Europeans 2001 Report

The 2001 Finn European Championships was sailed at Malcesine on Lake Garda, Italy and organised by Fraglia Vela Malcesine. Emilios Papathanasiou, after winning the Riva Cup last March, confirmed he is the King of the Lake by taking his first major championship win in fine style. Equally impressively Chris Brittle took the Junior title.

A record fleet of 91 boats competed in the 2001 Finn European Championship at Malcesine, on the Eastern shore of Lake Garda, Italy. After three days of strict measurement and a practice race, racing took place between Monday June 28th and Saturday July 7th, with nine races scheduled.

With 24 countries represented and most of the best Finn sailors present, the competition promised to be of the highest level. Mateusz Kusznierewicz was looking to defend his title against many strong opponents. The 2001 Finn Junior European championship title would also be disputed. 2000 winner, Charlie Cumbley would face 19 other Juniors.

Emilios sets the pace

A perfect day on Garda Lake with a nice and constant breeze from the southern end of the lake allowed for the first two races of the championship to be completed. Despite a rather short course (45 minutes in the first race and 55 minutes in the second) and a crowded bottom mark, the 2001 Finn European Championship started with two highly competitive races.

Emilios Papathanasiou took the lead in the first race after an impressive start at the pin end of the line. Tacking to the left and leading at the top mark, the Greek increased his lead to win the first race quite easily in front of Mateusz Kusznierewicz and Pascal Rambeau. In 4th position was Swiss sailor and sailmaker, Christoph Burger, followed by Soren Holm. The young Dane, 3rd in Kiel is a newcomer in the class after only three months in the Finn.

After a similar start, Rafael Trujillo took the lead of the second race before being caught up by Sebastien Godefroid on the run. The 1996 Silver Medallist conserved his lead to win the race in front of 'Rafa'. "It will be a very difficult regatta to win. Speed being the most important factor, and tactics very predictable," declared Sebastien Godefroid.

Perfect sailing

What could make a Finn sailor more happy than a big fleet, a long and even starting line, 19 knots of a steady and very faithful southerly wind (it always come at the same time, everyday at around 1 pm!!), 30 degrees, sun, clear blue water...and the breathtaking scenery offered by the steep mountains surrounding Lago di Garda!

After a few general recalls, racing finally started at 2 pm. The pin end of the line was once again very favoured and places highly fought for. Xavier, Mateusz and Emilios started to the left. The best start went to Estonian Imre Taveter who jumped out in front of Mateusz as the starting gun went. Unfortunately for Imre, his speed could not compete with the Polish bullet who passed him within the first few minutes. The first third of the beat saw half of the fleet tacking two meters from the rocks and the sunbathing spectators...sailing is surely a spectator sport in Lake Garda!

Soren Holm surprised everyone by once again leading the fleet around the first three marks. Soren is surely the fastest learner in the Finn history! The young Dane battled hard to stay in the top of the fleet and finished in 4th. Rafael Trujillo, Finn training partner until 1996 and Ex-Star crew for Jose Maria Van der Ploeg in Sydney, moved into the lead on the second beat. He kept his lead until the last beat when Xavier finally passed him to win the race. Rafael managed to stay ahead of Mateusz to finish second.

Bart takes race four

The second race of the day proved to be the most difficult of the regatta. The wind had weakened to 10 knots and the left side was no longer favoured. Andrew Simpson won the race just in front of Karlo Kuret after a tough battle around the course. Emilios who was first at the top mark finished in third place. "It was quite a tricky race," confided Andrew Simpson. "The wind seemed to be more spread out than previously and I chose to start near the committee boat. I stayed in the middle and then repeated the same on the second beat. That's where I passed Emilios who had gone more to the left of the course. Karlo was always behind me and I had to try hard not to let him pass me."

Stefan de Vries finished 4th in the last race of the day to lead the juniors in 10th place overall. Emilios was still leading the Championship on equal points (21) with Mateusz. Andrew "Bart" Simpson was 3rd on 25 points. Tired but happy by two great races, the sailors were welcomed once on shore by a well deserved Pasta and beer party provided by event sponsor, Hasseroder and Bolla.

