Wayfarer International Championships at Denmark - Day 1

43 Wayfarers from five different countries arrived to dazzling sunshine and warm (for the Baltic) seas. The much talked about Hartley Wayfarer was expected to be competing but failed to meet the required measurements leaving some competitors to drive home disappointed. Mention should go to Mike McKechnie who drove all the way back to the UK and returned to Denmark with his old Wayfarer.

The practice race showed a strong current which favoured the right hand of the course. Those who tried to be different were suprised just how favoured the right side was, losing several boat lengths at a time with each clearing tack. The course was a windward-leeward with a choice of buoys at the leeward gate. Competitors were surprised by the length of the line with some people claiming one end was in Sweeden, one in Denmark! Local knowledge was key but Quentin Strauss and Rachael Rhodes came out first after a close tacking duel up to the second windward mark. Gordon Harris and Beth Condie came in fourth, and Graham and Robin Barker finished 5th.

The social comprised of a barbeque and spot novelty prize-giving with people winning Nutella, waterproof clothing and t-shirts.

The Championships proper dawned with little wind and another long start line. This time the pin end was the place to be, although most people started at the committee end, hoping for a repeat performance of the previous day. However those that headed out to sea found themselves in more pressure and soon eked out an extensive lead over the rest of the fleet. However the beat still took just under forty minutes for the first boat, and the end result was that only twelve boats finished within the time limit. The interesting fact was that eight of these boats were Danish, thus proving that local knowledge helps win races! 4645 Morgens Just and Line Just Emsvang won, followed by 8626 Tom Taarup Clausen and Bjarne Taarup Clausen and 8278 Joel Bøgh and Jon Kjartansson in third. Top British boat was 7888 Paul Spencer and Roland Gadsby in 5th.

In between races the breeze filled in and settled at a comfortable force 3-4. The race officer decied to use course 1, the sausage-triangle. Another long line saw the fleet undecided in race 2 as to which end to start but like the practice race the right paid and 7588 Quentin Strauss and Rachael Rhodes led from start to finish. Many boats were forced out at the committee end of the start line leaving those who got away cleanly a good lead. Second went to 9733 Peter Sigetty Bøje and Markus Sigetty Bøje with third going to 8888 Graham and Robin Barker, which along with their 9th in the first race puts them top British boat in 3rd overall.

Results after Day One:

4645 Mogens Just / Line Just Emsvang 5pts
9733 Peter Sigetty Bøje / Markus Sigetty Bøje 8pts
8888 Graham Barker / Robin Barker 12pts
10444 Stephan Nandrup-Bus / B. Christensen 15pts
9355 Kim Søderlund / Jesper Achtun Friis 20pts