Results / Zhik Eurocup YC Carnac - 28/05/2011

RS700 Eurocup � Days 1 & 2

If your choice this weekend was between coming to Carnac or lunch with the in-laws in Slough, then those who chose lunch with the in-laws lucked out on so many levels.  On the one hand you have truly beautiful location and great facilities matched by impeccable management on and of the water, on the other hand you have over cooked beef and stewed veg � its not a difficult choice folks.

The quality of the on the water action has just about matched the venue.  18 700�s made the trip and there is a truly international flavour with sailors from the France, Germany, Luxemburg and the UK.  The conditions on Saturday don�t really get any better.  Brilliant sunshine, a 10 to 12 knot breeze and blue water  (not much of that in Slough).  Sunday gave us equally glorious sunshine but a lighter 6 to 8 knot breeze, so something for everyone so far. 

Mid way through the event Jerry Wales is leading counting four firsts and a second closely followed by Jon heissig counting a first, two seconds a seventh and a ninth but when the two discards kick in its going to be close.

The French sailors have also been showing great form with |Cedroc Fraboulet currently laying in third counting three third place amongst his results.   Jocelyn Kerbiguet is lying in fifth and Mathiue Guihot in sixth.

Richard Allen is always there or there about and consistently amongst the leading group lying in forth.  Ian Nolan is placed seventh and deserved to win the second race after leading for most of the race until a cruel shift handed the race to Jerry Wales.

The forecast for the next two days is showing winds of 10 -12 knots and upward, and with five races to go any of the top 5 are in with a shout of overall victory.  One feels that Jon Heissig is playing the stalking horse and is just about to show his hand, or maybe to much time in the RS100 is affecting his form.  Cedric Fraboulet is also very well placed and local knowledge could be to his advantage � its all to play for.

Days 3 & 4

After another three races in good breeze, the RS700 Eurocup event has been won in style with a day to spare by a Jerry-hatrick.  Three firsts clinched the series - after clean starts his upwind pace and use of the favoured corner meant Wales was un-catchable.
There was plenty of action before the start � Andre Friederich capsized and lost both gloves and boot (but sailed all the races regardless; had a bit of limp in the bar that evening).  James Bayliss got fairly well offshore before realising he had forgotton his tiller extension and had to come back in.  Also Richard Allen was seen returning ashore, apparently not wearing enough clothes although he did use the opportunity to put some rig tension on.  Fully tensioned up did not stop him capsizing out of second place at the first leeward gate, while experiencing a bout of indecisiveness over which mark to round.  Jon Heissig managed to get past Ian Nolan for second, with Junis Rindermann and Eddie Gatehouse finding some speed to get ahead
of the group.
The second race of the day was following a similar pattern, until Nolan tacked at the windward while still connected to his trapeze allowing Jocelyn Kerbiguet, Gatehouse and Allen past. The weather was getting decidedly murky for the third race, but it was a windshift not dodgy eyesight which led to Wales overstanding the windward mark and taking a proportion of the fleet with him.  Allen held on for second, with Heissig squeezing into the slim gap between Allen and Nolan in
fourth.

The final day dawned sunny, turquoise water and wind.  Places up to third overall were potentially available in the force 4 possibly 5 slightly chilly breeze.  Wales got ahead as usual, although Heissig nearly caught him at the finish having got round Nolan.  Cedric Fraboulet was next, sailing well to stay third for the series, then Kerbiguet and Gatehouse enjoying the wind.

With Wales going off to practise aimlessly blasting around as fast as
possible, Heissig led the final race from start to finish.  Close behind were Nolan, Kerbiguet and Fraboulet.  On the final tack of the event Nolan pulled off an expensive �not unclipped� trademark tack, costing him two places overall and a tiller extension.  This meant Fraboulet retained third overall, with Kerbiguet moving past Nolan and Allen to fourth.

The fleet would like to thank Carnac Yacht club for an excellent event, and Zhik for their generous sponsorship.

IThe GPS Tracks for the event are up at the usual site -
http://www.hamishgriffiths.com/index.php?p=1_15_Carnac-2011