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A Class Cat World Championships at Centro Velico Punta Ala - Day 1

by Gordon Upton 10 Sep 09:51 BST

The morning after the night before had dawned at the Punt Ala venue on the delightful Tuscan coast. The region had been due to get a little spot of weather the previous evening. And by little spot, I mean a massive slow-moving thunderstorm accompanied by biblical rain levels that found every crack and gap in restaurant roofs and came under doors. But no lasting damage and the resort awoke to a few puddles, but as the place is built upon sand, the water had largely dissipated.

Two races were planned for the inaugural day of the A-Cat Worlds. The Sunday practice race had been cancelled due to this extreme weather warning, so the sailors were rather chomping at the bit. 11am arrived, the committee boats, along with the flotilla of flag bearing ribs, many festooned with large orange marker buoys, made their way from the yacht haven of Punta Ala marina, and steamed North to set up the twin courses. The Southerly one for the Classics, Northerly for the Open foilers. Arriving on station, the Race Officers then took stock.

The Golfo Di Follonica, the waters adjacent to the lovely sandy launching beaches, is bounded to the west by the Isle of Elba and is essentially a crescent shape. It tends to have a bit of a microclimate and as a result, can miss out on weather passing either side, but also have it's own weather pattern within too. This morning, the latter had arrived, and a localised storm started on the western Elba side of the area. The wind was dropping although there was a swell from the west, coming in as a result of the previous few days storms, in the Med. We all waited, floating about like ducks, as the rainstorm slowly rotated clockwise around the bay. The heat was building as well, so our media boat, a 7m 300hp rib was getting bored and with the swell,was a perfect recipe for seasickness, so we decided to blast back to the marina a couple of miles way and sit on the dock until it was ready to go and we knew we'd get an hour's warning once the courses had been set, the same as the waiting fleet on the beaches.

The sky cleared, with wind finally started to fill in, and some 7 kts, the flags went up and the beaches sprang into action as more than 180 A-Cats launched into the turquoise sea. This correspondent had decided to cover the Classic fleet in the first race, then move on to the Open for the second course of this mouthwatering sailing dish. Before not too long, boats started to arrive at the race boats and proceeded to run about rather like puppies do when let outside in the morning. Many ran up to sniff the ends of the line, setting their TacTik devices as they did so.

The wind was slowly building, and it was looking rather more promising by the minute. For someone who is not in the know about sailing and watching from afar, a sail race start it is a weird spectacle. Lots of boats, in this case about 90 on so per fleet, all sailing about in different random directions, some stopped, others running about left and right. Then they suddenly all coalesce within a short moment, all point in the same direction, then whoosh, off they all go silently. Rather confusing for the onlooker, and in a fleet this size, somewhat confusing for the sailors too...

With the wind now at about 13kts, Mike Kranz, USA 007, nailed the pin of this huge fleet, but closely chased by last year's runner up, Gustavo Doreste, ESP 72, and Andrew Landenberger, AUS 308. One can only imagine the thoughts going through the sailors' heads at that moment. You look around and realise that this will be the largest fleet you will ever sail in. Nothing will ever come close to what you will be experiencing right now. That first beat will be in your memory forever.

At the top mark, as I'd had secretly hoped, it was the Polish sailor Jacek Noetzel, Exploder POL 1, rounding first. Jacek is the father of Polish A-Cat sailing and has moved over to the Classic from the Open fleet for various reasons. The building winds, swell and now a chop as well, are the conditions he is totally at home with back in Sopot on the Baltic. He was to remain in that position throughout the race. Chasing him was a pack led by Micky Todd, ESP 7, the expat Scotsman on his Scheuer G6, Landy, also on a Scheurer, Gustavo on his Exploder and Stefano Sirri, Exploder ITA 7. Then all shot off around the spreader mark on their downhill leg.

Next came another larger band of sailors, led by Emmanuel Le Chapelier, Exploder FRA 399 and again set off downwind. It was at that point that the wheels started to come off. The wind was slowly clicking up, as a sea breeze was added in. The water was chopped up from previous boats and the followers had to negotiate this as well. A couple of boats went over, from one boat, Ken Marshack, USA 192, was thrown into the water and became separated from it. Now, this is a bad thing. You will possibly have more that 2/3rds of the fleet yet to pass, and you are just a small, helmeted head bobbing in the water, although they can see your boat on its side, they might not see you some 20 meters upwind, even if you are still clutching your detached tiller extension, this makes a poor defensive weapon in those circumstances.

Hence, at this point, we decided to quickly swap our RIB's role from media to rescue. No other rescue boats were remotely close. Fortunately, Nicola is a man who knows how to drive his big rib properly and accurately, and I am part of the safety boat squad at Rutland SC. Not being remotely fluent in each other's languages suddenly wasn't much of an issue now. He accurately followed my directions and understood the rescue plan totally, and young Ken was quickly extracted from the water and placed back by his boat. The big engine was perfect for those conditions.

