Allen RS Feva World Championships at Yacht Club de Carnac - Overall

Glory for Martin Harvey & Bobby Hewitt

An hours delay due to a late arriving seabreeze did little to calm the nerves on the final day. This did allow the Class AGM to take place delayed as it was due to the late finish the day before. Ultimately the D flag launched the fleet into a shifty 8-10kt breeze. The Race Officer's team did a grand job getting the final 2 races in to complete the series with the breeze topping out at some 10-12kts. All in all the varied conditions over both the qualifying series (1 light and 1 breezy day) and the final series (1 light, 1 just a fraction more than light and 1 breezy) gave a very true test and gave all sailors a fairly even chance of showing their talents off properly.

By the last day's races Harvey Martin & Bobby Hewitt (GBR) had a decent lead and needed to get into championship winning mode by managing the fleet rather than needing to go risky in search of more race wins. This they did magnificently popping in a 9-4 final day to win the title by 13pts. Closest challengers were Piers Nicholls & Freddie Peters (GBR) who gave it a good pop in case of a slip up but had to settle for the Silver medal. Nikol Stankova & Vaclav Brabec (CZE) also set about the task of trying to bridge the gap with relish by winning the penultimate race. But a sixth in the final race made sure of the Bronze medal and repeated their 3rd place from the European Championships in May.

It was a good championship for the Eastern European nations with Simonas Jarsovas & Gabriele Petraityte (LTU and best final day performance of all boats) nailing 4th down and Markus Lilienthal & Uko Rasmus Tideman (EST) taking out a well deserved 6th. They thus sandwiched James Hammett & Ben Todd (GBR) who were 5th. Team GBR sailors Will & Matt Taylor 7th and Finley & Daniel Armstrong 10th also sandwiched two Dutch boats. Top Dutch performance was achieved by Bo v Wendel de Joode & Ties Verploegh (NED) in 8th and Willemijn & Manus Offerman (NED) 9th.

In the Silver fleet Tristam Payne & Jake Carpenter (GBR) tidied up a smooth series witha 4,3 final day to take the top slot by 4pts from Jean Leo Touffet & Jade Saunier (FRA) and both of whom had a sizeable lead over third boat William & James Cunliffe (GBR).The spoils in the Bronze Fleet went to Martijn Jessurun & Nynke Nell (NED) from Roscoe Martin & Maddie Wylie (GBR) and Charlie Elliott & Will Knottenbelt.

The Ladies prize in a hard fought and tight series went to Hannah & Madeleine Bristow (GBR - Hannah not being a stranger to the top step of the podium having won the worlds with Bobby Hewitt in Italy last year but sailing with little sister this year!). Only 1pt separated Caroline Heiberg & Marie Bordal (NOR) in second from Jessie Main & Poppy Gilks (GBR) in third.

Jack Lewis & Lucas Marshall (GBR) took the Junior trophy comfortably (watch this space as the junior winners have a tendency of repeating success later!) from Jaroslav Cermak & Petr Kostal (CZE) in second with Will Caiger & Caitlin Atkin (GBR) third. The family Trophy was won by Will & Matt Taylor (GBR). Willemijn & Manus Offerman (NED) were a fantastic second while Finley & Daniel Armstrong (GBR)were third.

Yacht Club de Carnac were just the best hosts one could hope for in an event of this size and all thanks go them all. We shall await the 2015 winners in Travemunde, Germany with great interest. With 5 nations in the top 10, 18 Nations overall, 184 boats competing in fierce and friendly competition we also thank all the parents and volunteers who make it all possible!

Overall results can be found here.