RS500 World Championships at Le cercle nautique de Loctudy Overall

by Nick van Alphen & Pete Barton 12 Aug 2014 08:52 BST 5-9 August 2014

Days 1 & 2

This is a short report of the first days of the RS500 Worlds in Loctudy, France. Upon arrival at the shoreline of Loctudy it was clear why the Swedish teams were already here for one week. The weather was gorgeous and so is the beach from where the boats launch. The hosts from Cercle de Nautique Loctudy were welcoming new guests on Monday with a ride on a foiling catamaran. For others there was the chance to start training with their international competitors and the first practise race was sailed in perfect conditions.

After Int. Chairmen Michiel Geerling-van Susante's opening on tuesday morning, the sailors were all very excided to race. The first day of racing took place medium to light winds with a moderate ocean swell rolling in from the Southeast. Tim and Heather sailed their first bullet of the week in the first race. The second race was won by Mike and Meg after some stunning downwind sailing. Competition seems to get higher every year with some protest filled on the first day, but no serious problems or damages. Fun and fair sailing seems to be the continuing spirit in the RS500 class. The friendly people from Loctudy prepared a nice opening BBQ for us. Lots of stories were exchanged at the large dinner tables with French wine and cheese.

The second day proves to be difficult sailing with big competition in light winds and choppy waves. Two races were sailed and being new to parenthood and sleepless nights didn't seem to slow Tim and Heather down. Lots of typically French games were played in the evening before the traditionnal Dutch party took place. We saw old friends and new faces all enjoying the orange madness and red-white-blue drinks. Heather chipperfield was voted best red-white-blue outfit of all attendees, allthough she was wearing a bit of an English orientated dress (I.e. Union Jack)... Christopher Tuckert won best dutchie of the night, but that was mainly because he won the limbo dance competition. For the rest, let's just say some teams performed a little less than normal the next day... Thanks to all the sailors this RS500 Worlds is already a big success with more great racing days and socials to come!

Day 3

Medium winds arrived late in the afternoon with crews finally able to stretch their legs on the trapezes.

In race 5 Mike Saul & Meg Fletcher's GBR legendary downwind talent brought through for the win. The favoured right hand side of the beat gave 2nd and 3rd to Peter Barton & Heather Chipperfield GBR and Hannah & Graeme Bristow GBR respectively. The ever consistent Tim & Heather Wilkins GBR kept up to 4th.

Race 6 had a long port biased start line but with evidence of the right paying. Barton & Chipperfield on port skimmed across the bows of the fleet to win the race to the right and extended for their 1st win. Saul & Fletcher again pulled through for 2nd with team Wilkins keeping the points tight in 3rd.

The points at the front of the fleet had compressed a little, keeping the title chase wide open.

The party was a '500 Likes' social media party, where the Dutch made a presentation on the 2015 Worlds. Within an hour, there were almost 20 entries....

Day 4

After a morning ashore admiring a moderate onshore breeze with some waves the fleet launched into a dying breeze. After a long wait the direction shifted with over 20knots coming in from the opposite direction. After some time for consideration a course was set close under the shoreline as the breeze began to drop and become unstable.

The heroes in the charge to mark 1 were Johan Van Veen & Floris Stapel NED who intelligently banked the port layline for a big lead with Team Bristow hot on their heels. Clever judgment of the offshore gusts and gybe angles was the ticket to downwind success. Team Bristow pulled away for a big win with Saul & Fletcher gaining on the left inside the reefs and out of the tide. This race was one for Team Sweden with Martin & Axel Johansson SWE sailing cleverly for 3rd and Malin Broberg & Johan Rook SWE pulling through the fleet for a 5th.

Team Wilkins made a comeback for a useful 4th to keep the series tied at the top with Saul & Fletcher, leaving it all to play for going into the final day!

CN Loctudy hosted an amazing Hog Roast in the massive marquee, which was very welcome after such a long day...

Day 5

An early launch into a light breeze and a possibility of 3 races produced high tensions for the final battles throughout the fleet, especially for the title and podium places.

As it happened there was only just enough wind for one light race which allowed the 2nd discard, much to many team's relief. The race officer wasted no time in starting a sequence, all be it with a biased start line and windward leg. It took the whole 5 minute sequence to sail the length of the start line close hauled in the light breeze but those who made it to the port end were generously rewarded by tacking onto the long port tack. Young Italians Lucas Abergo & Andrea Dellepiane ITA showed lightening upwind speed to cruise into the distance for 1st with French Team Nico & Thomas Honor FRA 2nd. A solid 3rd was enough for Team Wilkins to take the title with Saul & Fletcher back in 12th. 4th went to Jane Olive and Chris Tuckett GBR jumping them up to 8th overall. 5th went to another French team of Olivier & Paco Thomas FRA, slipping in their best result.

