Kavala 2015 (22-28 mai) FINN WORLD MASTERS

Transcription

1 Kavala 2015 (22-28 mai) FINN WORLD MASTERS Par Robert Deaves Photos : Claire ADB et Drew Barnes (Publié avec l autorisation de l auteur et de l IFA) 1

2 Jour 1, lundi 25 mai Yuri Tokovoi masters Kavala on first day at Finn World Masters Yuri Tokovoi (UKR) mastered the challenging conditions on the first day of the Finn World Masters in Kavala, Greece with two race wins to lead the 204 boat fleet. Vladimir Krutskikh (RUS) is second after winning one of his races, while Allen Burrell (GBR) is third. The other race win went to Karel van Hellemond (NED). The day proved to be challenging for race officials and competitors alike with the wind never staying consistent for more than one leg at a time. The fleet of 204 boats was split into two groups, divided using a randomised number process that allows all group allocations for each day to be calculated at the start of the regatta. The sailors arrived at the Nautical Club of Kavala on Monday to be greeted by a building breeze and racing started on time at However it was a series of non-starts before racing really got underway. Yellow group started with a general recall, but by the time of the restart only half the fleet had returned. That race was later abandoned after a major windshift on the first beat. It finally got away under black flag only to be subject to a series of major windshifts on the second upwind and downwind. Laurent Hay (FRA) lost a good lead when the sea breeze filled in from the right, but others lost a good deal more places and ended mid-fleet. Karel van Hellemond (NED) was the beneficiary to win from Wouter Molenaar (NED) and Hay. The second race was sailed in a more stable and solid breeze, allowing oscar for free pumping to go up at the first top mark. This time Krutskikh led all the way to win from Dimiti Petrov (RUS) and defending Masters category winner Aleksandr Kuliukin (RUS), to make it a Russian top three. 2

3 Blue group was also beset with problems. After two general recalls, the first race was abandoned at the top mark when the sea breeze filled in with a huge shift to the right. But whatever the wind threw at the fleet Tokovoi showed amazing skill to win both. In the first race he won from Martijn van Muyden (NED) and Piet Eckert (SUI). Allen Burrell (GBR) led at the first mark in the second race, but was soon in Tokovoi's wake downwind. Burrell held on for third, after Felix Denikaev (RUS) crossed in second. Van Hellemond described his race win. I got a little bit lucky today. I had a good start and rounded the top about sixth. Then I had a good run and on the second upwind I saw the pressure on the right and went for it and passed the mark first. They changed the course then and it made a long reach to the finish. It is a good start to the week. I think it's going to be the whole week like this. I saw the forecast and it looks like today. Hay said, Two tricky races with big shifts and pressure from 8 to 13 knots. I had bad luck in the first race because I was first with comfortable lead but a big right shift of 40 degrees jeopardised the second beat and I finish third. Grrrrr! In the second race I had a very bad start and was 20th at the first mark. It was free pumping, I never give up, and I recovered downwind to finish fifth. Tomorrow is another beautiful day. Three times Masters world champion Andre Budzien (GER) didn't have the best start and was on the wrong side of the big shift. It was a black monday for me. I had a really good pin end start in the first race and then I was third. On the second upwind the sea breeze came from the right side and I was on the left with no chance to come back and I finished 60th. In the second race the start line was difficult. I thought it was a general recall, but it was individual, and it was hard for me on the first upwind and I finished 30th. It was not my day, but we will see what happens in the next few days. Burrell said of the blue group, On the restart it was still shifting to the right. If you started by the committee boat and tacked into the shore, there was also more pressure over there. In the second race I rounded first with the Ukrainian just underneath me and it seemed to pay to go right again. It was also pretty close at the finish. It was a good start to the week for me, so let's hope it carries on, but there is a long way to go. The Finn Masters attracts sailors from many nations and cultures. Charles Heimler (USA), who had a good day, summed it up nicely when he said, I come to the Masters every year to enjoy an international event. I like going to nice paces, and I like seeing the friends I have have made. It's as simple as that. This year we have five Americans. I think that's the largest number we have had at Masters and it's great to see them all here. The Finn Masters are certainly enjoying a nice place this week, with most of the bars and restaurants along the beautiful Kavala quayside filled with Finn stories and tall stories every night. Racing in Kavala contines until Friday with two more races scheduled on Tuesday from 3

