Dart 18 European Championship at Mumbles Yacht Club - Overall
by Alyson Dacey 24 Aug 2014 21:29 BST
18-23 August 2014
GBR pairing Dan Norman and Jenni Donovan win the 2014 Dart18 European Championships
Five days and 10 races, and it all goes down to the wire
With only one race remaining, the title of European Champions was still up for grabs. Leading the fleet were the Dan Norman and Jenni Donovan (GBR) followed closely by Herve Le Maux and Abbey Jupp sailing out of Carnac, France.
An increasingly strong tide and eagerness to get a flying start saw several General Recalls and 2 Black Flag starts. With the leaders succumbing to the 2nd Black Flag, 7th place or better would see the French boat winning.
A stunning winning performance in Race 9 by the French pairing demonstrated confidence and ensured they were on a high. However, in one of the closest races of the week accompanied by strong, gusty winds, an 8th place resulted in the overall title going to Norman and Donovan by 1 point.
Dave and Louise Roberts finished in 3rd place. With only 3 points separating the medal positions, the Championships could hardly have been more keenly contested.
The title completes a fantastic hat-trick for Dan Norman who can now add European Champion and UK National Champion to his current status as World Champion!
UK National Championships 2014
The UK National Championships were held in conjunction with the Europeans. The event was equally competitive with only 4 points separating the top 3. First place went to Dan Norman and Jenni Donovan, with John and Ginny Pierce in Second, a single point ahead of David and Louise Roberts.
dart18europeans2014.org