Bryony Shaw fired up after close call at RS:X Europeans
by Lindsey Bell, RYA 5 Jul 2014 22:50 BST
30 June - 5 July 2014
Bryony Shaw in European Championship action in Cesme © Vincenzo Bagglione
Britain's leading women's windsurfer Bryony Shaw remains in confident mood for major event success this season in spite of narrowly missing out on a podium finish at the RS:X European Championships, which concluded today (5 July) in Cesme, Turkey.
The 2008 Olympic bronze medallist finished fourth – just three points from the medal places – at the six-day regatta where Friday's penultimate day of competition had to be abandoned due to excessive wind speeds and big seas.
The world number two said she was frustrated not to have had the chance to better her standing heading into Saturday's final 10-sailor medal race, in which she also finished fourth, but had been pleased with her overall speed on the course this week.
"I started well but a bad second day with a 20th and an OCS [starting penalty] dropped me out of the top three. With only one day of gold fleet racing since then after Wednesday's lay day and yesterday's abandonment, it was difficult to break back into the medal spots," Shaw explained.
"More racing in gold fleet would have been nice but the race officer made the call not to go yesterday which was a shame, especially as I feel like I've been sailing really well in the windier stuff."
France's Charline Picon successfully defended her European title, with Spain's Marina Alabau Neira in second and Zofia Noceti-Klepacka of Poland taking bronze.
"This has been the first of three major events this season, with the Rio Test Event and the Santander Worlds still to come," added the 31-year-old. "My board speed has been really good, and I'm confident with my fitness for the lighter and more varied and conditions that we might expect for the next two events.
"That could be a challenge for some of the other girls but I feel that's a strength of mine to take forward towards Santander."
Fellow British Sailing Team talent Izzy Hamilton ended her regatta in 13th, while in the men's fleet, Podium Potential sailor Connor Bainbridge flew the British flag in the absence of double Olympic medallist and reigning World Champion Nick Dempsey. The 20-year-old from Doddiscombsleigh in Devon finished ninth to secure his best ever European Championship result.
For full results from the RS:X Europeans, visit www.rs-xeurope2014.com or find us online at www.britishsailingteam.com, on Facebook or on Twitter.