Results / RS Fat Face Eurocup Fraglia vela Riva - 28/07/2008

RS800 REPORT – GARDA EUROCUP EVENT

The end of July saw the annual RS bi-annual pilgrimage to Lake Garda in northern Italy for anticipated strong winds, sunshine and plenty of socialising.  A record 66 800s made the trip for the event, showing the event’s appeal is undiminished, and that the class is as strong as ever, including teams from Switzerland, Germany and Japan.

The top of the fleet by the end of the week showed the strength in depth of the UK fleet, with sailors from the Olympic 49er scene, ex youth squad sailors, skiff sailors, team racers, RS sailors through and through and many more.

The wind always threatened to kick in with the full strength Ora all week, but often it flattered to deceive, with it going as fast as it had come.  In fact one race was lost when on the fourth and final round, the fleet came round the last windward mark and headed downwind twin wiring, but by the leeward mark the fleet was parked becalmed, with not a breath in sight.

25 boats posted a top 10 result at some point during the week, showing hard it was to be consistent.  However despite everything being thrown at him, the current UK National Champion sailing Marlow was unbeatable, Pete Barton and Roz Allen never straying out of the top 7 all week, an impeccable performance in difficult conditions.

They were closely chased by John Pink & Jony Clegg in Sailboat Deliveries, Justin Deal & Ollie Page in Fat Face, Tom Halhead & Christian Humphrey and Andy Jeffries & Toby Wincer rounding out the top 5.

Fleet rep Ian Martin sailing with LDC’s own Adam Broughton did their best to engage in Anglo-Italian warfare in the water, finding themselves with a bright yellow Garda ferry between them and the leeward mark.  Ian decided he was most definitely in the right and continued until the passengers were seen to be fending off his mast down the side of the ferry.

Social antics amongst the fleet were as strong as ever, with Gimp excelling himself as usual, and a group of us being told by an Italian waiter he had a small problem with 40 of us seated in his restaurant, only to find out he didn’t have enough 1 litre beer glasses to cater for the fleet’s expected alcohol intake!

The fleet travels to Carnac for the same week next year, but I think we’ll struggle to see as large a thunderstorm as we witnessed on the last night at Garda.  Torrential rain meant sailors were stranded wherever they were, mainly a couple of inches deep in water inside the bar!  The exception was a certain Mr Vidal, running to save his beloved Treacle!

Full Garda results are below, next event is the UK National Championships in Porthpean at the end of August – where a new national champion will be crowned.