4 You can follow live race by race finishes on the event website each day at: Results after 2 races 1 Yuri Tokovoi GM UKR Vladimir Krutskikh M RUS Allen Burrell GM GBR Martijn van Muyden M NED Vladimir Butenko M RUS Laurent Hay GM FRA Pete Eckert M SUI Giacomo Giovanelli M ITA Michael Maier GM CZE Karel Van hellemond M NED Full results here: Photos by Claire ADB 4

5 Jour 2, mardi 26 mai Narrow lead for Martijn van Muyden at Finn World Masters in Kavala Twelve years on from his last major Finn regatta Martijn van Muyden (NED) has taken a narrow lead at the Finn World Masters in Kavala, Greece from Yuri Tokovoi (UKR) and Vladimir Krutskikh (RUS). However, the story of the day was 70 year old Henry Sprague (USA) winning the first race to give him a clear lead in the Legend fleet at the half way stage of the regatta. Other race wins went to Thierry Van Vierssen (NED), Dmitry Petrov (RUS) and Laurent Hay (FRA). After a two hour delay to wait for the sea breeze to fill in, two more races were sailed in a building breeze that topped out at about knots in the second race, while in the first it remained light and patchy. The second race produced simply superb sailing conditions with great waves for the downwind legs so everyone had a great time, wherever they were in the fleet. It doesn't get much better for Finn sailors than surfing downwind in nice waves, a solid breeze, 28 degrees and brilliant sunshine. In Yellow group, the first race produced some high scores for some of the front runners, with some new faces at the front. Jake Gunther (AUS) led at the top from the Legend that is Henry Sprague (USA). Sprague took the lead on the second upwind to win from Dmitry Petrov (RUS) and Mihail Kopanov (BUL). Petrov went one better in the second race to pass the initial race leader Marc Allain des Beauvais (FRA). Walter Riosa (ITA) crossed in third. In the blue group there were also two winners. Thierry Van Vierssen (NED) led all the way in the first race of the day to win from Andre Budzien (GER) and Martijn van Muyden (NED). In the second race Laurent Hay (FRA) rounded the top mark in fourth, before moving into the lead downwind for the race win from Paul McKenzie (AUS) and Yuri Tokovoi (UKR). 5

6 With four races now completed, the championship is valid, but one more is needed to be able to hold the medal race on Friday. Forecasts for the rest of the week show further challenging light wind conditions, though everyone here wants more of what we had today. Only two points separate the top four boats. Overall leader van Muyden was one of the world's best Finn sailors a decade ago but hasn't sailed a major regatta since He said, It's all pretty close so far. I think the Finn Masters is really nice. The competition is great. For me I initially thought that something in the top 10 wold be ideal, but I haven't really sailed that much since I stopped. I didn't really know what to expect especially as there have been some changes in gear and I am still using my old boat and mast, but with a new sail. It is pretty hard here and many people are going really fast so it's a very good competition. Hopefully more of the older guys will join us. Many still have their Finn. On his strategy for the racing. I think here you shouldn't take too much risk. Basically take the beat from the layline and watch the other competitors to decide where to go. Just try to avoid too much risk at the start and on the beat. It is also his first expedience of free pumping. Yesterday we had it for one race and today we had none, but I got a yellow flag on the final reach today. There's still four races to go so lots still can happen. His countryman van Vierseen said of his race win, I started about three-quarters of the way down the line. For me it was perfect as I had enough speed to come out of the group and sail free. So I tacked away and led at the first mark. I was lucky to stay in front. Nothing else changed. It was a nice race, good for me. The competition here is excellent. Very professional guys and I know them for quite a long time. I said to the guys this morning that I am so happy to be here for a holiday but I miss the 'fire', what I need to win. And luckily today it went well, but I need to be more aggressive. I am really enjoying it. Yellow Group Race 3 winner Sprague, won the Grand Grand Masters last year and is now a Legend (70 years and older). This could be the first time a Legend has won a race at the Masters. He explained his race. On the third start [after the recalls] I nailed the start and got right into a good position, dropped over and and my boat was really moving well. I didn't worry about the boats around me I just sailed toward the mark on the shifts and I got some really good wind shifts. I got to the top mark in second and held on downwind. There was a really nice guy from Australia [Jake Gunther] in front and and we talked a little bit. I said. You can get first place, I'd be happy with second. So we are going up the second beat and at one point we got this big header and I tacked into a big lead and I had him by 10 boatlengths. Then there was a Russian coming up fast behind on the run, but I pulled out and realised I might win this, Then I got really happy. It was so exciting to get the gun. I don't think I have ever got the gun at a Masters worlds before. It was a great moment of joy. And I didn't get it by hitting a corner, but by playing the 6

7 wind shifts. I sailed a good race. Sprague is being coached here by Olympic campaigner Björn Allansson (SWE). Hay said of his win. It was very tricky because we had a very long line and if you didn't have a good position your race was over. In the first race I made a mistake on the line but in the second race I was fourth at the top, and had good speed on the downwind. The conditions are very tricky because there is a lot of different pressures on the race area and it is very difficult to see. The fleet is full of rock stars, but real life rock star Gunther told his side of the story, I got some nice pressure out of the left and got across the fleet comfortably. I had a conversation with Henry the whole way round When we lined up for the pin he was trying to talk me into going at about 20 seconds. I understood the humour involved. But then I got gobbled up on the second beat as soon as the younger guys with their lightweight sails got some clean air and some room. But it was a good race and a lot of fun and I was able to hold my position most of the way round until the second upwind. The second race was a similar scenario. I started at the pin and waited and crossed across again but it was nice to see Marc dominate that race. It was very lumpy. A lot of grunt but a lot of fun. McKenzie said on his first Finn World Masters experience, It's much harder than I expected. The standard is pretty high and there are a lot of god guys here. I have only seen one group so far as it didn't change much, but it's a really good level. The conditions are tricky. The second race was great, but the first race was really hard and once you get back a bit, it's hard to get through the fleet. You have to get out to a side and if you do it might not be the right wide. It hasn't always been the same side that is favoured. Third overall, Krutskikh, is also sailing his first Masters. It's not only my first Masters but also my first event for many years. There are lots of good sailors and very difficult conditions. It's not easy for me as a lot of guys have very good body condition and good equipment. Its also very difficult to get a good start and a good first beat. I am happy but I hope tomorrow we have more wind so we have free pumping which is better for me. Racing in Kavala continues until Friday with one more race scheduled on Wednesday at after the Annual Masters Meeting is held in the morning. You can follow live race by race finishes on the event website each day at: Results after four races 1 Martijn Van Muyden M NED Yuri Tokovoi GM UKR Vladimir Krutskikh M RUS Dmitry Petrov M RUS Giacomo Giovanelli M ITA Karel van Hellemond M NED Laurent Hay GM FRA Pete Eckert M SUI Thierry Van Vierssen M NED Walter Riosa M ITA

8 Jour 3, mercredi 27 mai Vladimir Krutskikh is new leader at Finn World Masters in Kavala Vladimir Krutskikh (RUS) has taken a one point lead at the Finn World Masters in Kavala, Greece after the only scheduled race was completed late in the day. Yuri Tokovoi (UKR) is up to second while Martijn van Muyden (NED) drops to third. Race wins went to Marc Allain des Beauvais (FRA) and Vladimir Butenko (RUS). The day started with the Annual Masters Meeting, but the sailors knew then it would be a difficult day with the race area staring at the gathering with a mirror like sea. A breeze started to appear early after noon, but there were also dark, looming clouds, foretelling a race officer's nightmare, peeking over the mountains inland. And so it was. Racing was initially postponed for an hour on shore before the fleet went afloat. Then there was a series of non-starts while the wind clocked left under a dark cloud. One race even got as far at the windward mark before being abandoned. Despite many reservations, Yellow group got away in a reasonably stable wind that remarkably lasted for the whole race with just a slight right shift at the end of the first upwind. Davourlis Panagiotis (GRE) held a comfortable lead at the top mark after hitting the right hand corner to left a useful lift off the land. Marc Allain des Beauvais (FRA) rounded in third and moved up to second downwind. He trailed Panagiotis all the way until the final downwind mark before the final short beat to the finish. Unfortunately, The Greek dropped his mainsheet and the Frenchman attacked and passed to take the race win. Krutskikh crossed in third to take the overall lead. 8

