Contender European Championship at Highcliffe Sailing Club - Day 2

Contender Europeans at Highcliffe day 2 © Sarah Desjonqueres

Contender Europeans at Highcliffe day 2 © Sarah Desjonqueres

Consistency pays dividends for Langdown

If we thought yesterday's 2 races were run in light winds then today pushed that idea to the limit. By 11.30 the D flag was flying on the beach and the race team had sent a sortie out into the bay to see there was even going to be a race or not.

The good news that 7-8 knots of wind had been found spread rapidly and quicker than you can say antidisestablishmentarianism, 70 boats were rigged and heading for the start line.

Light wind races can be tricky, demanding great concentration and tactical expertise. Today's races were going to be a question of serious attention to detail demanding the sailors to squeeze every nano second of speed out of their boats. The jury team are pleased to report that the course delivered the opportunity for the competitors to display all of said skill set.

So under another cloudy sky race 3 started, immediately falling foul of another general recall. Fortunately this gave the race team the opportunity to rejig the start line and try and negate the obvious committee boat end bias which had formed. Fluky old winds.

The arrival out to the windward mark was a much more genteel affair than yesterday's port entry shout fest and it was Italy's Bonezzi who rounded first with Germany's Harpprecht close behind.

Hot on their heels followed Highcliffe SC's own Gary Langdown who slipped past the mark quietly in 6th position clearly eyeing up his 3rd top ten finish of the championship.

After a gentle reach out toward the Needles and a run back to the beach huts, race 3 was finished at the end of the 3rd beat and was taken by an exuberant Bonezzi. Managing to climb 4 places and bag 2nd was a very happy Langdown followed in by Harpprecht.

Contender Europeans at Highcliffe day 2 - photo © Sarah Desjonqueres

Race 4 got off to a clean start first time and saw the fleet choose a path across the middle of the bay over to the windward mark. Like the previous race, those coming in on port at the mark seem to avoid clashing with the starboard handers and the reach out to the gybe mark was a bit of a procession.

It was the gybe mark that seemed to be the cause for most consternation this race, the roving reporter witnessed several incidents when of a raft of boats arrived at the same time at the mark. Mast abeam, water and do a 360 were oft heard. Several turns did in fact take place.

At the end of this race and almost as a testament to the technical demands of the day, the race results of race 3 were very different to those of race 4 with Bonezzi only managing to take 20th position and Harpprecht slipping back to 24th.

Race 4 honours went to Germany's Billerbeck with Italy's Daniel Chiesa in 2nd and a very happy Carl Tagoe in 3rd.

Today is however Gary Langdown's day. As the Championships most consistent competitor now posting 4 top ten finishes, he ends the day sitting proudly at the top of the leaderboard.

With wind forecast for the end of the week, we await with baited breath for the rest of the races.

Results after Day 2:

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