French teams dominate

Their are four teams from France in the top five after day one of the Hobie 16 European Championship

Today, Wednesday, the French dominated the first day of this year’s Open Hobie 16 Europeans in Gravenzande.

The summer had finally arrived in the Netherlands, but that also caused a light and variable wind. After hours of postponement, the northern breeze was about eight knots in which the gold and silver fleets completed two races.

The competition among the 64 teams in the gold fleet, representing ten countries, was strong. Jerome Le Gall and Enrick Obert (FRA) are leading after scoring a second and a bullet. Fellow countrymen Bader and Souquet are second, followed by Renoud de Malet and Rossolin. Yesterday’s Youth Champions Lauriot-Prevost and Pervier are in fourth position, tied in points with the Germans Delius and Wiese-Dohse.

“These conditions were good for me and my crew”, explained Jerome Le Gall, European Hobie 16 Champion in 2004. “I like medium wind, but I don’t like the current. It was my first time sailing with tide, which is actually perfect training. If you want to become a good sailor, you need to see different locations.” He played the game well and had the best results of the day. Martin Orion and Frank Jordan (FRA) started the series with a bullet, but were unfortunate with a BFD in the second race. The fleet tried to start on port-tack at the pin-end, but the current pushed them early over the line three times in row. After the third general recall, the race committee hoisted the black flag and twelve teams were too eager again.

According to Cédéric Bader (FRA) there are five possible winners: “There are three French and two German favourite teams. Jerome is very strong. They are especially quick in more wind.” Bader won the Open and Youth European titles in 2005, but has not sailed with his former crew Yann Montoya for a year. “He has to work, but I am sailing with my wife now”, he joked. He teamed up with Nathalie Souquet, who is an inexperienced sailor. “She is very good, so maybe we are a new duo”, said Bader while putting his arm around her. The two of them scored two thirds, which put them in second place overall.

“The top four is all French”, said Alban Rossolin triumphantly. He and his skipper Christophe Renaud de Malet finished fifth and second. “It was a long and hard day. We floated for two and a half hours, returned for a quick lunch and went back for two races.” The reason for the French and New Caledonian domination is ‘practice’, thinks Rossolin. “But it is only the first day. Normally, the Germans are in the top as well.”

Results:

1-FRA - Le Gall and Obert, 3 points
2-FRA - Bader and Souquet, 6 points
3-FRA - Renaud de Malet and Rossolin, 7 points
4-FRA - Lauriot-Prevost and Pervier, 16 points
5-GER - Delius and Wiese-Dohse, 16 points

The Hobie 16 & Hobie Dragoon Europeans 2007 are sponsored by: I-Drukker.nl, Carrier Airconditioning, the Greenery, Autobedrijf Schoenmeijer, Vakantiepark Vlugtenburg aan zee, Tomselect, Ernst Olieman BV, Hogenboom vakantieparken, AfvalisHipenSexy.nl, Wealco Systemen BV, Westland Energie Services, ProfMedia BV, Rabobank, Boekestijn Transport Service, De Parel, Center Line, Hoeve de Viersprong, Colour XL, IkSloopGoedkoop.nl, Kwekerij Rozenhof, Ariën Hofman MD, Combifleur, Hobie Cat Holland BV, Westland Workwear, Woodfever, Veenman, Gemeente Westland, Arditio fotografie, Valere ICT Strategies, Vrijwillige Reddingsbrigade 's Gravenzande, Jessica emotions& flowers, Venvo Zonwering and van Spronsen b.v.