Bericht zur Euro 2014 in La Touquete

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F16 Europeans 2014: France beats Australia and Belgium

GroupEuro2014This year, sailing superpower Australia seems to have no serious challengers. But at the F16 Europeans in Le Touqet Daniel and Nathan van Kereckhoff on a Viper had to give way to the young and promising French sailor Kim-Anne Le Formal on Falcon F16. With Flying Phantom crew Benjamin Amiot, they maganged to grab the F16 European crown 2014 in a very close fight with the other top teams. The F 16 Europeans shortly followed the Viper Worlds in France, and some sailors took the chance of racing at both events.

The Europeans on the French Channel coast saw more than 30 teams from Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, United Kingdom and Australia. One third of the fleet were youth teams, solo sailors had registered as well and there were highly competitive mixed and women’s teams on the water as well. All brands were present and despite the fact, that it still is the sailor and not the boat winning or loosing, it seems that the box rule is working. There was no signfificant dominance of any brands and that’s the way, formula classes should be run.

Over challenging five days, conditions varied from 22 knots and big waves to lightwind summer breezes. And the strong currents in the Channel make racing a tricky issue in terms where to go and where to tack. With tough conditions in the first two days, not every team decided to head out. Remarkably, German solo sailor Stefan Dorfner took the challenge and almost managed to finish all races. But as the Formula 16 class still has a lot of pleasure sailors, it might be just the right decision not to race if you don’t feel safe.

Fighting at the top of the fleet was very tight all week, as with 2013 world youth champs Arnout and Victor Klass, a very competitive youth team chased Kim-Anne next to the Aussie team. And with last year’s World Champ Henri Demesmaeker and his crew Emile van Holsbeke, followed by this year’s texel winner Froukje Feenstra another top team took care of close racing. In fact, the Championship was open until the last race and looking at the results of the races, there was no dominance of any sailor either.

Next to Kim-Anne winning the European Champioship, Dutch Frouke Feenstra and ended up as the best women’s team, Andi Lutz from Switzerland and Dominik Leuthold took the master’s podium and German Stefan Dorfner won the solo challenge. The Klass brother’s from Belgium finished as the best youth team within this event.

 Full results:

Thomas Koenig