EUROSAF 2K Team Racing at Batavia Sailing Centre

The Royal Thames YC Team win the EUROSAF 2K Team Racing (l to r) A Cornah, C Lasko, B Ainsworth, J Pinner, B Carden & S Miller © Bruce Hebbert

British clubs win gold and silver in the tough fought finals of the EUROSAF 2K Team Racing, Club Championship of Europe, held at the Batavia Sailing Centre at Lelystad, Holland, from 21st to 23rd June.

The Royal Thames Yacht Club team, skippered by Andy Cornah and Claire Lasko, finished the three day championship with only a single loss, to win the Albert Little Trophy and the 2nd edition of the EUROSAF keelboat team racing championship of Europe. Itchenor Sailing Club skippers George Yeoman and Andy Shaw, took second place, while the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda skippers Jacopo Pasini and Antonio Sodo Migliori, took third place and the bronze medal.

Having lost almost the whole first day of racing due to winds in excess of 30 knots, and endured winds averaging more than 20 knots on day 2, the final day of racing in Lelystad again required fully reefed sails and provided very marginal sailing conditions, which placed huge physical, as well as tactical demands, on the teams. With the top three teams decided from the round robin, the format changed to a 'winner stays on' series to decide fourth and last semi-finalist.

With all to play for the team from Bayerischer Yacht Club, Germany, won against the host team from Batavia, then stumbled against the British Serpentine Team Racing Club, who in splendid form, moved on to beat the young Dutch team from the Dutch Match and Team Race Association. Against the Belgian Snipe Class sailors, however, they met their match. The Belgian team, the surprise team at the championship, who had gained a reputation for superb boat handling and good boat speed in the wild conditions off the Lelystad shores, eventually won through to take the fourth semi-final place.

The first semi-final saw the Belgians facing the Royal Thames YC, who until then were unbeaten. Evenly matched in speed, the superior tactics of the Thames team won out. The second semi-final, however, was to take all to the limit. As so often happens in 2K team racing, the teams moved from winning to losing combinations again and again. The team from Itchenor Sailing Club lost each of the upwind legs to their opponents from Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, and had to concentrate on freeing their team from last place, allowing the Italians the upper hand. On the downwind legs the young British team showed their strength, relentlessly attacking from the left, forcing the Italians into a desperate defence. With possibly as many 20 gybes per boat on the run, the action moved with ferocity from one side to the other, luffing duels, pass backs and a shower of protests, finally ended with a victory for Itchenor.

The Petit Final, a one match decider for third place, again showed the benefit of a season of 2K team racing for the Italians. Matched for boat speed, the slick team work of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda sailors quickly gained the lead from the Belgium Snipe sailors, and with a tight defence, they held their advantage to the end to take the bronze medal.

The finals were to prove a series of set piece moves, with victory going to the team who made fewer mistakes. Winning the first race, the Royal Thames looked set for a series victory. Some brilliant work on the final run, however, forced Royal Thames skipper Lasko into an impossible defence, and within seconds of the line the resultant penalty, awarded by the umpires, ended the race in favour of Itchenor. Now with all to play for and Itchenor with their tails up, they dominated the first beat. Cornah, from the Royal Thames, was trapped by Yeoman from Itchenor and fouled as he tacked out, meaning that Itchenor had it in their grasp. Lasko, on the top reach, had only 5 boat lengths to change the situation, and with a brilliant defence at the offset mark, locked Yeoman to leeward. Blanketed by Lasko there is no escape, and Yeoman is forced to concede a penalty. With only Shaw from Itchenor to contend with, the Royal Thames team quickly broke free, split themselves on opposite side of the downwind leg, making it impossible for Shaw to get the leverage needed for a comeback, and so to victory for the Royal Thames team.

With the completion of the second edition of this EUROSAF Championship, 2K keelboat team racing is beginning to establish itself as a major European sailing discipline. The addition of teams from two more countries since the first event a year ago is a major step forward. 2K, as the discipline has become colloquially known, now has a growing circuit across the Continent of Europe, with events in no less than eight countries and more countries showing an interest in joining in.

The success of this year's edition, raced in the harshest of conditions, is a credit to the massive support from the City of Lelystad and the Batavia Sailing Centre. EUROSAF also need to thank the excellent team of race officials, brought together from around Europe, and the large group of volunteers from the local area.

Overall Results:

1. Royal Thames Yacht Club, GBR
2. Itchenor Sailing Club, GBR
3. Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, ITA
4. Snipe Team, BEL
5. Serpentine Team Racing Club, GBR
6. Dutch Match and Team Racing Association, NED
7. Bayerischer Yacht Club, GER
8. Batavia Sailing Centre, NED