Thursday, 9 July 2009
Summary of Thursdays' racing
Two testing races in 15 to 25 knots changed the landscape at the top. Ed Wright takes the lead after posting a 1 and 4, while Giles Scott moved up to second and Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic in third. Race wins went to Wright and Jonas Hogh-Christensen in the windiest condition of the week so far.
Oscar flag up for free pumping the whole time so sailors were pretty tired coming ashore।
Results are posted and full report, clips and photos to follow
Fleet going afloat
Readings from the course area are 15-25 knots, but sounds like more from here. Lots of rain clouds about as well. Going to be a tough day all round.
Sailors are getting ready to launch, some are going to watch it online in the tent.
Online tracking at: www.tractrac.com/fgc
Also sign up to the Twitter feed here on the right.
If the tweets stop, we probably hit a big wave and the phone got too wet!
Thursday morning in Vallensbaek
There's a new challenge for Finn sailors today - wind. And lots of it. A few early morning heavy showers have come through and the wind is currently whistling through the trees at 15-20 knots.
First start at 11.00.
Wednesday, 8 July 2009
Wrap up for Wednesday
The Gold Cup is at its half way stage and with stronger winds forecast for the next few days, it could be an interesting time.
Interest in the Gold Cup is breaking all records. TV footage is being distributed worldwide and sailors are undergoing a thorough media drilling after each day.
This blog has had more than 1,700 visitors and 7,500 page views since the regatta started, 70 twitterers have signed up for updates from the water, the online tracking is getting 3,000 users a day and TheFinnChannel is getting 1,000 video views each day.
Thanks for looking.
Robert
zzzzzzzzzzzzz............
Here is the Vice-Chairman of the Jury catching up on his zeds between races on Wednesday after a hard night in the night club...
Tonight our hosts put on a great meal and party in the tent
table football, with a mini tournament compered by the inimitable Henk de
Jager...did the Dutch team win?
Summary of Wednesday's racing
Race five was sailed in 8-9 knots, almost reaching 12 by the final downwind. Bryan Boyd led round the top mark for the secoind time this week but couldn't hold on to the lead this time. Eduard Skornyakov took the lead on the first run and held to the finish. Andrew Mills sailed a great race into second while Dan Slater recovered to third to take the overall lead of the regatta.
After an hour's wait for the wind to stabilise it came back at 10-12 knots, increasing throughout the race. The Oscar flag downwind made for great surfing and pumping conditions. Michaal Maier led round the top mark after going right while many of the favourites including Slater were buried. Marin Misura took the lead on the first downwind to lead to the finish ahead of Jonathnan Lobert and Bjorn Allansson.
Slater and Zach Railey are now tied for the lead. Full results posted on event website.
Full report to follow.
Fleet going afloat
Racing expected to start on time. Heavy cloud appearing with a few drops of rain, but still a light wind in place.
Wednesday morning in Vallensbaek
Another bright and sunny morning here in Denmark, though a bit colder at 19 degrees. Some small clouds building on shore with currently a southerly light breeze in place. Looks good.
Today, if at least one more race is sailed, the discard kicks in so there should be some significant changes at the top. So far it's been a very high scoring regatta. The current leader Zach Railey has a sixth as his best result and leads the scoreboard by some eight points, but he is also the only sailor so far to place top ten in each race.
After today's racing, we should have a clearer idea of the main contenders.
Racing starts at 11.00. Follow it on Twitter (right hand column) and through the online tracking at www.tractrac.com/fgc
Tuesday, 7 July 2009
Twittering from a RIB
Twittering from the bottom of a wet RIB is not the easiest thing to do. That's assuming the boat is in the right place to see what you are supposed to be twittering about. It has its own duties and can't always get to the right place in time.
So if the twits don't make sense, or there are gaps in the story, it is probably because I am sheltering on the RIB floor, wiping spray off the phone's screen, sheilding it from the glare of the sun and being bounced up and down by the waves. And all the time making enough notes to write the reports, and take photos and videos for this blog. It can get quite hectic.
But we'll continue to try and bring the best of the day's action through these various mediums.
Thanks for looking.
Robert
Various sailors free pumping
Sequence with Zach Railey (USA), Dan Slater (NZL), Andrew Mills (GBR), Mark Andrews (GBR)
Perfect hospitality
The free beer and sandwiches are strategically placed just a few steps from the launching area.
