Mike Martin and I were leading overall after three
races, but suffered a setback when we had to retire at the start of the 5th race after
fouling the gate vessel in heavy starting traffic. In a gate start, standard for the 505
class, any contact with gate boat results in a DSQ. Sitting out this medium air race, we
had to watch all the top boats have a good race and improve their scores. Laying 5th
overall going into the last race, we finished 3rd in the race, good enough to give us 3rd
in the regatta.
The 1990 World Champions Jorgen Schonherr and
Anders Kaempe of Denmark came on strong in the last few races to win the 1994 European
Championships. Paul Towers and Dan Johnson of Great Britain finished second by consistent
sailing in the widely varying conditions in spite of having to drop a DNF when they broke
their centerboard in the heavy air fourth race.
1993 World Champions Ian Barker and Ian Mitchell
of the U.K. were one of 3 boats that could win going into the last race, but a 10th in
that race dropped them to 4th overall.
Four time World Champion Krister Bergstrom of
Sweden, sailing with Thomas Moss, also had a chance at winning going into the last day,
but they sailed their drop (16th) in the last race giving them 5th overall.
It is interesting how the popularity and
competitiveness of the 505 class increases each year. It is not uncommon in Great Britain,
Germany or France to have 100 boat regattas. With this popularity comes greater depth in
the fleet. As Jorgen Schonherr said "each " year I learn more and get faster and
yet, it does not get any easier to win". an example of " increased
competitiveness is in high wind sailing. In what might be termed survival conditions for
most classes, the 505's are having serious tactical racing. For example, in race 4 after
two hours of high speed racing in 25 to 30 knots, the first 4 boats were overlapped at the
finish.
Sailing in the Europeans, which are sailed only
during the years when the World's are out of Europe, is just like a world championship
except it takes only 1 week and there were no Australians or other American.
Holland is a beautiful, flat country of lush green
farmland, dikes, windmills, tulips, dairy cows and pastures. One third of the country has
been "reclaimed from the " sea" over the " last 400 years and is
typically 3 to 5 meters below sea level.
Medemblik is a wonderful place to sail with the
small harbor immediately adjacent to the boat course. The shallow water, 3 to 4 meters,
makes for some short steep shop, and an easy place to break your mast I you put the tip in
the mud. The village is a classic 400 plus year old sea port with leaning buildings,
dikes, canals, locks, narrow streets, restaurants, cages, and with everything in walking
distance. In short, it's a great place to sail.
Open European Championship, 8/13-21
Boat # Helmsman Crew R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 Pts. Pos.
DEN 8433 Schonherr Kaempe 6 (9) 2 3 1 1 20.4 1
GBR 8521 Towers Johnson 8 4 4 DNF 3 2 38.7 2
USA 8266 Hamlin Martin 2 2 13 6 RET 3 42.4 3
GBR 8510 Barker Mitchell 4 12 1 DNF 2 10 45.0 4
SWE 8475 Bergstrom Moss 3 13 6 1 5 (16) 46.4 5
SUI 8459 Betschen Jacot 9 (23) 5 7 7 13 70.0 6
SWE 8232 Rosen Wenrup 11 1 8 (22) 13 15 71.0 7
GBR 8242 Upton-Brown Vooght 1 (25) 17 8 8 17 74 8
GBR 8431 Pinnell Butcher 10 (18) 3 18 17 7 81.7 9
GER 8550 Boeger Jess 27 (34) 7 11 4 8 85.0 10
