Cadet Flanders Regatta at Nieuwpoortweek - Overall
by Gerard Payne 9 Jul 2010 11:01 BST
All six GBR boats finished in the top 11 in a strong field that included most of the Belgian and Dutch world team boats due to compete in Poland at the end of July, making this a very successful event.
Tuesday's winds were light and shifty with a strengthening tidal stream, and after more than seven hours on the water the three scheduled Cadet races were run. There was a lengthy delay between the first and second race as the start line was reset (the Cadets also had to wait for Optimists to start, and they had a number of recalls). Nonetheless it was an excellent day for GBR boats with a first place for Henry Mills & Robert Keen in GBR 8845 and third for Caroline Croft & Jacob Payne sailing GBR 7274 in Race 8, a third place for Oliver & William Palierakis in 9005 in Race 9 and a first for Caroline & Jacob and third for Henry & Robert in Race 10.
With just one race scheduled to complete the series, Wednesday began like the two previous days with a light wind of 4-6 knots and an overcast sky. With both the wind and tide pushing the fleet back from the start line, there was a report from the Optimist fleet of a heavy bias to the right, clearly something the Cadets had noticed when they all lined up at the committee boat end. However in a skilful move Louise Latham & Aaron Chadwick (GBR 9635) and a single Belgian boat rounded the committee boat before the gun and slipped back over the line to a flying start – ‘great move Louise’, said coach Adam Bowers from our watching rib.
Soon BEL 8334 took a commanding lead and rounded the windward mark first, with all GBR boats in the top 11, led by Abigail Croft & Alex Page in 8363 third. By the second mark BEL 9739 had staged a remarkably comeback to take second place, with Caroline & Jacob in fourth, Abigail & Alex in fifth and Oliver & William in eighth. However, leg of the day went to Louise & Aaron who carved through the fleet between marks two and three, overtaking at least seven boats.
The final beat to the finish was both long and difficult with shifting wind and an erratic tidal flow. Most of the Belgian boats took the left side, sailing close to the beach at times while most GBR boats sailed straight for the line. This paid dividends for Caroline & Jacob, who finished fourth, followed by Abigail & Alex in fifth.
Overall Results:
1st BEL 8909 Toon de Munck & Eline Spitteals 19pts
2nd BEL 9739 Tom Alleman & Joke Lakiere 24pts
3rd NED 8334 Lotte Wijnbergh & Huug Wischut 32pts
4th GBR 7272 Caroline Croft & Jacob Payne 33pts
5th GBR 8363 Abigail Croft & Alex Page 38pts
6th GBR 8845 Henry Mills & Robert Keen 45pts
Other GBR places:
9th GBR 9005 Oliver & William Palierakis 80pts
10th GBR 8910 Joseph Butterworth & Arthur Brown 80pts
11th GBR 9635 Louise Latham & Aaron Chadwick 82pts