Wright crowned Finn European champion as Wetherell takes under-23 silver
by Will Carson, RYA 17 Mar 2018 22:16 GMT
9-17 March 2018
Ed Wright wins the Finn Europeans © Robert Deaves
The British Sailing Team's Ed Wright has been crowned the Finn class European champion for the second time following a wet and wild medal race in Cadiz, Spain, while rising star Henry Wetherell came runner-up in the under-23 division.
Wright went into the double points-scoring final trailing regatta leader Nicolas Heiner from The Netherlands by five points, guaranteeing him a medal of some colour.
But in a dramatic twist the Dutch sailor capsized in the full-on conditions that Cadiz turned on for the regatta climax, relegating him to the back of the fleet and allowing Wright to score enough points to move him into the top spot.
Wright, 40, from Bournemouth, came runner to France's Jonathan Lobert up at the 2017 Finn European championship and was determined to go one better this year. He did it in dramatic style.
The victory adds to Wright's bursting trophy cabinet which includes a European title in 2006 and a world championship win in 2010.
"It was a crazy medal race," Wright said. "I saw Heiner capsize and realised everyone was having a hard time with the conditions, not just me.
"The seas were massive and very difficult. I nailed the start and rolled Heiner, then tried to sail him to the back of the fleet while still staying in contention.
"Halfway round the course I had extended on him and then it was just a matter of keeping upright. What a race – it was awesome sailing and I enjoyed every second. I'm so happy to win the title."
Doncaster's Wetherell, 21, looked on course to defend his 2017 under-23 title but was overhauled on the last day of fleet racing by Nils Theuninck from Switzerland.
"It was a really tough week physically and mentally with it being windy and very long days on the water," said Wetherell, who finished 14th overall.
"I'm a little bit disappointed with the final result given the position I was in late on in the regatta. I made a few big mistakes which I can learn from and improve on in the future."
Every kind of weather imaginable was thrown at the 96-boat fleet during the six-day competition, from painfully light winds and big seas to all-out power sailing in 28 knots.
British Sailing Team compatriot Ben Cornish got off to a slow start, posting big results on the opening day, but an impressive comeback saw him finish inside the top ten in every race over the remaining five days and take three consecutive race victories on the way.
Cornish, from Exeter, settled for sixth overall but he might have finished on the podium had one of his wins not been thrown out when the race was discarded by the race committee for an error with the placement of the upwind mark.
"I certainly got off to a tricky start and picked up too many points in the first two races," Cornish said. "I turned up every day ready to give it all I had, and I am delighted to have scored three race wins in a row in such hard conditions. Having one of these wins stripped was a tough one to take but good motivation to chase for more."
Black flag disqualification from the final fleet race dented the hopes of Bradford's Hector Simpson, 22, and he finished 35th overall.
Full results can be found at 2018.finneuropeans.org/results.
The British Sailing Team's Finn contingent will next be in action at the Trofeo Princess Sofia in Palma from March 30 to April 7.