A brief report of some highlights from Eurocat 2019.

It was hoped that there would be 5 Sprint’s at Carnac, but sadly Tom and Aaron did not make it and their presence was sadly missed.

Boats were to be rigged and launched in the harbour area of the sail club, because alterations to the sea front had not been completed.

In the evening having been to registration, Gordon, Andrew and I returned to the campsite for our evening meal of lasagne and salad (prepared by Lorraine) and a couple of bottles of wine.

Race Day 1

We found there were 3 Hobie 14’s in group C4 on their own, who had requested that the Sprint’s should be moved from C3 to join them in C4, and that finally became our group.

At the briefing we were told our course was,

1 very long beat, to mark 1

a tight reach to mark 2

a run to mark 3

back up to mark 2

back to mark 3 and then the reach to the finish-line

3 races were held, each of approximately 8 miles long, of the Sprint 15s Gordon claimed two 1st, Simon took one 1st as the wind hit 25 knots, and Andrew two 2nd and a 3rd.

In race 1, Gordon made a flying start, only to realise that he had gone 1 minute early and had to turn back! There were numerous capsizes, a couple of masts came down, and several retirements.

In the evening it was all back to the club for a barbeque, beer and a social.

Race Day 2

Race day 2 was pretty much the same as day 1, except we had to wait for the wind to come in. When it did, it started off breezy and sunny and finished where it had left off the day before, very windy and very cold.

Again Gordon led the Sprints to claim four 1st, Andrew two 2nd’ and two 3rd, with Simon two 2nd and two 3rd.

The low light of the day was at the start of the 3rd race - in a push for the start-line, Simon ran into a French boat catching his bow on a rudder pintle, Ouch! But he was able to finish the last 2 races.

In the evening it was prize giving and oyster tasting (eugh!)

Overall Results

1st Thierrey Hobie 14 (ex Olympian and world class sailor!)

2nd Gordon Sprint 15

3rd Simon Sprint 15

4th Andrew Sprint 15

5th Lisbeth Hobie 14

6th Dominique Hobie 14

Race Day 3 Long Distance

After an early briefing and the news that the wind was going to get worse than it already was, it was decision time for us, as the event itself was not being cancelled, did we go or not? After much discussion with the Hobie sailors, it was decided to stay ashore and have a leisurely pack up. We had had a great previous couple of days and decided to quit while we were ahead.

Even whilst we were packing up, numerous boats returned to the shore, some of them not even having made the start line!

 

Overall the event was well organised on and off the water, there were no language barriers; briefings being in both French and English.

If you are interested in going next year, give me a shout and we can do it all again.

Andrew has already said he wants be there in 2021!! Can’t wait...