420 Junior Europeans at La Rochelle,France Qualifying Series
by Tony Mapplebeck 18 Aug 2010 13:11 BST
15-20 August 2010
Greece and France set the pace for the 420 Junior Europeans
As a record 120 boats, 240 sailors from 23 countries, completed the Qualifying Series of races at the Société des Régates Rochelaises in La Rochelle, Greece took the lead by a point from France, with both countries having ‘back-up’ teams in the top five, but with Britain, Ireland and Israel in close contention.
The youngest helm in the Championship, Alexandros, with not-so-much older brother, Georgios Kavvas won the Qualifying Series of six races, with the Rochelaises, Clement Ikhlef & Clement Pequin just a point behind. The next group, with a small five-point gap from the leading two, were Loukas Oulkeroglou & Grigodis Zografos (GRE) on equal points with Mike Wood & Hugh Brayshaw (GBR), followed by Guillaume Pirouelle & Valentin Sipan (FRA), Cian O'Regan & Scott Flanigan (IRL), and Yoav Levi & Dan Froylich (ISR), Silver medallists at last year’s Junior Europeans in Balaton.
The Women were led, by 9 points, by Charlotte Stumpel & Shannen Marck of the Netherlands (11th overall in this integrated Championship) from Amy Seabright & Hermione Stanley (GBR) (18th). In third are Patrícia Costa & Filipa Barros (POR) (30th overall), from Maëlenn Lemaitre & Aloïse Retornaz (FRA) (35th) and Jane Butler & Jenny Andreasson (IRL) (36th). There are eight women’s teams qualifyed for the Gold Fleet in the Final Series of the Championship.
420 course Race Officer, Serge Rouanne, from Perpignan, has briefed us on the daily racing. On the first day, with the wind initially lighter to start than in the preceding day’s practice race, the current proved to be a challenge for the first of the three groups to start (the Qualifying Series was sailed in three groups, giving nine races for the Race Committee to manage each day). Into the first sequence in under 13 knots (275*), but with the Oscar flag raised by the start, competitors were well distributed along the line, but the current pushed the unsuspecting sailors forward, so that a series of general recalls and the use of the black flag were necessary. Before the third group got away, there was a 20* shift, but a change of course was not possible, with the three groups to manage. An adjustment of the course to 320* was then made for the second set of races, and the three groups got away in 15 knots without incident. By the final races of the day, the wind had built to 17 knots and was back to 315*, only the third group requiring the use of the black flag.
Although predicting greater problems with the current at the beginning of the second day’s racing, in the event the Race Officer delayed the Fleet on shore for a little, in the light of the morning’s forecast, raising the D flag at 12.25. In only 5–6 knots and at 295*, the first two groups got away satisfactorily, while the third, after a general recall and adjustment to 275*, making their start. Although the wind built a little to 8-9 knots, there was to be no trapezing. However, the second race enjoyed 10-11 knots, with the first two groups getting away cleanly and any OCS returning through the gate, but the third group again went to a black flag start. For the third race, the wind was back up to the 15-17 knots of the previous day (still at 275*). Summing up the experience of the Qualifying Series, the Race Officer observed that managing three groups for each race was a challenge for the Race Committee, but good for the sailors, with less pressure on the starts at this stage of the Championship.
Over the two days, we were able to catch up with many of the sailors and their coaches. The leading helm after the first day, Mike Wood (GBR) confirmed that the “courses were set well. The top reach was perfect…proper flat out!…not too tight, not too loose”. “Watching the bulge” – with the current – “was important. We were getting away easier with the P” as the day progressed. For Mike & Hugh Brayshaw this is an important event – “after the ISAFs and the Worlds, we are due a performance! – but we take every day as it comes”. For them the conditions here are nearly “normal, almost like English waves, similar to Hayling and Weymouth Bays. For some it is maybe a bit cold, dry suits for them!”.
