Europe class UK Open and Youth Championships 2024 at Stokes Bay Sailing Club

Europe class Open and Youth Championships at Stokes Bay © SBSC

20 Europe sailors made the trip to Stokes Bay SC, with the class' usual diverse range of sailors complemented by a strong youth contingent, competing for the inaugural Synergy Marine UK Europe Youth Championship title!

With a leisurely 1pm start time on Saturday, everyone enjoyed the opportunity to rig up, catch up and enjoy the sunshine! The Europe class boasted the biggest fleet at the event, shared with the ever friendly OK and RS300 fleets. It has been great to see such growth in the youth division of the class in recent months, highlighted by a great turnout of youth competitors.

The forecast, showing a weekend of two halves, did not disappoint - sailors launching into sunshine and a light and patchy NW breeze. After a short postponement to allow the wind to settle, racing got under way in 5-10 knots.

HISC's John Rees enjoyed a tight race with local Jason Belben to win Race 1, closely followed by Lucy Boreham in third and Chris Gill, a ten-time UK Europe National Champion, making a re-appearance in the fleet in fourth place. Top youth sailor was Adam Catlow in seventh, narrowly beaten by class veteran Richard Eagleton - a great example of the broad age range within the class!

Race 2 started in even more challenging conditions, with a number of sailors starting a little too well and being recalled, leaving the race wide open! The top three places were taken by Stokes Bay SC sailors Jeremy Hartley, Jason Belben and Emma Pearson - their local knowledge proving invaluable in the now super tricky tidal conditions. By the second beat, the breeze was fading quickly, leaving several sailors battling to get around the windward mark whilst others flew downwind.

With no sign of the conditions improving, AP over A was flown and the fleet headed ashore. The fleet enjoyed dinner in the club, included in their entry, along with a few beers at the club bar and much talk of just how wet and windy it was going to be on Sunday...

Europe class Open and Youth Championships at Stokes Bay - photo © SBSC

Sunday morning brought the anticipated big breeze, the club's anemometer reading 20-28 knots ahead of racing. Several sailors made the (potentially wise) decision to remain ashore, whilst those who ventured out were rewarded with an epic downwind to the committee boat.

The Race 3 started in 15-25 knots, with Jason Belben and seven-time Europe National Champion, Chris Gill, extending from the fleet to take the top two spots, chased by Adam Catlow and James Clements, another youth sailor in his first season in the class and enjoying a great race alongside Alex Scoles.

By Race 4, several more had decided to return ashore in an increasing breeze; the waves now building as the tide began to turn. A downwind wipeout from race leader Jason allowed Chris and Adam into the lead to finish first and second respectively, with Jason sneaking back past Lucy to salvage the final podium spot.

The Europe's were the only fleet to stay out for Race 5, proving that they are great fun and perfectly manageable boats in wind now approaching 30 knots!

Alex Scoles sailing his Idol Composites boat in 25+ knots - Europe class Open and Youth Championships at Stokes Bay - photo © Jennie Clark

Jason and Chris demonstrated incredible upwind speed in these conditions, battling for the lead to secure the top two spots in the race and in the overall standings. John and Jeremy finished third and fourth respectively, with Jeremy sneaking into the overall top three by just one point.

It was great to see so many younger sailors joining the fleet this weekend, many for the first time. Whilst the conditions proved particularly challenging, the big smiles on the faces of the youth sailors certainly injected new enthusiasm into the class - none bigger than Fin Lloyd who battled through two of the races on Sunday to finish third in the youth standings behind the more experienced Europe Youth sailors of Adam and James.

The next and final event for the class this year is the UK Europe Inland Championships at Staunton Harold SC on the 19th / 20th October before we head into some winter sailing - the class building up to an exciting 2025 season hosting the Europe Masters & Youth European Championships at Hayling Island SC in July 2025!

If you have a Europe or are looking to get involved in the class, be sure to join the UK Europe Sailors Facebook group, where you can join our friendly community of sailors and ask any questions you might have! Check out our website at www.europeclass.org.uk for lots more useful information.

Adam Catlow awarded the inaugural Synergy Marine Europe class UK Youth Championships title at Stokes Bay - photo © SBSC

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