9 Allain des Beauvais said, I wanted to go to the right. The boat end was better. I was just behind Henry [Sprague]. But about 30 second before the start the wind shifted on the left, so we went and tacked immediately, but the other guys had more pressure so I was struggling against Davourlis and had to take a few hitches up to the layline to keep clear air. But I moved up to third. Davourlis was so quick, I couldn't catch him. On the second downwind, he went too much left but he was still ahead, but when we went up the final upwind, his sheet jumped out of the cleat and I saw that and dug my nails into the straps and just passed him, and got a nice wave and got a few more lengths and then it was over. You really need luck here. I really can't say more than that. C'est la vie. A philiosophical Panagiotis said, It was a difficult day with many good sailors and very shifty weather. But it has promised much fighting for the next few days. In the Blue group Vladimir Butenko (RUS) led at the first mark from the right, continuing the Russian good form, with Tauras Rymonis (LTU) and Antal Gabor (HUN) in pursuit. He eventually took the win from Rymonis and Giacomo Giovanelli (ITA). The leaders in the group also had to contend with the tail end of the Yellow group as the fleet converged at the last upwind mark. Butenko described his race, It developed very simply. The choice was either to go out to sea or inshore, so I took inshore route under the cloud and it was easy. That's about it. I rounded the top mark in first and led until the second upwind when Taurus passed me. He is a much better racer than me. I was second downwind, with Pata [Gabor] also very close and the Italian. I believed I was third or fourth just 50 meters before the finish and then I got lucky. I won by less than a meter from Taurus. All four boats finished within 10 seconds. It was nice. I would say than Björn Allanson is a very good coach. After a terrible day yesterday he helped me to recover and take the win. He's an excellent coach both technical and humanitarian. More chaos and carnage ensued at the Annual Finn Masters Dinner at the Batis Multiplex. Finn sailors love a social occasion, but even the polite hostesses were heard to mutter No one is doing what they are supposed to be doing here. A quiet explanation was needed that this was a gathering of Finn sailors and that this was par for the course. Finn style. Racing in Kavala continues until Friday with two more race scheduled on Thursday from You can follow live race by race finishes on the event website each day at: Results after five races 1 Vladimir Krutskikh M RUS Yuri Tokovoi GM UKR Martijn Van Muyden M NED Dmitry Petrov M RUS Allen Burrell GM GBR 'Super' Henry Sprague III L SWE Giacomo Giovanelli M ITA Denikaev Felix GM RUS Thierry Van Vierssen M NED Karel Van Hellemond M NED

10 Jour 4, jeudi 28 mai Krutskikh extends lead but title still open with one day to go at Finn World Masters in Kavala Vladimir Krutskikh (RUS) has extended his lead at the Finn World Masters in Kavala, Greece to six points after the hardest day's sailing many here can remember. Yuri Tokovoi (UKR) and Martijn Van Muyden (NED) are on equal points in second and third, but anyone in the top seven can win a medal, and anyone in the top five can take the title. There is still a lot to play for in Kavala. Thursday was the day everything changed. The Greece that everyone had come to love for the past 10 days was gone. The question in everyone's mouths today is What did they do with Greece. The sailors certainly went to sleep last night in Greece, but this morning they could be forgiven for thinking that they had woken up in northern Europe. Gone was the sunshine and high temperatures and in was the rain. It was a cold, damp day on the water in Kavala, too cold for some, with incessant rain, low temperatures and a wind that could best be described as indecisive. The wind had already clocked 180 degrees between 0 and 10 knots before the first attempt at a start was made. That was abandoned near the windward mark before further attempts were made after the wind settled down to something resembling unstable. The course was a 10

