2008 Finn World Masters

2008 Finn World Masters

Medemblik, Holland

May 9-16

Preview - Enormous entry of 280 for Finn World Masters

First sailed in 1970 when just 18 boats turned up, the Finn World Masters Championship has grown year on year and is regularly the highest attended Finn event in the calendar. This year is no exception, and with the event being held at the popular venue of Medemblik in Holland, an unprecedented and staggering 280 ageing Finn sailors have pre-entered to compete at the regatta. The Dutch organisers are as surprised about this as everyone else.

Starting a fleet of this size is always going to present problems, so the organisers have planned to run a group system with two starts. However, if all the pre-entries actually turn up, this is still 140 boats per start, which should prove some spectacle and an exciting challenge for the competitors.

However, the Finn World Masters is much more than just another regatta. It has become symbolic of the camaraderie and sportsmanship that the class is famous for. For many sailors, the Finn Masters is the perfect antidote to Olympic sailing and allows sailors to remain a part of the class, even if they only sail the one regatta a year – as many do. The program in Medemblik also includes after sailing drinks, cultural events and a ladies program. It aims to be a very inclusive and fun regatta.

Unsurprisingly the largest national fleet entered comes from the Dutch corner, which has more than 70 boats entered, while the other large Finn sailing nation, Germany, is fielding 64 entries. In total there are entries from 26 different countries represented including some new ones to the Masters scene. The pre-entry list reads like a who's who of Finn sailing from the past four decades.

It really does seem that 'once a Finn sailor, always a Finn sailor' and that they just don't ever want to give up. Therefore three upper age categories were created to reward the more chronologically challenged. Grand Masters have to be 50-59, Great Grand Masters 60-69, and would you believe it, those 70 and over also have their own age category. They is quite aptly and simply called Legends. All Finn sailors aspire to become a Legend. To be a Legend World Champion must require something very special.

The numerous previous winners competing next week include Walter Mai (GER) who won the event in 1984, Jørgen Lindhardtsen (DEN) in 1985, Kurt Schimitzek (AUT) in 1991, and Roland Balthasar (GER) in 1992 and 1994. The defending champion is Andre Budzien (GER). Having placed second four years running between 2002 and 2006, he finally took home the massive trophy in 2007. Budzien is back again this year and will be one of the favourites for the title. The big favourite for the title would have been Michael Maier (CZE), the 2006 World Masters winner, but after a gruelling season so far he has chosen to take a rest after the European Championship in Scarlino, where he is competing this week.

Measurement and registration concludes and the practice race will be sailed on Sunday 11 May. Then the first of six group qualification races will be held between Monday 12 and Thursday 15. The final race, where the fleets will be split into gold and silver flights will be sailed on Friday 16 May. Whatever else happens, it is going to be an awesome spectacle of Finn sailing on the IJsselmeer.

Opening ceremony - Cannon salvo opens Finn Masters in Medemblik

The firing of the massive cannon outside Radboud Castle in Medemblik announced the opening of the 2008 Finn World Masters Championship in grand style. After the smoke and the noise had dispersed into the sultry evening, one of the largest single class regattas ever to be held in The Netherlands was officially underway. The event was officially declared open by Mrs Erica Terpstra, President of the Dutch Olympic Committee, former Olympic champion and former member of Parliament.

Defending champion Andre Budzien (GER) will have a tough time if he wants to take the massive ornate trophy home with him again this year. There are another 229 Finn sailors from 29 nations in Medemblik, ranging in age from the newly qualified Masters at age 40, up to 82 year old Didier Poissant (FRA), who competed against the likes of Paul Elvström (DEN) in the 1956 Olympics.

