Swiss International Invitational RS Venture Connect Cup
by Dan Jaspers 7 May 15:44 BST
3-5 May 2024
RS Venture Inclusive Swiss Cup © handivoile.ch
The first International Invitational RS Venture Regatta in Switzerland has successfully concluded. The event, which took place from May 3rd – 5th out of the Abériaux harbour in Prangins on the shore of Lake Geneva featured a fleet of 8 RS Venture Connect sailboats.
In total, seven nations were represented at this first-of-its kind event in Switzerland which was organised jointly by Handivoile.ch, the Swiss Disabled Sailing Association and the Club Nautique de Prangins.
In challenging conditions, the race committee, led by Harold Syfrig and Christian Schlaeppi, managed to deliver a ten-race event series with 6 different heat winners making for some very close results.
The overall winners were the British team of Jazz Turner and Adam Billany, who mastered the challenges of the Lake Geneva winds right from the start. The Portuguese vice-world champions were second on the same number of points, followed by the reigning Para World champions from France. Again tied on points, it was the Italians who beat the first Swiss local crew. A document showing the full breakdown of the event results is attached to this email.
During the daily debriefings, all the sailors were able to benefit from the knowledge and comments of the Portuguese, French and Swiss coaches and the French president of the Jury to help them progress in their training as sailors. It is hoped that the success of this first regatta, helped in part due to the skill of the organisers, will lead to other similar events. A number of the teams present at this event have already expressed their intention to come and train in Switzerland before the world championship in Rutland, UK this September.
For those interested in attending, the second edition of this event will take place from 2 to 4 May 2025.
As well as teams comprising Para sailors, the 2025 event will also look to invite sailors with a wider range of disabilities, this in keeping with the objectives of both the RS Venture Class and World Sailing. The event organisers also hope to increase the number of boats in the fleet by acquiring a larger charter boat fleet. The organisers ask any programs close to Switzerland that are already using RS Venture Connects for their activity to attend with their own boats.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | GBR 4 | Jazz TURNER, Adam BILLANY | Newhave | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 1 | (OCS) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 21 |
| 2 | POR 2 | Pedro CÂNCIO REIS, Guilherme RIBEIRO | ICMP | 2 | 4 | ‑5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 21 |
| 3 | FRA 1 | Ange MARAGON, Olivier DUCRUIX | | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ‑5 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 25 |
| 4 | ITA 5 | Gianluca RAGGI, Emiliano GIAMPIETRO | YCPA | 5 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | ‑8 | 5 | 5 | 36 |
| 5 | SUI 613 | Philippe ECHIVARD, François NAEF | | 3 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 5 | ‑8 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 36 |
| 6 | NED 1 | Erik van WINKOOP, Bernadette LINSSEN | ZMVDZ | 8 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 7 | (DSQ) | 4 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 52 |
| 7 | NOR 3 | Henriette SMITH, Solfrid Lindhjem KVINNESLAND | KNS | 6 | ‑8 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 55 |
| 8 | SUI 392 | Patrick PARKER, André‑Marc RECORDON | | 7 | 5 | ‑8 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 57 |