Tim Gratton and Chris Taylor put one hand out towards the World Crown on the penultimate day of the PSP RS Feva Worlds here in Gottskar. Racing today was held in generally light winds but very gusty with the wind waltzing between a low of some 7 knots during the first race of the day and a high of possibly 15 knots later on. The sun had removed it’s hat for most of the day to everyone’s delight but the sea state may have posed most sailors with problems if you check out the detail in the results (http://feva.raceweek.org/ ) The reports from the sailors used words like choppy and horrible. Having said that the sailors are tonight in very high spirits at the competitors dinner. Rumours of singing and table dancing (as in on the tables) reached outside the venue!
Well, to the racing. On what could have been a tricky day for the officials, the race officer and his team magnificently got 3 races of perfect length snapped straight out – no trouble at all. Tim Gratton and Chris Taylor led a magnificent Team GBR sweep of the top places in the first race of the day. Second were the young and ever improving Ruth & Tess Allan with James Bolingbroke and Gavin Page riding shotgun for them in third.
In the second race the Italians tried to emulate the Brits but were foiled by Grattons magnificent consistency when he came second to split two Italian all girl teams. Race winners were Elissa Roccatagliata and Chiara Russo whilst in third were Alessandra Moretto-Wiel Bianca Maria Nuvolari-Duddo.
The third race turned in a tricolour race with Gratton and Taylor taking their third bullet of the final series whilst second went to the Italian Bellico siblings Alessio and Mattia. Third was sown up by Irish duo Richard Harrington and Conor Lyden.
So Tim and Chris’ amazing consistency in the conditions gives them a 15 point lead going into the final day and sees them discarding a 6th place at present. The Bellico’s are in second on 29 points, 4 ahead of the Swedes Sofia Engstrom and Frida Langenius. 3 points further adrift are the second Italian pairing Edoardo Semenzato and Ludovico Bonsi. In fifth place and from the 4th different country are Irish hotshots Harrington and Lyden who must feel pleased with their days work of 11,4,3.
The top 10 are then made up of two more Italians in 6th and 7th - Edoardo Marini/Stefano Balestrero (47pts) and Alessandra Moretto- Wiel/Bianca Maria Nuvolori-Duddo (48pts), Brits in 8th and 10th - James Bolingbroke/Gavin Page (53pts) and Alex Mothersele/Hamish Ellis (63pts) who sandwiched Swedish girls Elin Sturesson/Sofia Falkendal in 9th (62pts).
Whilst current Euro Champs Sofia Engstrom/Frida Langenius are still battling for overall podium placement they have a reasonably comfortable 15 point lead over Italians Alessandra Moretto-Wiel/Bianca Maria Nuvolori-Duddo for the World Female Crown. Currently in third place for this title are Elin Sturesson/Sofia Falkendal also from Sweden, and they in turn have a 14 point lead over 4th placed Alice Kent/Lucy Childs (GBR).
We aren’t quite sure how the World Junior title (Helm and crew 13 or under on the first day of the event) is shaping up but it may be that Brits Harry Bowerman/George Thompson and Will Lowes/Hugo Tucker are in the hunt for that one.
Probably worth mentioning for any classes thinking of an event in Sweden but nervous of the temperature – Air temp is no worse than the UK but the water here has been a steamy, a whopping, a glorious 21C!
This has been a major source of non-sailing fun for one and all but perhaps someone should have a word with young Gavin Page about the timing of his swimming escapades – probably not the best thing to leave your helm to get on with the job of sailing the boat on his own!
So the final day beckons – the favorites are probably tucked up in bed as soon as possible after the competitors meal finished whilst the others should to exhausted to be up much longer! Some are turning their attention to the future already. There is already great desire to carry on partying… sorry sailing in Garda at the end of June Next year. Some kids have also been overheard discussing the fundraising they will be doing to get the plane to Sydney in January 2010 (Woollahra Sailing Club – one of NSW finest sailing clubs and where Team GBR were based prior to the Sydney Olympics). Just one other observation - Feva sailing must be family affair - Until tomorrow at least the current World Champions are James Peters (now also ISAF Youth World Champion and 29er European Champion) and he was crewed by .... Ben Gratton!! (now sailing with Phil Sparks in a 420)
Good luck to all on the final day! Just show those even younger guns in their Terra's how it's done. The Turkish and Italian Terra's were out there today practicing hard and spying out the waters and winds by observing the Fevas! This will be some event for youngsters like Henry Neve for whom this is a first taste of international competition once the Fevas have packed up.