Summary of the day's racing
Two great races in a southerly 9-14 knots brought most of the favourites to the front with ample chances to free pump downwind. Giles Scott led for the whole first race, while Jonas Hogh Christensen won the second race on the final downwind, with the top ten crossing the line in rolling waves and great surfing conditions in about 10 seconds. Two sixth places for Zach Railey leaves him leading the regatta with Scott in second and Dan Slater in third.
Plenty of high scores are still mixing things up, so it's going to be interesting when the discard kicks in after the next race.
Full results on event website http://www.fgc-2009.com/
Full report later
Racing starts at 11.00
The fleet is afloat and the Jury boats are about to head out.
Follow the updates on Twitter (see right hand column) and through the TracTrac online system, which we are assured will work today.
Find it at www.tractrac.com/fgc
Yesterday there was a problem with the phone network but fingers crossed it will work today.
Tuesday morning at the Finn Gold Cup
Good morning from Vallensbaek.
Weather today looks good for racing. It's bright and sunny, 20 degrees, currently around 6 -8 knots with lots of high and heavy cloud moving around.
The sailors are getting ready to go afloat.
Monday, 6 July 2009
Blog stats to Monday evening
Blog stats continue to increase
To date we have had 2,000 visits with more than 4,500 page views
On Monday alone, there have been 700 unique visitors and 2,500 page views.
Thanks for looking.
Robert
Summary of day one
After two very tricky races with large shifts and pressure differences across the course area Rafal Szukiel (POL), the recent winner of Kiel Wek tops the leaderboard. Race wins went to Bryan Boyd (USA) who led for the entire race and to Dan Slater (NZL) who narrowly beat Daniel Birgmark (SWE).
Andrew Mills (GBR) sailed to great races to sit in second and the onloy boat other than Szukiel to have single digit scores in both races. Peer Moberg is third.
For almost everyone else it was a real up and down day.
Full report to follow.
First races to start at 11.00
Everything looks good for the first races at 11.00 this morning. Wind is still 4-5 knots but the local forecast is for more later.
Meanwhile the launching ramp is alive with activity.
Follow today's races with the Finn Class Twitter feed and with the live online tracking through the event website
Nice weather has returned
Monday morning and the sunshine has returned. It is 23 degrees with almost complete blue skies. There is a westerly 4-6 knots in place and slowly building. Most of the forecasts say 7-10 knots today with rain expected later.
The sailors are getting ready for an 11.00 start.
Sunday, 5 July 2009
Videos from Vallensbaek
More videos from the Finn Gold Cup can be seen on The FinnChannel on YouTube
Practice race - summary
It took three attempts to start the practice race. On the second start half the fleet sailed away and did the first leg and came in. On the second start, what was left of the fleet was evenly split across the course. The first beat favoured the left with more pressure while the shifts were coming from the right. Riccardo Cordovani (ITA) led round the top mark before pulling out leaving Henry Bagnall (GBR) Daniel Birgmark, Philip Ramming (USA) and Mihail Kopanvo (BUL) to fight it out. As usual boats pulled out on every leg. On the second beat the right was definitely favoured with a big shift and increased pressure. Bagnall led round the top mark, though Kpoanov pulled through on the downwind before pulling out of the race. Bagnall narrowly won from Uwe Bartel (GER) and Ramming, just holding off a fast approaching Jesper Petersen. Seven boats finished out of around 50 for the first start.
Start of practice race - second attempt
Jonas Hogh Christensen (DEN 2) hold position at the starting vessel and tacks off to the right.
Practice race day
An overnight change in the weather has brought low cloud and a change in wind direction. At 10.00 the wind is from the North at just 3 knots. But it is still 20 degrees with 85 per cent humidity. Rain is expected later.
The skippers' briefing is being held this morning with the practice race scheduled for a 14.00 start.
Saturday, 4 July 2009
Growing number of visitors
The number of people visiting this blog is almost doubling each day. After just two days we are getting 150 unique visitors each day and over 500 page views a day.
Please spread the message, tell your friends and please do provide feedback. If there is anything you specifically want to see here or a question you'd like answered by a sailor, leave a comment and we'll do our best.
Robert
Opening ceremony
Finn Gold Cup was held alongside the harbour together with free drinks and a
massive feast laid on by the Municipality of Vallensbaek. After a few short
speeches by Mr Steen Hillebrecht, Chairman of Vallensbaek Sailing Club, Mr
Balazs Hajdu, President of the International Finn Association and Mr Kurt
Hockerup, the Mayor of Vallensbaek a band carried on proceedings accompanied
by the chatter and munching of 98 Finn sailors, their guests, event
officials and club members.