Encouraged by this assessment, we turned to the near-by British women’s team, Amy Seabright & Hermione Stanley, who were to sustain their second place over the two days. We were hoping to obtain their view of the sailing conditions and of their progress so far. Here things got a little confusing, Amy seemed to be saying everything was “heavy”. Slow on the uptake, the interviewer eventually realised that this was a comment, not on the sailing conditions, but on “Little Miss Piggy”, their adopted boat for the event (the usual one with all its fine, personalised tuning is in a container somewhere en route from Haifa to Southampton); apparently, she, Miss Piggy, was the heaviest boat in measurement. Hoping to gain a sharper insight from the crew, we were surprised to learn from Hermione that she had been dreaming of shopping in Gap for her helm’s swimming kit….at least, we think that was it. The main conclusions reached from this top British team were that woolly hats were in at La Rochelle and that the Dutch girls were “very good”.
Taking the hint, we searched out the leading women’s team – over both days – from the Netherlands, Charlotte Stumpel & Shannen Marck. Shannon explained that the girls were not phased by the conditions here as they train at two venues in Holland, Medemblik on the IJsselmeer (with similar wind and waves) and Scheveningen, on the North Sea (for current and sea conditions). They had been here for a week to train before the event, but on the first day, “we did not know what to expect””. Said Charlotte, “we like it better, the wind is perfect!”. After the end of the Qualifiers, when the Dutch women had consolidated their position by moving up to 11th overall in the Championship ranking, their coach Coen de Koning talked about the progress of his team. “If you have seven boats, always there will be good, but always one could do better. The girls (Charlotte & Shannen) are doing really well, having improved month by month. They were surprised by their early success, though I knew it was possible. They train in two places”…to gain the breadth of experience and conditions. “They did well at the ISAFs (7th), but we would like to do more big events, except they are also busy with school”
Cian O'Regan, who helms with Scott Flanigan of Ireland was delighted with “breeze everyday, though not too much” (when asked if he missed the rain, he was quick to point out that his homeland of County Cork was enjoying a great summer of sunshine!). “Though there are plenty of good sailors here, being bigger than some may help in the breeze. We are used to currents, training at home in Ireland. We have worked hard for this event over the last two years (the ISAFs was hard for us in the very light winds), and our plan was to come fresh to the Junior Europeans”. Looks like it has paid off, so far.
Third amongst the women after the six races, Patrícia Costa & Filipa Barros of Portugal teamed up this year (Filipa’s former helm, loyal sister, Francisca, now at University, was on hand in case of need, but kept firmly in her place on the sidelines!). They came to La Rochelle with experience of the different conditions of their home clubs at Lisbon and Porto. Although they told us “the wind is strong…and we are light!”, they evidently have what it takes so far. Their aim had been to qualify for the Gold Fleet, so now they could do their best with the winds and the currents in the knowledge that they had achieved their first goal.
Just then fellow countryman, Mr Villas Boas, of Joao Villas-Boas & Tomas Camelo (POR), the Silver medallists at this year’s ISAF Youth Worlds, who had been heckling and interrupting these serious girls in their story, was called away before we could interview him. But we had met their coach, Diogo Barros (funny how that name keeps cropping up, though we are assured that he does not coach the girls!), the previous day. He confirmed that the tidal current is an issue for many of the Portuguese sailors. Also the wind was not stable, so it was necessary to be very vigilant. His boys had done well, especially with a win in the first race of the second day.
British RYA Head 420 Coach, Neil Marsden, until recently a circuit competitor in the 470, prudently emphasised that this was early days in the regatta. For his sailors, it was “good to have the breeze to show what our UK guys can do – let’s have more!” He confirmed the view that “the length of the courses is good. It has been a hard regatta so far, with the tide pushing, but the Race Management are coping”. Neil went on to comment on the race format of this Championship, as compared with the Worlds. “I do like the format, with the Qualifier race results carrying forward as individual results into the Finals”. This avoids the problems of an unfair impact on sailors where there is a significant change in conditions between the Qualifying and Final Series, in contrast with the situation where the Qualifier final result is the only score carried forward.
Now we turned to the two leading teams, and first to the Greeks.
Loukas Oulkeroglou & Grigodis Zografos were enjoying the “strong wind, but it is very cold… and there is current (unlike at home), but we had a good day”. Nikos Drougkas, coach of previous 420 Champions and currently coaching the Greek 470 sailors, was passing and managed, as always, to offer a few words, “the meat has to be more well done”. Ah! - a reference to the famous klephtiko, the slow, slow cooking lamb dish for which the Greek cooks are famous…..Nick too is counselling caution, there is more sailing to be done!
