J/24 Europeans at Souda Bay, Crete - Overall

A two thousand four hundred kilometre round-trip was the starting line for UK entries to the J24 European Championship, held in Souda Bay, on the Island of Crete in the Aegean. Thirty boats from around Europe made the trip to compete for the J24 Class John Adams trophy. This is a solid silver, 1820, Georgian-era wine cooler, presented in 2006 by all the joint European Class Associations , and recognising the contribution of Stuart Jardine to 30 years of Class success.

The four British boats, helmed by Ian Southworth, Gavin Watson, Nathan Batchelor and Stuart Jardine represented some of Europe’s leading J24 boats. They were joined by the winning German crew from the previous year’s European Championship, along with three other top German crews and two of Italy’s finest teams. There was even an entry from Hungary, where a new fleet is building on Lake Balaton.

Teams arrived to strong winds and torrential rain, a prospect with mixed emotions for the North European crews. Measurement took place in an efficient manner, although it was often too windy to weigh boats.

And then, nothing...

Actually worse than nothing. The Aegean became the centre of a high, locking the island into a windless, rain soaked existence.

Thirty boats lined up for the opening day, their Gradient breeze directions strategized, topography examined, wind blown tide checked and rigs slackened to lightest settings.

But conditions were to prove very tough in Souda Bay. It is a very difficult venue. Essentially a landlocked lake, pretending to be sea, with severe sewage problems and endless plastic bags and run-off waste. Crews wondered whether the EU water quality directive had made it to the island.

Think of Souda as a bowl. To one side, to the North there are cliffs causing thirty degree shifts and to the south there are cliffs, again causing 30 degree shifts. The Sean breeze is easterly but blocked by two islands and a US Naval base. It never pays to go up the middle, but choosing a side can be brutally wrong. Sitting above the bay, to the North is a volcano , adding to the challenge of reading the gust cells with any degree of accuracy.

The opening day on Tuesday saw three races in less than five knots and a sunshine interspersed with rain. Making his claim on the cup was local sailor Alexandros Tagaropoulos, racing “ Hellenic Police” is , as you might guess, a policeman. He is also a former Tornado Catamaran racer and a member of the previous Greek team to win the European title. His crew included Greek 470 and and Star boat Olympic squad members, backed by the Greek Olympic coaching system. On the opening day, the Greek scored 1,7,3 to open his account.

Pushing hard with a brilliant demonstration of Pin-end starts and always working the left side was Matthias Garzman in IDS. He scored 2,1,2 on the opening day. His crew comprised members of the German Europeans winning team from 2008. Garzmann purchased World Champion, Mauricio Santa Cruz’ Cannigione Worlds boat, renaming “Bruschetta”, as I.D.S. He has not figured at international level before.

For the UK, it was National Champion, Mark Penfold’s “Reloaded”, helmed by Gavin Watson in third place overnight with an 11,5,1 score. For Quadruple European Champion, Ian Southworth, it was another day of getting to know his new boat, Inmarsat, the restored 2006 Worlds winner, with a 4,6,11.

Wednesday was a write-off with sunshine, clouds, the opportunity to count plastic bags in the water and no wind all day. No racing was possible. In the evening, crews let-off steam at the Cosmos bar in the Chania Old Town’s Venetian Harbour. A event generously supported by the Greek organisers and the Town’s Mayor.

Thursday started much the same with a one hour postponement in harbour, followed by another hour wait on the water. What came through were three races in never more than six knots, with sunshine and gust cells. Some lifts were over 35 degrees and to be on the worng side was very tough.

The day belonged to the UK’s Ian Southworth sailing Inmarsat and clothing-equipped by Puma. A four times European Champion, he had to compete in Crete to qualify for next year’s World Championship in Malmo Sweden.

Southworth has completely rebuilt a 1996 Worlds winner, built for Chris Larsen’s victory. His day score of 1, 1, 3 was achieved in very difficult conditions. The third place saw him lacking the final boat length of course needed to pass both IDS and Hellenic Police in the run to the finish. But, he says “It was a great day, we are re-learning and the new boat has been exceptionally prepared by crew member, Gary Denning, and his team at “No Hope” Racing in Falmouth. We also thank Chris Lang for lending us Hedgehog’s rig for the event.”

A fourth race was attempted after a general recall, then wisely abandoned as the first beat slowed to a halt by the race officer.

The final day was lost due to a lack of wind. Due to competitor ferry bookings and shipping traffic in the Bay, racing had to start at 10.00am with no race possible after 2pm. With a single discard in play Tagaropoulos lead Garzmann by two points, with Southworth just five points off the lead.The three waited for the show down that was not to come and at 1pm the Race officer abandoned the racing.

The title of J24 European Champion, 2009 went to Alexandros Tagaropoulos of Greece and the Team from Hellenic Police.

Sponsor of the event is the Municipality of Souda. Organizers are the Sailing Club of Chania, the Hellenic J24 Class Association, the Hellenic Sailing Federation, the Hellenic Offshore Sailing Committee, and the International J Class Association. Co organizers are the Prefectural Self-Administration of Chania, the Municipality of Chania with cooperation of the Naval station of Crete, the Port Fund of Chania and the Port Authority of Chania.

The 2010 Open European Championship will be held in Romport, Holland during June and the World Championship will be in Malmo, Sweden in August. The eight UK teams qualified for the Worlds include; Ian Southworth, Gavin Watson, Nathan Batchelor, Duncan MacCarthy, David Cooper, Stuart Jardine and Nick McDonald.

Overall Results:

More information on the event website.