Please select your home edition
Edition
Melges 15

5.5 Metre Scandinavian Gold Cup at Hankø, Norway - Day 1

by Robert Deaves 27 Jun 2022 21:05 BST 27 June - 5 July 2022

The 2022 5.5 Metre Scandinavian Gold Cup began on Monday at Hankø, Norway, with race wins for Ku-Ring-Gai 3 (AUS 66, John Bacon, Terry Wetton, James Mayjor) and Jean Genie (GBR 42, Elliot Hanson, Andrew Palfrey, Sam Haines). In a first to three wins format, only race wins count.

The day began grey with light, shifty winds, with the first race sailed in 6-8 knots. However, during the day the wind gradually strengthened to peak at about 15-18 knots during the second race. However the rain held off during racing, while bucketing down before leaving the dock and after returning. Forecasts indicate that sunshine will return to Hankø for the coming days.

Artemis (NOR 57, Kristian Nergaard, Johan Barne, Trond Solli Sæther) have held the cup since 2018 and got off to a good start, building a comfortable lead in the first race, though Ku-Ring-Gai 3 was pushing hard and closed up on several occasions. However, a rare mistake from Nergaard on the finish line let the Australians take the first race by less than a boat length.

The wind had started to build as the second race started, with Artemis forcing Jean Genie out of the start. They restarted, but were last with a lot of work to do. However, as the wind and the chop increased, they worked their way through the fleet, rounding the top in fourth, and then took the lead on the second upwind as the new Dave Hollom design came into its own and powered through the fleet. They led round the next lap to take the win.

John Bacon summed up his day, "It was a great day. We came here, our first event in a modern and honestly we were very happy to quality for Australia in the Gold Cup and really we didn't expect to have a win in the first race, as we know how brutal it is.

"It was very light this morning and we were set up for it and got a good start and fought it out with Kristian all the way around the course. He was in front of us pretty much all the way and we snuck in for a win at the end here.

"In the second race there was a lot more wind and we weren't quite prepared for that today. We got a fourth. We were first round the top mark after the first beat but we let a couple of boats through.

"But I couldn't be more happy to get a win in the Gold Cup, and here in Hankø is unbelievable."

On board Peter Morton's Jean Genie it was Elliot Hanson's first day of 5.5 Metre racing after standing in as helm at the last moment.

"We had a difficult start in the second race but didn't make many mistakes from there on. It's no secret that 42 is going well when we have some wind, which is a testament to the work the guys behind the scene have done.

"The forecast tomorrow looks fresh so we can't wait to get back on the race course and learn more about the boat and team's potential."

Meanwhile in the Royal Kaag Classic Cup, Trial (FIN 4, Ville Harkke, Peter Flinkman, Petri Lindström) took the wins. Many of the other boats already here in Hankø ahead of next week's World Championship are taking part in the Grundig Hankø Race Week.

All results are here:

Related Articles

5.5 Metre French Open at Regates Royales overall
Beta Crucis wins after eventful final day in Cannes Beta Crucis (AUS 63, Martin CROSS, Bob STODDARD, John CROSS) has won the 5.5 Metre French Open after an eventful final day in Cannes in some spectacular conditions. Posted on 27 Sep
5.5 Metre French Open at Regates Royales day 3
The Cannes brochure needs an update - rain and no wind It was a very different day in Cannes, one that was certainly not as described in the brochure. The third day of the 5.5 Metre French Open at the Regates Royales was a wash out with incessant rain showers and no stable wind all day. Posted on 26 Sep
5.5 Metre French Open at Regates Royales day 2
Perfect score for Beta Crucis as racing in Cannes finally gets underway Beta Crucis (AUS 63, Martin CROSS, Bob STODDARD, John Cross) posted a perfect score on Day 2 of the 5.5 Metre French Open at the Regates Royales in Cannes, after Tuesday was blown off. Posted on 26 Sep
5.5 Metre class Worlds overall
Ku-Ring-Gai III wins with final two races sailed in heavy airs in Benodet Despite never winning a race, Ku-Ring-Gai lll (John Bacon, Joost Houweling and Edward Wright) sailed an impressively consistent series in a fleet that's fiercely competitive, yet also has an enviable level of camaraderie. Posted on 7 Sep
5.5 Metre class Worlds day 4
Seven boats are now race winners in Bénodet, France Seven boats are now race winners in the 2024 world championship, yet only one has scored two victories - Aspire (Przemek Gacek, Mateusz Kusznierewicz and Kilian Weise), which is currently lying fourth overall. Posted on 5 Sep
5.5 Metre class Worlds day 3
Race wins for Aspire and The Jean Genie, but Ku-Ring-Gai III leads Aspire (Przemek Gacek, Mateusz Kusznierewicz and Kilian Weise) won Wednesday's first race by a narrow margin at the end of what proved to be an adrenaline fuelled downwind leg for many competitors, with many boats overlapped on the finish line. Posted on 5 Sep
5.5 Metre class Worlds day 2
Australia and Switzerland prevail on second day in south Brittany In today's first race Arunga XII (Mark Tolhurst, Stephen Mc Conaghy and Thomas Spithill) stunned the fleet with a port tack start from the pin end of the line. Posted on 3 Sep
5.5 Metre class Worlds day 1
Aspire and Girls on Film ll win first two world championship races In an intense opening day of racing, sailed predominately in full hiking conditions, Aspire (Przemek Gacek, Mateusz Kusznierewicz and Kilian Weise) and Girls on Film ll (Louise Morton, Sam Haines and Andrew Mills), both emerged as race winners. Posted on 2 Sep
5.5 Metre class Worlds preview
Twenty-nine teams from 10 countries have gathered at Yacht Club de l'Odet Twenty-nine teams from 10 countries, including Australia and the Bahamas, are gathered at the Yacht Club de l'Odet for the 5.5 Metre class world championship. Posted on 2 Sep
2024 Scandinavian Gold Cup overall
Ali Baba wins thrilling edition in Benodet All three boats finished today's first race just six seconds apart. As Artemis closed the line a couple of metres clear ahead of Ali Baba, John B approached from the other direction Posted on 31 Aug