So next we spoke to the Kavvas brothers, Alexandros & Georgios. In spite of much cajoling, all we could obtain was one word, from Georgios, “nice!”. As a summing up of their progress so far, which is certainly impressive, this did seem a tad brief, until our special interpreter and commentator in the Greek team, Efrosini Tsiritaki, provided the explanation – “all Greeks are laconic, we only use one word to mean much”. Well, some Greeks anyway. It did not take the Greek Coaching Team long to get into the swing – perhaps the SRR coffee helped them open up! – and Dimitris Lakakis was ready with a full assessment of the progress of his own sailors’, Loukas Oulkeroglou & Grigodis Zografos, but also the Kavvas Brothers. Says Dimitris, the “conditions here are nice”…(think we heard this somewhere before)…“but the current affects the starts and during the races. When it is 15 knots”…no problem. But “this is a marathon, we have done 16 km of 40 km, it is very early, it is a good start and they (Loukas and Grigoris) have an advantage in the stronger wind”, but there is a long way to go (sounds like Dimitris cooks klephtico also!).
He also emphasises the need for the coach to understand the psychology. It is all to easy for sailors to lose their confidence with a bad race or two, and then to stop performing. Also, it is important to have ”good” nerves (the ambition to go out and win) and not the “bad” nerves (say, to worry about external pressures – e.g. Greek sailors have won the last two World and last two Junior European Championships!....no pressure then!). So, we understand the task of the coach to keep their teams motivated and focussed (maybe with fewer journalists around too!).
But, the other strong team in close contention here, on home waters, are the French. With the Clements, Ikhlef & Pequin of La Rochelle in second and Guillaume Pirouelle & Valentin Sipan of Le Havre in 4th, and Maëlenn Lemaitre & Aloïse Retornaz of Brest 4th among the women, this looks like a very competitive Final Series ahead. Pirouelle & Sipan are happy with their speed (they “like it when the wind is strong; we have trained a lot in windy conditions”) and the Qualifiers have gone well, with 5th overall and two wins, but “now we try to be in the same mood with the same ambitions and to keep focus” for the Final series. The Clements tell us that first they must beat the Greeks, and then those sailors from Le Havre; Guillaume & Valentin say, first the Greeks, and then the Rochelaises! Meanwhile, we caught up briefly with Maëlenn and Aloïse, who admit that it is tough “against the guys”, but mainly their problem is “we do not have our boat” (which just arrived yesterday in a container from the Worlds in Haifa). But they are prepared and ready for the Finals fray!
Results after the Qualifying Series: (top fifteen)
1 Alexandros & Georgios Kavvas (GRE) 12pts
2 Clement Ikhlef & Clement Pequin (FRA) 13pts
3 Loukas Oulkeroglou & Grigodis Zografos (GRE) 18pts
4 Mike Wood & Hugh Brayshaw (GBR) 18pts
5 Guillaume Pirouelle & Valentin Sipan (FRA) 19pts
6 Cian O'Regan & Scott Flanigan (IRL) 20pts
7 Yoav Levi & Dan Froylich (ISR) 21pts
8 Jordi Xammar & Joan Herp (ESP) 28pts
9 Jacopo Cunial & Michelle Inchiostri (ITA) 29pts
10 Jens Marten & Mats Kampen (GER) 30pts
11 Charlotte Stumpel & Shannen Marck (NED) 34pts
12 Andrew Mollerus & Charles Peck (USA) 34pts
13 James Hayward & Tim Carter (GBR) 37pts
14 Tim Gratton & Ed Riley (GBR) 39pts
15 Matteo Capurro & Lorenzo Berardi (ITA) 41pts
Women's Top 5
1 Charlotte Stumpel & Shannen Marck (NED) 34pts (11th overall)
2 Amy Seabright & Hermione Stanley (GBR) 43pts (18th)
3 Patrícia Costa & Filipa Barros (POR) 57pts (30th)
4 Maëlenn Lemaitre & Aloïse Retornaz (FRA) 64pts (35th)
5 Jane Butler & Jenny Andreasson (IRL) 64pts (36th)
More information on the championship website.