11 minefield of holes and shifts and at the end of the day there were a lot of 'if onlys' being discussed over hot drinks and cold beers around Kavala. At the end of the first race, the breeze kicked in to knots and everyone hoped for a great second race, if slightly inclement. However the wind again had the last laugh, dropping to 1-2 knots at times and then flicking through 120 degrees as the fleet sailed the final downwind. Coming ashore the cold and tired sailors had been on the water for seven hours for two extremely challenging races, though those at the top had consolidated their points lead. In Yellow Group Dimitry Petrov (RUS) led all the way to record his second race win of the week from Marco Buglielli (ITA) and Taras Gavrysh (UKR). The second race turned into a battle between the top two overall, who put some distance between themselves at the fleet. Eventually Vladimir Krutskikh (RUS) took the win from Yuri Tokovoi (UKR) by less than a metre. Alexei Marchevsky (RUS) crossed in third. In Blue Group, Laurent Hay (FRA) also scored his second race win of the week, leading from start to finish. He won from Marc Allain des Beauvais (FRA) and Andre Budzien (GER). In the second race there was a group fighting for the lead, with the win eventually going to Budzien from Hay and Aleksander Kuliukin (RUS). Krutskikh said, Today we had two really tricky races. The wind was very shifty and the clouds were very important. They were coming from left to right and and we needed to follow them closely. After four days the top 10 is still very close on points, but tomorrow starts a new regatta, One race and very important. We'll see what happens tomorrow. Now I will rest and not think about racing tomorrow. Buglielli had a great day, following up with an eighth in race 7. For me it was a very good day. The fist race I started well, I played the shifts in the middle and I was second at the top behind RUS 711 [Petrov] and we stayed that way all the race. I tried hard but I couldn't pass him. In the second race, it was the same thing. I tried to play shifts. It was OK but I lost maybe 10 boats that came from the right at the top mark when I was in the middle. I got stuck in no wind. I continued to play and I gained some and then lost some. The wind was really crazy. Holes everywhere. In the end when the new wind came I lost a few boats but I ended eighth which is very good for me. Overall I am happy with the week. I missed a few shifts on the last few days but I have had good speed and am pretty happy. Hopefully I will stay in the top 15, so that's good. After picking up a second yellow flag yesterday and having to retire from the race, Hay said he was keen to put in a good result today. In fact he had the best score of anyone. This morning I was very angry because of the jury decision yesterday, so I go on the water very motivated and I wanted to have a very good race today. I knew that the title was finished for me this week, and I was disappointed. So in the first race it's a bullet to me. I had a good battle with Marc Alain and I finished first. Then in the second race we were five or six boats having a very strange battle, with a big change in the wind, and the winner of that battle was Andre Budzien and I finished second so that was a good day for me. 11

12 Racing in Kavala concludes on Friday the final race and the medal race for the Top Ten Plus (top 10 plus those on equal points with tenth). You can follow live race by race finishes on the event website each day at: Results after seven races 1 Vladimir Krutskikh M RUS Yuri Tokovoi GM UKR Martijn Van Muyden M NED Dmitry Petrov M RUS Giacomo Giovanelli M ITA Allen Burrell GM GBR Laurent Hay GM FRA Thierry Van Vierssen M NED Walter Riosa M ITA Aleksander Kuliukin M RUS

13 Jour 5, vendredi 29 mai Vladimir Krutskikh secures first Finn World Masters title in Kavala A third place in the medal race was enough for Vladimir Krutskikh (RUS) to take the overall victory at the Finn World Masters in Kavala, Greece. Dmitry Petrov (RUS) took the silver while Giacomo Giovanelli (ITA) snatched the bronze. It has been a difficult week weather wise in Kavala, and the final day was no different. The final race never happened. The fleet sailed out to the race course in a solid offshore force 4 but Yellow Group only got as far as the windward mark before the race was abandoned as the wind disappeared. However the sun had returned by then and the temperature started to rise. Almost an hour later the race officer abandoned for the day with the time limit approaching and the medal race still to run. The medal race was held close to the shore to give the spectators a chance to see the top sailors in action. A light wind gradually filled in from the sea, but the first attempt was abandoned shortly after the start as the wind again switched off for a short time. A light breeze 10 minutes later allowed the race to be restarted but it was barely more than 5 knots at any time. The left side provide the best wind with Thierry Van Vierssen (NED) emerging with nice lead to head the fleet at the first mark from Petrov and Krutskikh. Nothing much changed at the front as the race developed except Van Vierssen extended for a comfortable win. Giovanelli had closed on the leaders and almost took second, but trailed Petrov and Krutskikh across the line, all three boats locked together for the final gybe. Yuri Tokovoi (UKR) and Martijn van Muyden (NED) placed ninth and eighth to drop out of the medals while a second for Petrov gave him silver and fourth for Giovanelli have him the bronze. 13