The opening ceremony was a magnificent start to what is hoped will be a magnificent championship, not only the largest ever in the Netherlands, but also the largest Finn class regatta of all time. Just being here creates a very special feeling. It also brought a new tradition into being with the presentation by Mrs Terpstra of a gold coloured sailing top, with a large '1' on the back, to Budzien, in the Tour-de-France, yellow jersey style. The sailors and organisers at the opening ceremony also stopped for a minute's silence in memory of popular Master sailor Lucio Nodari who died earlier this year during a Spring regatta.

Six race are planned between Monday and Thursday using a colour group system so all sailors race against each other at least twice. Then on Friday, the final race will be sailed with a gold/silver split.

The weather in northern Holland is being exceptionally kind to the sailors at the International Regatta Centre in Medemblik so far. While many visitors came prepared for the traditional May weather here, the temperatures are currently in the mid to high 20s, though in the past few days this is effecting the wind. While there are solid breezes in the morning and evening, it has tended to drop considerably around midday. However, Sunday's two practice races got away on time in 5-6 knot winds, with quite a lot of pressure differential across the course area making for challenging racing.

First start is on Monday at 11.30.

Day 1 - World Champion Budzien opens with two bullets

They may be old, they may be grey and some may even be a bit wrinkly, but that doesn't stop the sailors currently sailing in the Finn World Masters in Medemblik from enjoying tough and competitive racing. Two challenging races were sailed today, Monday, in very different conditions.

In the first the breeze hardly got over 5-6 knots, with lots of pressure differential across the course. In the afternoon, a 12-14 knot wind kicked in producing exciting downwind legs and providing a physical challenge rather than a mental one.

One sailor who got in right in both races was defending World Masters Champion, Andre Budzien (GER), who won both his heats. The 232 boat fleet has been split into yellow, blue, green and red fleets with each colour racing the others twice, before a gold/silver split on Friday.

In the other heat, race wins went to Jurgen Kraft (GER) and Allen Burrell (GBR). Burrell, a previous double bronze medalist at this event placed 55^th in the morning race, but clearly enjoyed the afternoon breeze.

At the opening briefing, Chairman of the International Jury Chris Watts (GBR) commented, “Despite sailing a singlehanded boat, Finn sailors are the most friendly and fun bunch of sailors around and it's a real pleasure being here.” On the water, the Jury had little to do, with a few yellow flags in the morning race and even less in the afternoon with the 'O' flag up for free pumping throughout.

Day 2 - Perfect score for Budzien

Defending Finn World Masters Champion Andre Budzien (GER) continued with his winning ways in Medemblik, with two more heat wins to put him into a clear lead with three more races to sail.

On Tuesday two races were sailed in winds from 12-16 knots, with free pumping on all the downwind legs. Starting two fleets of 116 boats each presents numerous problems for the race committee as well as the competitors, but despite several general recalls each day, PRO Erik Vliegenthart (NED) is happy with the way things are going and the start line behaviour of the Finn sailors.

In both of his heats Budzien lead for the majority of the race, executing great tactics, with good boat speed and was always among the first few to the windward mark. He extended downwind to secure each victory. Other heat wins went to Adrian Brunton (GBR), after banging in the generally unfavoured right hand corner on the final upwind, and Allen Burrell (GBR), to add to his heat win from yesterday.

Overall, Budzien has a 10point lead from Mihail Kopanov (BUL) who placed 2 and 3 today, with Jan Willem Kok (NED) in third, also placing 3 and 2 today a further 5 points behind. After Wednesday's race, the discard will kick in, so that should change the results somewhat with many boats currently counting a high score.

There are just two more qualification races to be sailed - one on Wednesday and one on Thursday - before the final gold and silver heats on Friday. At the moment it looks as if there is no one who can stop Andre Budzien from taking his second consecutive Finn World Masters title.

Day 3 & 4 - Budzien wins second Finn World Masters with a day to spare

The final two qualification races have been sailed in the 229 boat Finn World Masters in Medemblik in general light to moderate conditions.