Overall

Tim & Heather Wilkins regain the World Title that they have won twice before with consistency, speed and solid tactics making the difference. Mike Saul and Meg Fletcher pushed them hard but ultimately had to settle for 2nd. Peter Barton & Heather Chipperfield rounding out the podium in 3rd.narrowly edging out 2013 RS Feva World Champion 4th placed Hannah & Graeme Bristow. The biggest movers of the final day were the Italian race winners Lucas Abergo & Andrea Dellepiane who discarded a 25th for their 1st and jumped from 11th to 5th, only narrowly missing out on the podium.

Category Champions:

1st Parent/Child team; Hannah & Graeme Bristow GBR (4th)
1st Lady team; Martina Gommellini & Beatrice Xodo ITA (19th)
1st Youth team; Matteo Cara & Leonardo Pizzagalli ITA (14th)
Youngster award; Martin Riou FRA (10 years) crewing for local Vendee Globe hero, Vincent Riou.

With 5 countries well represented in the 51 boat World Championship and 4 counties in the top 7 places the RS500 continues to go from strength to strength internationally.

Massive thanks must go the helpful and smiling staff and volunteers of CN Loctudy, who worked hard to make the event a great success. A wonderful venue – we will return!

Photos are available from

Tuesday: flic.kr/s/aHsjZS5q9e
Friday: flic.kr/s/aHsjZXjqfB

If you see anything you like, please contact Jakez direct.

