Please select your home edition
Edition

Harken 29er Grand Prix Round 4 at Largs Sailing Club

by Tom Storey 2 Jun 2019 18:44 BST 26-27 May 2019
Harken 29er Grand Prix at Largs © 29er UK Class Association

On the bank holiday weekend Largs Sailing Club hosted the HARKEN 29er Grand Prix. The wild weekend started off with two days of training by 49er sailor and Scottish squad coach, Gillies Munroe.

It's fair to say as the sailors first launched on Friday, everyone was a bit rusty with capsizes happening here, there and everywhere. However, everyone found their feet and, after no time at all all, sailors were blasting up and down the channel. It was an enjoyable and productive two days training before the Grand Prix started.

The first day of racing, Sunday, brought fierce winds and rain. Cries of 'they told us it would be sunny' were heard from the Irish camp. But the racing was everything that had been promised.

On Sunday we had 5 strong races with GBR 2787 (Ewan Wilson and Fin Armstrong) wInning all but one. The first three races brought competitive, heavy wind, races challenging sailors with gusts and shifts from all directions. The forecast had said that the wind would build as the day went on and the Scottish Meteorologists were not wrong. As the start gun of race 4 went off the sailors were hit by a squall causing mainsails to flog and 29ers to fly upwind off the jib alone. On the downwind many took a long time to build up the courage to gybe, making for easy gains to those with the confidence to attempt to gybe set.

The squall continued into race 5 where many sailors had prepared this time with daggerboard up, jibs eased and controls altered. Once again Ewan and Fin emerged in front as those around them capsized. The IRL 29er duo Rory OSullivan and Rob Keal were awarded best pitchpole for a spectacular capsize into the leeward mark.

The sailors came home on Sunday to tired muscles and an early bed time. Unfortunately, it was not an early bed time for the 29er parents who attended the social organised by Social Secretary Mr Robbie Wilson.

On Monday the sailors awoke to a much lighter and friendly breeze. We launched on time but unfortunately the breeze vanished half way up the first beat forcing the race committee to have to abandon the race and the day's sailing.

All those who made the effort to come to Largs agreed that it truly was a great 3 days of sailing. GBR 2787 ended up first boys. GBR 2507 (Athena Vogiatzi/Maddie Wylie) were first girls and second overall. First Mixed was GBR 1157 (Suzie Sturrock/Eoghan Oosterhoorn). GBR 2898 (Aled Llewellyn-Jones/Ben Willett) earned first Juniors after amazing survival skills from all the junior boats. It was a shame the juniors and beginners didn't have a time to shine in the lighter Monday breeze. However, all the sailors had a great time and that is what sailing is truly about.

--

Related Articles

29er Europeans at Lake Garda day 2
Light breeze, boat park buzz and big wins off the water >Day 2 brought lighter winds to Lake Garda, but the energy around the event stayed sky-high. Posted on 4 Jul
2025 29er Europeans at Lake Garda Day 1
Five teams tied at the top Ikke Huber / Liam Berger (Switzerland) lead the charge after sweeping all 3 races in the Green fleet — an impressive perfect score of 2 points. Lucas & Moritz Hamm, the dynamic twin duo from Germany, matched their Swiss rivals with consistency and pace. Posted on 3 Jul
2025 29er Europeans at Lake Garda Opening Ceremony
More than 500 sailors paraded through the Riva del Garda's beautiful streets The 2025 29er European Championship officially opened today in stunning Riva del Garda, hosted by Fraglia Vela Riva. More than 500 sailors paraded through the city's beautiful streets in a colorful, high-energy opening ceremony. Posted on 2 Jul
Kieler Woche Day 6
Double gold for France in Olympic classes Perfect sailing conditions marked the final of Kieler Woche in the Olympic skiff, dinghy, and surf classes: On Wednesday, June 25, the waters off Schilksee offered fresh to strong, challenging winds with flat waves. Posted on 25 Jun
NEYYSA Championship at Ullswater
They had it all: heat, sun, torrential rain, wind, calm, thunder and lightning We had it all at Ullswater, heat, sun, (torrential) rain, wind, calm, thunder and lightning but nothing switched the smiles, sailing and socialising off at the North Region Youth & Junior Championships at Ullswater. Posted on 25 Jun
Welsh Regional Junior Championships
74 boats have a glorious weekend alongside a number of Welsh Sailing initiatives The event was hosted with Dale Yacht Club, Celtic Sea Watersports and Windswept Watersports and attracted a total of 74 entries, including 18 sailors keen to develop their racing skills in the coached regatta fleet. Posted on 25 Jun
29er: Kiwi crew places second in Kielerwoche
Eight New Zealand crews competed in the Euro Cup for the 29er class at Kieler Woche 2025 Eight New Zealand crews competed in the Euro Cup for the 29er class at Kieler Woche 2025, sailed from the Olympiahafen at Kiel-Schilksee, the specially constructed venue for the 1972 Olympic Sailing Regatta. Posted on 24 Jun
Kieler Woche Day 5
Tuesday served as a warm-up for the hot finale of Kieler Woche Sophie Steinlein and Catherine Bartelheimer from Bavaria in the skiff, as well as Kiel native Fabian Wolf on the foiling windsurf board, will enter Wednesday's (June 25) medal races as leaders. Posted on 24 Jun
2025 29er Eurocup 8 in Kiel overall
A dramatic final day of racing After four days of tactical duels, light-air gambles, and shifting fortunes, Eurocup 8 in Kiel concluded with a dramatic final day of racing. Posted on 24 Jun
2025 29er Eurocup 8 in Kiel day 3
Fresh wind and sharper shifts Day 3 kicked off with fresh wind and sharper shifts, giving teams the chance to stretch their legs in two more fast and tactical races. Posted on 24 Jun