14 Race winner van Vierssen, said, There was no pressure for me. The other guys were so busy, but for me it was just a fun race so I just wanted to get free and sail as free as possible. I looked at the sides, and luckily for me I had some extra space and my speed was good. It was actually the same story as the last race I won. If I am free I can sail. And these conditions are ideal for me. Downwind was tricky as I wanted to go left to control the fleet on the right, so I had to gamble a little bit, but there was still wind so I could easily make more distance. And the last beat it was just tacking on the shifts. I don't sail so much but my story at the Masters is always the same. I am not so good at boat handling so I rock a lot and the jury penalise me quite a lot. I was never in the top ten before this year. At his first Finn World Masters, Giovanelli took the bronze medal. He said, The week was perfect for me. Everything went well and also in the medal race I had a couple of gusts to pass my competitors. The week was very difficult for the conditions and the competitors. On his expectations. I was expecting a good level, but my goal was to be top 10. Some of the others are much stronger than me, for example the Russians, and they are very good sailors so I am pleased to be among them. Runner up, Petrov, said, Thanks very much to the organisation, because the event is perfect at my first Finn World Masters. I very much like the fleet and the friendliness of everyone and how it has been planned and that we kept to the schedule. Vladimir is a stronger sailor so it's OK that he has won. Everything is OK and I am really satisfied with my result. I will come again again next year. New Masters World Champion Krutskikh said, It's a surprise but today the wind was very tricky and after the first start I had a bad position and was a little nervous and I was happy when they put the November flag up. So on the next start I was concentrating harder. For me I had two ideas. The first was to go my own way and the other was to stay with NED 12. He is a very good sailor and he was very close to me. I started two metres to windward of him and I had good speed and I killed him. I am very happy with the result. I thought maybe myself and Yuri would be fighting for the title. He is a very clever sailor but the other guys are also very good and they made it very difficult for me. I hope to be back next year and thanks to Lanfranko Cirillo for me and Yuri. It was his idea to come. He gave us fantastic boats and sailors and pushed us to go sailing. The top five sailors were all sailing in their first Finn World Masters, highlighting a step change in the dynamics of the Finn World Masters. It is starting to appeal to many more past Olympic campaigners, and there are many more waiting in the wings to rekindle their Finn campaigns. Many of the top performers of the past few years didn't figure in the overall results and the feeling is that the new blood has opened a new era for the Finn Masters, one of new faces and more competitive, athletic racing, with rock star names dominating the top ten. Perhaps this week the Greek gods have reshuffled the deck. The next time we'll get a chance to find out is at the 2016 Finn World Masters, which will be held in Torbole, Lake Garda. 14

15 Results after medal race (medal race in brackets) 1 Vladimir Krutskikh M RUS 7 26 (3) 2 Dmitry Petrov M RUS (2) 3 Giacomo Giovanelli M ITA (4) 4 Martijn Van Muyden M NED (8) 5 Yuri Tokovoi GM UKR (9) 6 Thierry Van Vierssen M NED (1) 7 Laurent Hay GM FRA (6) 8 Walter Riosa M ITA (5) 9 Allen Burrell GM GBR 2 60 (10) 10 Aleksandr Kuliukin M RUS (7) 15

16 Masters top three (40-49) 1 Vladimir Krutskikh RUS 7 2 Dmitry Petrov RUS Giacomo Giovanelli ITA 202 Grand Masters top three (50-59) 1 Yuri Tokovoi UKR 21 2 Laurent Hay FRA 75 3 Allen Burrell GBR 2 Grand Grand Masters top three (60-69) 1 Francesco Cinque ITA 5 2 Antal Gabor HUN 4 3 Uwe Bartel GER 62 Legends top three (70+) 1 Henry Sprague USA 2 Roderick Casander NED 8 3 Friedrich Muller GER