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Crew	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	Pts
1	625	WILKINS Tim	WILKINS Heather	GREAT YARMOUTH AND GORLESTON SL ‑ Great Britain	1	7	1	1	4	3	4	3	13
2	1040	SAUL Mike	FLETCHER Meg	YORKSHIRE DALES S C ‑ Great Britain	6	1	2	14	1	2	2	12	14
3	1015	BARTON Peter	CHIPPERFIELD Heather	LYWINGTON TOWN ‑ Great Britain	3	BFD	6	7	2	1	6	11	25
4	1054	BRISTOW Hannah	BRISTOW Graeme	LEIGH AND LOWTON SC ‑ Great Britain	2	5	20	9	3	7	1	16	27
5	946	ABERGO Lucas	DELLEPIANE Andréa	Italy	5	6	3	5	8	27	25	1	28
6	1067	HONOR Thomas	HONOR Nicolas	YC LA GRANDE MOTTE ‑ France	4	8	9	2	11	9	9	2	34
7	112	BROBERG Malin	ROOK Johan	GOTHENBURG ROYAL YACHT CLUB ‑ Sweden	7	23	11	4	5	6	5	25	38
8	727	OLIVE JANE	TUCKETT CHRIS	NETLEY SAILING CLUB ‑ Great Britain	8	12	OCS	10	RET	8	8	4	50
9	659	CURTIS Peter	CURTIS JAMES	ISLAND BARN RESERVOIR SAILING CLUB ‑ Great Britain	9	10	4	13	17	12	10	6	51
10	111	BOKMARK Peter	BOKMARK Sara	SS KAPAREN ‑ Sweden	13	4	12	8	6	10	13	23	53
11	950	CARLINI Luca	RUBINO Rodolfo	UGO COSTAGUSTA ‑ Italy	12	3	7	11	10	13	21	22	56
12	1032	OPPIZZI Michele	FRAZZICA Pietro	CANOTTIERI DOMASO ‑ Italy	16	2	OCS	3	20	4	DPIi	13	58
13	1066	GEERLING Michiel	VAN SUSANTE Hilde	WV BRAASSEMERMEER ‑ The Netherlands	10	15	10	16	9	24	15	7	66
14	1031	CARA Mattéo	PIZZAGALLI Leonardo	Italy	14	DSQj	15	25	14	5	19	8	75
15	1064	RUSSELL Henry	COLLINO Tim	EMSWORTH SAILING CLUB ‑ Great Britain	15	14	24	12	22	16	7	32	86
16	1003	ROT Thomas	ROT Marloes	WVA VINKEVEEN ‑ The Netherlands	22	17	40	26	12	11	12	15	89
17	821	FASSBERG Stéphan	FASSBERG Johanna	SS KAPAREN ‑ Sweden	26	13	17	18	16	41	17	10	91
18	51	JOHANSSON Martin	JOHANSSON Axel	SS KAPAREN ‑ Sweden	25	18	8	28	DSQj	26	3	20	100
19	949	GOMMELLINI Martina	XODO BEATRICE	UGO COSTAGUTA ‑ Italy	21	11	19	6	29	22	27	21	100
20	1028	VAN DER VEN Joris	HONIG Jeroen	NKV ‑ The Netherlands	18	BFD	13	15	7	30	18	33	101
21	763	VAN DEN BOOGAARD DRIES	VANDEN BOOGAARD KARLIJN	WV BRAASSEMERMEER ‑ The Netherlands	28	21	5	19	34	38	11	18	102
22	777	BLOMSMA Marleen	DE JAGER Jody	WV BRAASSEMERMEER ‑ The Netherlands	17	22	14	17	15	18	28	36	103
23	718	GROEN Max	OUDE AVENHUIS Bjorn	WV A VINKEVEEN ‑ The Netherlands	11	20	31	23	26	17	23	17	111
24	665	HIGHFIELD Phillip	HIGHFIELD Tamsin	GREAT YARMOUTH & GORLESTON SAILING CLUB ‑ Great Britain	24	19	29	31	24	14	14	28	123
25	965	VAN SUSANTE Willemijn	VAN ALPHEN Nick	WV BRAASSEMERMEER ‑ The Netherlands	36	16	25	32	25	15	22	30	133
26	940	THOMAS Olivier	THOMAS Paco	C V L M ‑ France	30	25	21	27	DNF	35	29	5	137
27	994	SLIKBOER Jochem	BERTLING Anna	ZEIL VERENIGING DORDREEHT OF AMSTREHEN ‑ The Netherlands	29	30	27	22	18	23	33	19	138
28	1068	RIOU Vincent	RIOU Martin	C N LOCTUDY ‑ France	34	BFD	38	34	19	21	24	9	141
29	716	ROT Richard	GIJZEL Marieke	WSV AQUADELTA ‑ The Netherlands	45	9	23	33	28	33	20	31	144
30	961	BLOKKER Giel	VAN DALEN Corinne	HAARLEM ZEILVERENIGING ‑ The Netherlands	19	27	30	20	21	31	DNF	39	148
31	795	HOUGHTON David	SYMONDS John	GREAT YARMOUTH & GORLESTON SAILING CLUB ‑ Great Britain	43	DSQj	26	24	33	19	DNF	14	159
32	67	VAN VEEN Johan	STAPEL Floris	ALSZV DE BLAUWE SCHUIT ‑ The Netherlands	23	BFD	45	41	31	20	16	38	169
33	1038	VOGELAAR Sander	BERENDS Laura	The Netherlands	20	26	28	37	30	37	30	40	171
34	837	KIKKERT Anneke	HAAKSMAN Viktor	A.L.S.Z.V. DE BLAUWE SCHUIT ‑ The Netherlands	BFD	24	39	29	13	34	34	43	173
35	934	CORTIER Christophe	CORTIER Quentin	C N CASTELNAUDARY ‑ France	27	34	34	30	27	45	36	24	176
36	748	ZMURA Anna	SYKES Keith	GREAT YARMOUTH & GORLESTON SAILING CLUB ‑ Great Britain	31	32	22	36	47	DNF	38	26	185
37	18	EIJTJES Nikki	JOHANNSSON Lisa	DE SPIEGEL ‑ The Netherlands	33	35	16	43	46	36	44	29	192
38	1005	WILSON George	WILSON Laura	NETLEY SAILING CLUB ‑ Great Britain	35	38	32	48	38	28	26	34	193
39	1069	WEBBER Steph	MC KENNIG Robin	LDC SAILING ‑ Great Britain	40	BFD	18	21	32	32	DNF	DNF	195
40	1039	JONES David	JONES Sylvie	C V L M ‑ France	32	28	43	39	37	25	42	41	202
41	928	BOUDRIQUE Mathilde	COMPAIN Jerome	C N DE PLERIN ‑ France	46	33	35	44	23	39	DPIi	37	207
42	675	VARAIGNE Nicolas	FROTTIER Benoit	C V L M ‑ France	39	31	48	42	39	29	32	46	212
43	983	DAGORNE Adrien	BELLETTRE Gwenola	Y C ST LUNAIRE ‑ France	37	39	36	49	36	40	31	35	214
44	915	COLAERT Fabrice	MALGHEM Laurent	C N DE PLERIN ‑ France	41	42	42	38	40	50	43	27	230
45	624	LAPORTE Titouan	CAHANE Louis	CN ERQUY ‑ France	44	29	33	46	DNF	47	39	42	233
46	749	BECK Philip	BECK Ylva	SS KAPAREN ‑ Sweden	49	36	44	35	35	44	40	48	234
47	670	VAN GILS Noortje	VON MORGEN Patrick	ALSZV DE BLAUWE SCHMIT ‑ The Netherlands	38	41	37	40	41	46	41	45	238
48	980	EMANUEL Alexandre	LORTHIOIR Thierry	Y C Grenoble Chara ‑ France	42	37	41	47	42	42	46	44	248
49	565	POOK Will	COLE Alex	SPINNAKER CLUB ‑ Great Britain	47	40	49	45	45	43	DNF	47	267
50	719	TISSING Marnix	TISSING Okke	SV YACHT HAVENBRUINISSE ‑ The Netherlands	48	44	47	50	43	48	45	DNF	275
51	563	GDALIA Eric	DEBEIR Guillaume	C N WIMEREUX ‑ France	BFD	43	46	51	44	49	DNF	DNF	285

Next year's worlds are in the Netherlands from 2-6 August with the promise of sensational Dutch hospitality. 22 boats are already entered and with the Dutch fleet growing rapidly with tremendous enthusiasm and team spirit this promises to be a fabulous event with every likelihood of the Orange team mounting a full assault on the top ten. For more information and to enter visit www.rs500.org/championships/cindex.asp?eid=949