A quick scan around revealed a number of other boats had fallen over in the by now 18kt wind. Seeing a boat in the distance, about 1 mile off, and again, no rescue craft near, we decided to investigate that one. But suddenly we came upon a loan florescent green clad sailor in the water, just floating about. Turns out it was actually his boat that was rapidly flying off downwind towards Grosseto faster than an Optimist could sail. So another customer was scooped up and we reunited him with his boat also. On the way we passed a dismasted boat, with it's sailor sat on top. It turned out to be Astrid Jenssons, and she, not realising our current ongoing rescue mission, demonstrated an impressive multilingual ability to swear like a docker in several European languages. We returned after dropping our cargo at his wayward boat, and organised her recovery, for which she was relieved and quickly stopped her industrial language after realising we had correctly prioritised events. She is usually really lovely off the water though BTW!

Back in our position near the downwind lay line, by now the rest of the fleet was on their final legs, boats continued to fall over in the 20 kt breeze and choppy swell. After a couple more rescues and a recovery of a foiler who couldn't get her starboard foil up, he heard further racing was cancelled on both courses. The top five Classics were Jacek Noetzel,POL1, Scott Anderson, AUS 31, Andrew Landenberger, AUS 308, Marco Radman ITA 55 and Emmanuel Le Chepaiiler, FRA 399.

Meanwhile, over on the Open foiling course, similar scenes were being re-enacted. However, over on the right of their course, there was a large amount of floating debris, stick, weed and the like, a result of that storm and the river outflows. This is said to have rendered that side unusable in the end. And again, it was a Sopot based sailor, the current champion Kuba Surowiec, POL 41, who was totally at home in those conditions, foiling both up and downwind. He was chased by Stevie Brewin, AUS 4 and Mischa Heemskerk, NED7, all sailors known to love that stuff. At the finish, Kuba got the bullet, Stevie second, Mischa third, with Darren Bundock and Ravi Parent just off the podium slots.

However, the real drama occurred after the racing, as sailors arrived back at the beach. There was a considerable amount of beach break by now and several sailors didn't really know how to cope with landing in those conditions. A few boats collided at the beach as a result. This combined with a shortage of waterproof volunteers for the early landers, and meant that more than a dozen broke rudder winglets as their rudders dropped and were bashed on the bottom as the waves came in. The Sopot guys, familiar with those conditions, always carry extra bungee straps exactly for this eventuality, which keep their rudders secured up at hull bottom level. Hopefully many have been repaired now by the Exploder and Scheuer repair teams, and Robin Maeder, the SUI sailor and Scheuer team fixer was seen working into the small hours re-attaching broken winglets.

Thus ended a memorable day. Several sailors said they never sailed in those winds before but impressed themselves and now have a renewed confidence in their abilities. Most broken boats can and will get mended, as annoying as it is when it happens, but hopefully they can be back in action without delay, and no-one was injured either.

This event has arrived with a bang.

Classic Fleet Results after day 1:

PosSail NoHelmClubR1
1 POL 1Jacek NOETZELPOL1
2 AUS 31John Scott ANDERSONSaratoga Sailing Club2
3 AUS 308Andrew LANDENBERGERNESC3
4 ITA 55Marco RADMANCentro Vela Sunset4
5 FRA 399Emmanuel le CHAPELIERCNF5
6 NED 3Sjoerd HOEKSTRAWSVL6
7 ITA 007Alessandro ROSI527
8 USA 310Haywood COPEgulfport8
9 ITA 15Andrea RUFFINI13329
10 ESP 38Andrés GRAURCNB10
11 ITA 75Francesco MAINEROAssociazione velica Senigallia11
12 POL 120Valdek KWASNIEWSKIUKS Navigo12
13 GBR 72Owen COXBala sailing club13
14 ESP 7Micky TODDCARRDG
14 GER 121Moritz WEISSVS14
16 ITA 99Marco GAETI16115
17 ITA 70Alberto MAGNIRagnavela16
18 USA 007Mike KRANTZLake Lanier Sailing Club17
19 ITA 5Manuel VACCARICVOrta18
20 GBR 18Hugh MACGREGORLargs Sailing Club19
21 FRA 88Bertrand ARHANAK20
22 SWE 59Alberto FARNESILoftahammar21
23 AUS 63Mark GRIFFITHrpayc22
24 FRA 9Florent DARGESSTE NAUTIQUE DE LARMOR PLAGE23
25 ISV 15Chris BATCHELORISV24
26 ITA 175Francesco BINDIClub velico Marina di Pietrasanta25
27 FRA 300Laurent STEPHANYS0526
28 ITA 7Stefano SIRRI33527
29 AUS 11Wayne MERCERBYS28
30 USA 99Ben HALLN/A29
31 ESP 29Francisco Javier ACOSTA MEDINAClub Náutico de Torre del Mar30
32 FRA 322Daniel MOYSEYACHT CLUB DE TOULON31
33 USA 165Bob WEBBONUpper Keys Sailing Club32
34 ITA 777Marco PUPPO333
35 FRA 564Stéphan MAÎTREHENRYEcole de Voile Municipale du Lavandou34
36 FRA 26Girardin ERICCNHS35
37 GER 100Christian STOCKSVS36
38 ESP 8Raúl FRANCOClub Náutico Puerto Sherry37
39 ITA 80Claudio MASCIULLO177438
40 USA 4Bobby ORRWest River Sailing Club Maryland USA39
41 ITA 95Marco BALDINICVA40
42 ESP 23Virgilio BERMEJO VIVO64841
43 FRA 459Pierrick PEDRONCVM42
44 GER 73Gino SIMENSLRV43
45 ITA 118Andrea EUSEBIRagn'a Vela44
46 ITA 11Matteo BETTUZZICircolo Velico Rio Pircio46
47 AUS 27William MICHIERRS&RC47
48 ESP 52Jose A LOPEZTrial Club Maritim Barcelona48
49 ITA 261Maurizio BINDICVMP49
50 AUS 9John DOWLINGMultihull Yacht Club of Queensland50
51 AUS 1011Dave RICHARDSONBendigo Yacht Club51
52 ITA 43Giacomo POLI11352
53 BEL 87Walter GONZALEZSNEH53
54 ITA 29Massimiliano BRACCIAssociazione velica senigallia54
55 ITA 330Giorgio MURNIK16155
56 NZL 2025Brent HARSANTNZ56
57 AUS 335Benn HOOPERMcCrae Yacht Club57
58 GER 342Jan Hagen VOIGTWSCG58
59 ESP 777Juan MUROClub Náutico Marítimo de Benalmádena59
60 ARG 6Daniel STEINEl AGUILA60
61 AUS 95Robert GRIFFITSLMYCDNS
61 BEL 104Hervé JACOBSRBSCDNS
61 BEL 17Astrid JANSSENSZVDRDNS
61 BEL 331Marc van CUTSEMRBSCDNS
61 BEL 63Eric MEERTRBSCDNS
61 BEL 7Serge de BLOCKSNEHDNS
61 BEL 70Francois LAMBOTTESNEHDNS
61 ESP 72Gustavo DORESTE BLANCO8021RET
61 FRA 367Jacques PIALLATYCGMDNS
61 FRA 436Eric BERNARDCLUB VOILE DE SANGUINETDNS
61 FRA 525Bernard SALARINOYACHT CLUB DE TOULONDNS
61 GBR 8Richard John EDWARDSGWSCDNF
61 GER 2Georg REUTTERTSVHDNS
61 GER 31Lars BUNKENBURGTSVHDNS
61 GER 43Jens KRAUSSSV BIBLISDNS
61 GER 548Norbert BAUERTSVHDNS
61 GER 83Thorsten ZARSKEWSGRDNS
61 ITA 16Davide LEARDINI/XIDNS
61 ITA 171Giulio Marco DOMIZIRagn'a VelaDNS
61 ITA 313Giancarlo de MARINIS161DNS
61 ITA 356Roberto AGNOLI107DNS
61 ITA 58Claudio BELLICompagnia della vela di RomaDNS
61 ITA 733Francesco JACOBINO2435DNS
61 ITA 77Massimo CARPINELLICentro Vela SunsetDNS
61 SUI 44Mathieu VERRIERSIMPLDNS
61 SUI 56Bruno BIEDERMANNRVSDNS
61 USA 192Ken MARSHACKUpper Keys Sailing CLubDNS
61 USA 2020Emmanuel CERFSPYCDNS

Foiling Fleet Results after day 1:

