RS800 European Championships 2023 at Circolo Vela Torbole, Lake Garda, Italy - Day 1

RS800 Europeans at Lake Garda, Italy Day 1 © Emilio Sabtinelli

After a pleasant sunny weekend greeting old friends and meeting new ones, the 30-strong RS800 fleet from six nations were raring to get racing at Circolo Vela Torbole, our third visit to this super-friendly club and great sailing venue at the North end of Italy's beautiful Lake Garda.

Conditions for the first day were ideal, with the afternoon Ora thermal wind building from the South to a good 15 knots, strong enough to set pulses racing but kind enough to break us all in gently to twin-wire action around the race course. The committee laid their self-propelled GPS marks, a great innovation for Garda as it is about 400m deep, with a good length course in the middle of the lake.

RS800 Europeans at Lake Garda, Italy Day 1 - photo © Emilio Sabtinelli

The first start got away cleanly right on time at 1pm with just two boats U-flagged. Ralph and Ollie Singleton played their classic party trick with a huge port flyer and headed for the Western cliffs ten lengths ahead of the field. Reigning European champions Tom Morris and Guy Filmore took the traditionally safe starboard end and tacked bows-out on the Singletons to lead the right-hand pack towards the cliffs. Meanwhile Steve Brown and Phil Bairstow, Xavier Broise and Chloe Le Roux, Maria Stanley and Tommy Darling were all sniffing out a bit of pressure and a wind bend on the left hand side, which proved to be hugely decisive, putting the three of them in a commanding lead at the windward mark. Once the rest of the fleet realised what was happening, the race became a rinse-and-repeat, same side upwind and downwind. Maria and Tommy built up a huge lead before snapping their kite halyard at the last gybe, but somehow still managed to hold on to 4th at the finish just behind the new top three of Luke and Emma McEwen, Phil Walker and John Mather, and Tom and Guy.

In the second race, the committee gave us an extra lap, banking on the Ora staying strong enough, which it just did, dropping to about 12 knots at the finish. This time it was Phil and John who crept into the lead with a close battle all the way round with Tom and Guy, and Luke and Emma, the deciding factor apparently being how high you could point to squeeze out the boat behind on the long port lay line - clearly Phil and John's strength as it turned out. Maria and Tommy claimed another 4th, with Gilles Peeters and Heloise Baize placing a good 5th with great pace after their first race UFD.

RS800 Europeans at Lake Garda, Italy Day 1 - photo © Emilio Sabtinelli

With only two races scheduled today, racing was done by 3pm and everyone came ashore with big smiles. Tom ran a very helpful debrief for all the sailors with tips on tuning and technique, followed by a tasty snack and Aperol spritz in the sunshine served by the friendly CVT bar team. The sailors reconvene at the club tonight for a big barbeque, ready for a potential three-race day tomorrow.

Results after Day 1: