Medal race magic gives Denmark the win

Sometimes a regatta can come down to a moment, and for Denmark’s Jena Hansen and Katja Iversen it certainly rings true.

The pair seized their moment in a medal race that would have a big bearing on the fate of the European title, which they would eventually win, a first European title for the Danish duo. Trailing the reigning European Champions, Italy’s Giulia Conti and Francesca Clapcich by four points entering the medal race, they were left with the task of having to beat the Italians and put at least one boat between them.

On the first beat, the right was favored and the whole fleet headed that way. The Danish team were in second following Great Britain’s Charlotte Dobson and Sophie Ainsworth, but critically with Conti and Clapcich just on their windward hip. After a long drag race where the Danish sailed a fairly high line, the Italians had held on, but were just behind.  As the British tacked on what appeared to be the layline, the Danish and Italians had critical decisions to make.

“We were happy to see the British boat there as we thought they might need to be the boat we pass to get a boat in between,” said Katja Iversen. “When they tacked, the layline looked close, but we wanted to tack underneath in case we could make it and we didn’t want to give the opportunity to the Italians.

“We pulled off the tack and Conti did the same, but we and the British were too far ahead, so we could roll them and they ended up having to do two more tacks, giving us the gap we needed.”

In that moment, the Italians fell from third, a regatta winning position, to seventh by the windward mark. They fought bravely back through the race, but could only catch two of the boats, they had to settle for Silver, and the disappointment was evident as Conti explained, “There will be no more chances to be European Champions, as we retire after the games.” 

Her team mates consoled her all knowing there would be the greater prize to shoot for on the horizon in Rio in just a few short month’s time.

For the second major championships in a row, Conti and Clapcich have come undone by the medal race. The first was a terrible turn in the 2016 49erFX World Championship in Clearwater, USA and got stuck in a hole for five minutes while the rest of the fleet continued passed them. The race today was lost in a much more typical fashion, but is no less heartbreaking.

Elated by the finish were 2016 World Champion’s Tamara Echegoyen and Berta Betanzos. The pair ended up tied with the Argentinian crew of Vicky Travascio and Sol Branz on 101 points, but claim the Bronze medal by having the better medal race position. Leading the regatta after day four, the Spanish pair had two poor days in a row to drop out of the hunt for the win, so were happy to bounce back and claim a medal on home waters.

Home waters proved lucky this week, as Diego Botin and Iago Lopez (ESP) also claimed the Bronze medal in a great medal race performance for them. These young guns have been on the rise for all of 2016, up to fifth during the 2016 World Championships, before their team mates match raced them back due to an internal trials, a third place finish in Palma, and now a Bronze medal at the European Championship and the top European at the European Championship.

Out in front were Peter Burling and Blair Tuke (NZL), ever present champions in the 49er, followed by Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen (AUS), who sailed very cleanly into the Silver medal position and are gearing up for another big run with only four months to go until Rio 2016.

The next regattas for most of these teams are the Sailing World Cup in Hyeres and Weymouth and Portland and the 49er and 49erFX South American’s in Rio, July 11-14th.

The Barcelona International Sailing Center provided spectacular conditions all week, with 19 races complete by fleets in a variety of condition but always sunny skies.  The facility is built for sailing, with ramps, accommodation, restaurant, docks, and plenty of boats. During the championship a number of other classes were using the facility as a training base.

Tracking, results, photos, video and more here – http://49er.org/2016-european-championship/