PosSail NoHelmClubR1
1 POL 41Jakub SUROWIECUKS Navigo1
2 AUS 4Steven Norman BREWINkcc2
3 NED 007Mischa HEEMSKERKWVIJ3
4 AUS 88Darren BUNDOCKSSC4
5 USA 76Ravi PARENTNew York Yacht Club5
6 FRA 2Emmanuel DODESOCIETE DES REGATES DE VANNES6
7 ITA 13Lamberto CESARICentro Nautico Bardolino7
8 USA 311Bruce MAHONEYMahoney Projects8
9 ESP 11Manuel CALAVIAReal Club Marítimo Barcelona9
10 SUI 007Robin MAEDERCNB10
11 AUS 20David BREWERSafety Beach S.C11
12 SUI 307Loïc DONYCNB12
13 ITA 969Giovanni FANTASIA43713
14 ITA 71Marco ANESSI42014
15 NED 96Gert‑Jan KOSHELLE15
16 USA 320Bailey WHITELLSC16
17 DEN 1Thomas PAASCHMiddelfart Sejlklub17
18 ITA 3Paolo PENCO4012018
19 NED 111David van AARTHELLE19
20 ARG 666Ian RODGERUpper Keys Sailing Club20
21 GER 14Bob BAIERSCFF21
22 DEN 8Christian NYGAARDMiddelfart Sejlklub22
23 AUS 22Joseph RANDALLMcCrae Yacht Club23
24 ESP 75Toni BALLESTER MARTINAVARRO4602124
25 ITA 54Luigi CAMISOTTI1. SVG E.V.25
26 USA 37Michael CHRISTENSENSSS26
27 ITA 46Mirco MAZZINI151 H2O sport27
28 ITA 023Paolo MANGIALARDOclub vela Portocivitanova28
29 FIN 1Matti NIEMINENTPS29
30 CZE 1Vladislav PTASNIKYK Jestrabi30
31 NED 28Pieterjan DWARSHUISWVF31
32 NED 44Wiro ZIJLMANSHELLE32
33 DEN 3Jan SAUGMANNHellerup Sejlklub33
34 DEN 20Peter BOLDSENEgå Sejlklub34
35 ITA 72Giuseppe COLOMBOUnione Velica Maccagno35
36 GER 6Rainer BOHRERTSVU36
37 ESP 74Abdon IBAÑEZ4699537
38 GER 95Roeland WENTHOLTHELLE38
39 SUI 65Charles BUECHECNB39
40 DEN 27Frederik STAGE‑NIELSENAarhus Sejlklub40
41 USA 294Richard STEVENSLLSC41
42 ITA 162Daniel PASCUCCI41042
43 GER 41Alex MEISTERSTM43
44 GER 15Katrin BRUNNERLSC44
45 ARG 500Axel ISSELUpper Keys Sailing Club45
46 SUI 278Philippe JACOTCNB46
47 SUI 78Patrick GUGERLICNB47
48 NED 12Eric LAMPIERHELLE48
49 GER 50Stephan DORFNERSGU49
50 POL 14Michal KASZCZUKUKS Navigo50
51 GER 85Guido SCHULTESLRV51
52 FRA 21Rodolphe DELESALLE5630052
53 GER 68Maren ODEFEYMSV Wismar53
54 SUI 303Olivier BALLEVRECNB54
55 ITA 78Giorgio LAIS177455
56 GER 40Manfred SYROWYYCN56
57 ITA 24Edoardo GAMBAFRAGLIA VELA MALCESINE57
58 DEN 29Eli SCHRØDERMariager Sejlklub58
59 USA 143Mark HERENDEENSpace Coast catamaran fleet59
60 GER 21Marco GOETZBYC60
61 AUS 1087Stuart SCOTTSafety Beach Sailing Club Victoria AustraliaRET
61 BEL 19Wim DECARNSYCDNS
61 ESP 34Adolfo MARTINEZClub Náutico Puerto SherryDNS
61 ESP 93Rafeta GOMEZ POLO46015DNS
61 FRA 278Charles de LISLESTE NAUTIQUE DE LARMOR PLAGEDNS
61 GBR 16Julian BOSCHGWSCDNS
61 GER 34Jan KREUTZMANNYCNDNS
61 GER 5Klaus RAABSCFFDNS
61 GER 66Peter PFORTNERTSVHDNS
61 GER 75Jörn KNOPBSVDNS
61 GER 80Andreas GRÜNENWALDSVBBDNS
61 ITA 19Alberto FRATTINIUVMDNS
61 ITA 216Loris PATERNOLLICircolo Vela ArcoDNS
61 ITA 4Bruno ZORZAN400DNS
61 ITA 79Amerigo DEGLI ATTI1774DNS
61 NED 33Thijs VISSERaruba beach catsDNS
61 NED 93Wim PLOKKERHELLEDNS
61 NZL 270Dave SHAWNYCDNS
61 SUI 14Riccardo GIULIANOCVLLDNS
61 SUI 17Dominik PEIKERTYCZDNS
61 SUI 279Caroline JACOTCNBDNS
61 SUI 33Heiko MAIERSIMPLDNS
61 SUI 61Jean‑Yves DELAITECNBDNS
61 SUI 781Benjamin OUDOTClub Nautique de BevaixDNS
61 USA 426Cam FARRAHFort Walton YC/ Southern YC/ New York YCDNS

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