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European Championship Club Nautico
Denia, Spain
 The
practise race for the Musto Performance Skiff European
Championships hosted by Club Nautico Denia on the
Mediterranean coast of Spain, was sailed in a light southerly
wind and big waves, making for challenging conditions.
Martin Boatman GBR led the fleet for
the majority of the race, closely followed by a group including
Ian Turnbull GBR, Richard Stenhouse GBR, Simon Reynolds GBR, Pablo
Arandia ESP and Martin Sattelkau GER
Pablo Arandia from the home club
finally pulling through to take the win.
The weather has been 25 deg. for the
last two days, today the temperature was lower, but the racing was
still hot.
We look forward to an excellent event
which has been superbly organised by the Spanish team.
Race 1
Today,
the European Championships got under way in a 10-12 knot breeze,
and 3 metre swell. Making for exillerating sailing.
Kevin Anderson led around the first
lap, closely followed by Richard Stenhouse and Ian Turnbull. The
sailors revelling in the conditions.
Kevin Anderson pulled out a big lead
on the first downwind leg, but Richard Stenhouse overhauled him up
the second beat in the testing condfitions, to post the win. The
fleet made up of an number of nations swept into the finish in the
long Mediterranean swell.
Racing was again held in a large
Mediterranean swell and cool conditions, but with a 12 - 15 knot
wind the Musto Performance Skiff´s flew on the downwind legs, some
boats occasionally coming comletely out of the water.
The front of the fleet was dominated
by the British sailors Kevin Anderson, Richard Stenhouse and Ian
Trotter, but Pablo Arandia from Spain and the other sailors were
never far behind.
Kevin Anderson holds a slim 1 point
lead over Richard stenhouse going into day 3.
Day 3
4 races were held in a cool 12-15
knot Northerly breeze, with a 2.5 metre and increasing swell.
Going into todays races, Kevin
Anderson GBR held a 1 point advantage over Richard Stenhouse GBR.
The first two races were very close
at the front, but Stenhouse showed a slight edge over the rest
of the fleet in the testing conditions.
The Musto Performance Skiffs made
for spectacular viewing for the numerous boats watching, as they
planned at high speed upwind surfing down the long swell.
Downwind several boats were seen to
jump completley out of the water, as they made their way down
the exillerating leg.
The day belonged to Richard
Stenhouse, who always managed to stay in control, and by the end
of the day had moved into an unbeatable position overall.
One race will be held tomorrow in
order to fully complete the regatta.
Day 4
The final race of the Musto
Performance Skiff European Championships 2004 was held in 8
knots of wind and brilliant Spanish blue sky.
Pablo Arandia ESP showed excellent
speed to round the windaward mark first, closely followed by
Kevin Anderson. The two sailors battled hard for the win, with
Pablo holding on for a memorable win at his home club, with many
local spectators cheering as he crossed the line.
The prize giving was held shortely
after racing, and a big thanks must go to Club Nautico Denia for
hosting the event, Maria Torrijo as pricipal race officer and to
the sponsors which included
Denia tourist board,
Valencia local government, Real Federacion Espaanola
de Vela, Regional Spanisg Sailing Federation, Grefusa,
Coca Cola, Heineken, Solan de Cabras, Panorama Video
Productions, Halcon, Ogisaka Garden, CHG and MR Hotels.
Position Sail number Helm Club R1
R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 R10 Pts
1 GBR 131 Richard Stenhouse Rutland SC 1 4 2 2 1
1 1 1 1 3 10.0
2 GBR 141 Kevin Anderson Sunderland YC 2 3 1 1 2
2 3 2 2 2 14.0
3 GBR 139 Ian Turnbull Sunderland YC 3 1 3 7 3 3
2 3 3 DNC 21.0
4 GBR 143 Martin Boatman Sunderland YC 5 2 4 4 5
5 4 4 6 DNC 33.0
5 GBR 113 Simon Reynolds Whitstable SC 6 5 5 3 7
10 6 6 4 5 40.0
6 ESP 150 Pablo Arandia C.N. Denia 8 8 9 9 6 4 5
5 5 1 42.0
7 GBR 092 Tony Lewis Tynemouth SC 4 7 7 5 8 12 8
9 7 7 53.0
8 GBR 114 Simon Dodds Whitstable SC 10 10 12 6 4
6 7 8 9 8 58.0
9 GBR 125 Kit Stenhouse Rutland SC 7 9 10 10 10
7 9 7 10 4 63.0
10 GBR 056 Paul Clements Portshead SC DNC 6 8 8
DNF 9 10 DNC DNC 6 79.0
11 GBR 060 Barry Shotton Whitstable SC 9 11 11 11
DNF 11 11 11 11 10 85.0
12 GER 059 Martin Sattelkau TSG 1989 EV 11 12 6
12 9 DNC DNC DNC DNC 11 93.0
13 GBR 063 Paul Davis Sunderland YC DNC DNF DNC
DNC DNF 13 DNF 10 8 9 104.0
14 GBR 119 Ken Ward Sunderland YC DNF DNC DNC DNC
DNC 8 12 DNC DNC DNC 116.0
15 ESP 145 Alejandro Sanchez RCN Mediterraneo DNC
DNF DNF DNF DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC 116.0
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