Second win for Emilios

Garda Lake can offer every kind of sensations from the most exciting to the least! The conditions the next day, with a constant southerly wind peaking to 15 knots in the first race and weakening to eight in the second race, were most predictable. The race was won on the start as there was no chance to play tactically and come back on the following legs. Despite some pressure to the right of the course, a strong current prevented any incursions on this side. Automatically, sailors headed to the left of the course, as far as the rocky coast could allow. In the first race, Karlo Kuret gained the lead by tacking the furthest away on the left side in one of the little bay boarding the Lake. He led until the leeward mark when Emilios just succeeded in breaking the overlap. Emilios won the race with Karlo second and Xavier Rohart 3rd, passing Martijn van Muyden on the line.

Karlo's revenge

Karlo was not happy to lose his chance of winning the race so he had just to repeat the same operation in race five to win it, this time without being troubled by anyone. Karlo crossed the finish line nearly two minutes in front of local sailor Michele Marchesini who was welcomed like a hero by his club friends! Third place went to Andrew Simpson.

Third win for Emilios

By winning his third race of the Championship, Emilios Papathanasiou, confirmed his chances of winning the 2001 European Title. All the favourites started at the pin end except for Karlo, Pascal Rambeau and Massimo Gherarducci who took a good start 50 meters from the left end. They went directly to the left side on the beach. Emilios Papathanasiou who had started as usual the closest to the pin had time to place himself more to the right after watching closely the French and the Italian.

Pascal Rambeau, who is back in the Finn class after an Olympic campaign in the Soling with Philippe Presti, rounded the top mark in first place, just in front of Massimo Gherarducci. Massimo took the lead on the run in front of Pascal and Emilios. Positions stayed the same on the second beat. Emilios sailed more to the inside of the run to take the lead, just one meter in front of Massimo and Pascal. The first junior was Chris Brittle in 7th position.

Bart closes gap

Today was no different to any other day: the left was again favoured and the start the biggest factor. Sebastien Godefroid explains how he won his second race of the regatta. "The left was still the way to go but one tack to the beach was enough to get in front of the fleet. I started towards the committee boat and I didn't have any fast guys around me. I could then take a fast start and play with my speed to cross in front of the left group. Once in front of them I only had to control them and win the race."

Emilios Papathanasiou also started at the committee boat, but a small tack to the right lost him too much ground to be able come back with the leaders. A quick victory was lost after he finished 33rd, however he was still leading overall, but the top three places were now open to seven sailors. In the Junior competition, Chris Brittle finished 10th to remain first junior.

No race

After 4 hours wait on Lake Garda, the last race of the Championship had to be abandoned giving the 2001 Finn European Title to Emilios Papathanasiou. The Junior European title went to Chris Brittle.

Racing was scheduled at 10 am and the southerly was already blowing but all the mountains surrounding the Lake were crowned with threatening clouds. As the morning went by, the wind didn't settle and four hours later, it started to increase. Half an hour before the deadline, the race committee took the wise decision to cancel the race. The sailors headed to the shore when the first raindrops started falling.

Emilios said, "I have been training a lot here, especially with Michele Marchesini, so I was well prepared. I also lost some weight and I am better in medium to light conditions. I have good speed and am much faster downwind. I was lucky that everything went well for me." This is the first European title for Emilios who came third at the 1997 Finn Europeans in Split, Croatia. Andrew Simpson, who has been sailing in the Finn for only one year, took second place. Xavier Rohart took bronze. Campaigning in both the Finn and the Star class, he has proved his ability to compete efficiently in both classes.

In the Junior division, 19 years old, Chris Brittle takes the Junior European Title but more importantly, finished in 10th place overall. Second Junior is Kristian Aderman in 15th place. Charlie Cumbley takes the third place in 20th position overall.

A special thank you to Fraglia Vela Malcesine who organised a superb regatta. FIV, the racing committee and the Jury all worked hard, allowing for eight good races and a high level championship. Congratulations to the winners but also to all the Finn sailors for their sportsmanship and great spirit.