Balazs Hajdu said, " I am very proud that the Finn class chose Vallensbaek
and Copenhagen in Denmark for the 2009 Finn Gold Cup because Denmark has
been and still is a great in supporting Finn sailors in the past.
"I am also happy and proud to see such a huge fleet in Denmark this year,
especially in a post Olympic year. I wish all the best to our sailors, fair
wind and may the best man win."
Mr Hockerup said, "It is a great please to welcome you to the biggest
sailing event in Denmark this year. It is 50 years since the Finn Gold Cup
was last held in Denmark, when the greatest sailor ever from Denmark Paul
Elvström won."
"Being one of the largest sailing clubs in Denmark, I know from personal
experience that Vallensbaek YC is well qualified to host this event in the
best possible way. Vallensbaek harbour will provide a great framework for
the event. You will be given excellent conditions for great racing."
"I would like to thank everyone involved in contributing to make this event
a success and wish you all a fair week with competitive racing. Good luck to
you all."
"With these words and the handling over of this shirt to the chairman of
Vallensbaek Sailing Club, I hearby declare the 2009 Finn Gold Cup open."
The impressive display of food was then demolished by the assembled Finn
sailor and guests.
Photo (left to right): Mr Kurt Hockerup, the Mayor of Vallensbaek, Mr Steen
Hillebrecht, Chairman of Vallensbaek Sailing Club, Jakob Nybroe of the
Organsing Committee, Balazs Hajdu, President of the International Finn
Association
2009 Finn Gold Cup is open
The 2009 Finn Gold Cup was declared open by the Mayor of Vallenbaek Mr Kurt Hockerup
Measurement? No-problem
The three days of measurement is at the half way stage with everything proceeding well. It is a seamless process overseen by IFA Chief Measurer Juri Saraskin, handling any problems in his usual helpful way. The hardest part is queueing in the unending sunshine.
Making the most of the tropical weather
It is another very hot and sunny day in Vallensbaek, perfect for measurement and boat prearation, though the forecast is for cold and murkier weather from Sunday evening. It is day two of measurement and the opening ceremony is at 14.00. From the press office, the sea looks blue and inviting and many sailors are taking the opportunity for some last minute practice. Here, Florian Raudachl, Tomas Vika and Dirk Meid set out from the club.
A bit of history at Vallensbaek
Brought in specially from the local musuem, this cold moulded Finn from about 1958 reminds us what Finn sailing used to be like. It still has its original wooden spars, tube type self bailers and cotton Elvstrom sail. Ralph Roberts, who is on the jury here this week, fondly remembers having one of the last gold couloured sails made by Elvstrom before the move to Dacron in 1960.
2009 International Finn Association AGM
A four hour AGM was held last night with around 50 sailors present:
Full reports and minutes later but main points were:
- 2012 Finn Gold Cup awarded to Falmouth, UK
- 2012 Europeans awarded to Scarlino, Italy
- 2011 Finn Silver Cup (Junior Worlds) awarded to Moscow Sailing Sailing
- Zach Railey updated the meeting of progress with the 2010 FGC at St Francis YC in San Francisco, USA. The FGC will be preceded by the Silver Cup where it is hoped 25 boats wil be available for Juniors. Dates from 18 August.
- IFA membership subscriptions to increase by EUR 5, the first increase in 10 years, after the class made losses in past three years.
- Michele Marchesini reported more than 20,000 hits on the Finn Channel, the Finn classes YouTube site.
- All committees relected for a further term
- Technical discussions included looking at limiting gear at WC events; experiments on reducing the wind limit for free pumping
- There was a proposal to set up a gear commission for the Olympics to limit expensive development. The individual points raised by the proposal could not be agreed on by all, but the meeting agreed in principle to establish a commission to further investigate the issues and report back at the 2010 AGM.
- Zach Railey reported on the progress of the pilot programme to get junior sailors started which has resulted in Caleb Paine attending regattas in Europe. He hopes the programme will be taken up by at least 5 more countries this year.
Friday, 3 July 2009
A beautiful day in Vallensbaek
The sun is shining, the breeze is filling in and sailors are busy with measurement and last minute practice.
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