Wednesday's race brought lighter winds with a few upsets, however after five races the discard had an equally large effect, bringing to the top many sailors who had picked up a high score in the first few races. In the first heat, defending World Champion, Andre Budzien (GER) continued to lead the scoreline, but tainted his copybook with a third place finish behind Thierry van Vierssen (NED) and Han Bergma (NED). In the second heat, Ilias Hatzipaulis (GRE) won in front of Gerko Visser (NED) and Eric Bakker (NED).

The Dutch home fleet are having a great regatta with no less than 9 boats inside the top 20. Many have been training here for months in preparation for this regatta.

On Thursday, the wind started at around 15 knots but soon dropped to about 10 knots once the starts got underway, and at times during the races dropped to 4-5 knots. It was very tricky sailing at times.

Wide pressure differential across the course also caused a few upsets, but Budzien assured himself of his second consecutive title by placing second in his heat behind Hatzipaulis who won his second race in a row. The other heat was won by Mihail Kopanov (BUL) in a race plagued by large wind shifts and patchy holes across the course.

The final race will be sailed tomorrow at 11.30, and although the winner is assured, everyone else in the top 10 is already discarding a high score, so the other medal places are wide open.

Day 5 - Largest ever Finn event closes in Medemblik

Sailing consistently well and unbeatable in the first four races, defending Finn World Masters Champion Andre Budzien (GER) took the 2008 title by a margin of nine points over the seven race series from Mihail Kopanov (BUL) and by ten points from third placed Han Bergsma (NED).

The 229 boat fleet was the largest ever assembled Finn fleet in the 59 year history of the class and underlines the popularity of the boat outside the Olympic circuit. The line up included 11 previous Olympic contenders and countless sailors who had campaigned a Finn at the highest level. The Dutch sailors had prepared well and took nine out of the top 20 places, but they couldn't stop Budzien's domination of the highly competitive Masters fleet.

The final day of racing was split into gold and silver heats and produced conditions similar to previous days. A promising stiff breeze in the morning gave way to a shifty and patchy 5-10 knots during the race. However, it was an exciting race as most of the top 20 already had a high score on the board, so couldn't afford another. As a result of the fitful winds, several sailors who had been top ten all week, suffered in the tricky conditions and dropped a significant number of places.

As usual those who favoured the left hand side dominated the races with the gold fleet race win going to Bas de Waal (NED) to place 5^th overall, followed by Luuk Kuijper (NED) which boosted him from 10^th to 6^th, and third was Mihail Kopanov (BUL) to maintain his silver medal position. In fact the top five positions remained unchanged after the final race.

The last race proved crucial for Cees Scheurwater (NED) who dropped from 6^th to 14^th, Thierry van Vierson (NED) who dropped from 7^th to 12^th and Jan Willem Kok (NED) who dropped from 8^th to 20^th. However after a great final day the only two Americans sailing here both leap frogged into the top ten. Conrad Brown (USA) placed 5^th to jump to 8^th and Phillip Ramming (USA) placed 12^th to jump to 9^th.

Ramming also took the silver in the Grand Masters behind the 1972 Olympic silver medalist Illias Hatipaulis (GRE) who also finished 4^th overall. Luksa Cicarelli (CRO) took the Great Grand Masters title while Walter Mai (GER) was the top Legend sailing here. All ten Finn Legends competing in the event were honoured with a prize.

Next year the Finn World Masters is being held in Maubuisson, France. With more Finn sailors reaching the age of 40 and more ex-Finn sailors coming back to the class, a large fleet is also expected in 2009. The problem facing the event organisers now is finding venues large enough to hold a regatta of this size. It is a problem well worth having.

Full results

Individual categories:

Masters

1. Andre Budzien (GER)

2. Mihail Kopanov (BUL

3. Han Bergsma (NED)

Grand Masters (50-59)

1. Ilias Hatzipaulis (GRE)

2. Phillip Ramming (USA)

3. Michael Bæk (DEN)

Great Grand Masters (60-69)

1. Luksa Cicarelli (CRO)