk of pitchpoling in the 10 to 12 knot breezes out in Weymouth Bay. But that just put a greater emphasis on good starts, excellent straight-line speed, and catching the best of the subtle changes in the breeze.

Occasionally, getting a bad start and being spat out the back of the fleet was a good thing, as some boats were forced out to what would prove to be the favoured right-hand side of the course. So there were opportunities to make gains during a race.

Today was the day to make it out of the 96-boat qualifying fleet, which has been spread across three flights, and win a ticket into the 25-boat gold fleet. David and Lachy Gilmour won the last major 49er regatta last month in a light-airs Genoa, but in a predominantly windy Weymouth the Aussie brothers have managed just 37th. That’s the measure of depth and talent in this international fleet, which is missing very few of the world’s best.

While Pete Burling and Blair Tuke were unable to match the beautiful consistency of three-bullet Tuesday, solid scores of 9,5,2 keep the reigning Olympic Champions in top spot by a single point from the young Spaniards, Diego Botin and Iago Lopez who scored 1,9,4 in their group. “Today in the lighter winds was harder,” said Lopez. “More tactics, which meant the small things mattered and you had to get them right.” The Spanish come from the most northern, coldest corner of Spain, so they’re not so bothered about the cold easterly winds, although they’re still wearing all their winter sailing gear even in mid-May.

It’s far too soon to suggest that it’s turning into a two-horse race between the Kiwis and Spanish, although they have carved out a useful 10-point buffer back to the third placed Logan Dunning Beck and Oscar Gunn who strung together a 3,8,5 from the day. The New Zealanders are looking very solid, only once dropping outside the top 10 after 10 qualifying heats. Even in the lighter breeze, the Kiwis said it was the same focus for them today: “Just go fast out of the start, keep the speed on and get into the corner in good shape,” said Dunning Beck. The downwinds are proving a lot of fun in the rolling waves, according to Gunn. “You can get a real surf on downwind, but it’s pretty hard knowing if you’re going to cross another boat on a port/starboard.”

The points are all very tight from 3rd to 7th place, now held by James Peters and Fynn Sterritt whose 3,2,1 results were the best of any boat today. The Brits now sit one place and one point behind their rivals for Olympic selection, Dylan Fletcher and Stu Bithell. Every boat in the top 10 has won at least one race during qualifying, but now it’s into gold fleet racing where the margins between success and failure really tighten up. A lead of a few points can vanish in a blink of the eye, and with the breeze set to soften further as the weekend draws closer, a different set of skills could come into play. This regatta is shaping up to become a true all-round test of 49er racing.

The Volvo 49erFX Nacra17 European Championship. Portland. Weymouth. UK Free handout image. Credit : Lloyd Images

Regatta information

Results:

Results will be posted race by race, as they happen

Schedule:

Wednesday 8 May 1700 Beach Clean

Monday 13 May 1055 Qualifying Races

Tuesday 14 May 1055 Qualifying Races

Wednesday 15 May 1055 Qualifying Races

Thursday 16 May 1055 Qualifying or Fleet Races

Friday 17 May 1055 Fleet Races

Saturday 18 May 1055 Fleet Races

Sunday 19 May 0955 Fleet Races

1500 Medal Races

TBC Prize giving

Photography:

49er and 49erFX: https://49er.org/event/2019-european-championship/#photos

Nacra 17: https://nacra17.org/events/2019-european-championship-2/#photos

Live Broadcast:

From May 16-19 a live show including coverage of the racing will be broadcast via the 49er class Youtube channel and the Nacra 17 class Youtube channel. The presenters are Genny Tulloch, Andy Rice, Stevie Morrison, and Hannah Mills.

1. 49er Sailing – Gold Fleet Day 1 – 2019 Volvo European Championship

URL https://youtu.be/b3fsnwNGyqQ

2. 49er Sailing – Gold Fleet Day 2 – 2019 Volvo European Championship

URL https://youtu.be/7pxYk7L_Q54

3. 49er Sailing – Gold Fleet Day 3 – 2019 Volvo European Championship

URL https://youtu.be/OGd_TQC3qEY

4. 49er Sailing – Gold Fleet Day 4 – 2019 Volvo European Championship

URL https://youtu.be/rxrV_BLsZ_k

5. 49er Sailing – Medal Races – 2019 Volvo European Championship

URL https://youtu.be/XBxlZofvxPc

Highlights, Interviews & VNR:

Between May 16 and 19, Icarus Sports will be producing:
- A daily two-minute highlights video
- VNR and interviews for news
Footage can be downloaded from the Icarus portal – https://portal.icarus-sports.com/
Please contact Will Carson to request interviews

What We Do

The Academy is a multifaceted business. The driving force and focus are the sailing events, but to sustain the facilities and business the WPNSA has several other revenue streams;

• Squad training through the RYA and class associations

• Other sporting events such as cycling, triathlons and running

• Meetings facilities including conferences and corporate days

• Functions such as; weddings, parties, dinner dances and awards

• Boat hoist and dry storage

• Membership

WPNSA has close links with the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) working with them in many significant events such as the Sailing World Cup and Youth National Championships. In addition, WPNSA is the training base for the British Sailing Team.

Our History

The Royal Yachting Association had been trying for decades to secure a suitable site locally to make the most of these natural advantages, but the opportunity came when in 1999 it was announced that the Royal Naval Air Station at Portland was to be closed.

A group of local people established a not-for-profit company to take the vision of a national centre of excellence for the sport of sailing forward and with the support of the Royal Navy, the Royal Yachting Association, the South West Regional Development Agency, Sport England and all the local authorities in the area, this idea started to take shape. The Academy started sailing operations on the site in March 2000.

After initially operating from the disused military buildings and facilities, in 2003 the Academy was in a position to start construction work on redeveloping the site. At the same time the London bid to host the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games was gathering momentum and the Academy was selected as part of the sailing venue in the bid to the International Olympic Committee.

Construction works were completed in the spring of 2005 and HRH The Princess Royal formally opened the new Academy buildings on 9th June 2005. Less than a month later London was selected as the venue for the 30th Olympiad. This impressive facility had therefore moved from starting sailing operations on the site to being part of an Olympic venue in slightly more than five years. Once the decision had been made to award the 2012 Games to London, plans were put in place to further enhance the facilities to bring them up to the standard required by the International Olympic Committee. The Olympic Delivery Authority then funded further marine works to meet these standards. These works, consisting of additional reclamation of the harbour, new slipways, construction of a breakwater and pontoons were finished in 2008, on time and on budget, making the Academy the first of the 2012 venues to be completed.

Development of the Academy has provided first class facilities including 220 metres of slipway accessible at all states of wind and tide as well as 600 dinghy spaces and 125 protected marina berths for ribs and yachts.

Regatta information Results: Results will be posted race by race, as they happen

Schedule: Wednesday 8 May 1700 Beach Clean Monday 13 May 1055 Qualifying Races Tuesday 14 May 1055 Qualifying Races Wednesday 15 May 1055 Qualifying Races Thursday 16 May 1055 Qualifying or Fleet Races Friday 17 May 1055 Fleet Races Saturday 18 May 1055 Fleet Races Sunday 19 May 0955 Fleet Races 1500 Medal Races TBC Prize giving