Equinoxe by a hair

A report from the Austrian and Slovenian IMS Championship series

The Austrian and Slovenian IMS Championship held in Izola from 21-22 May was
the first of a five IMS regatta series known as the Yacht Sport Cup run by Croatian and
Austrian clubs to promote and develop IMS racing and establishing co-operation among clubs, sailors and boat owners.

In Izola 16 boats from Austria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Italy and Slovenia took part. Among the boats were two IMX 45s and two Beneteau First 36.7.

Weather in Izola permitted all of the six scheduled windward-leeward course races to be
sailed over two days. Races, each of six nautical miles length, were held very close to the shore allowing spectators to easily follow the racing.

After the first day the IMX40 Equinoxe 2 helmed by Rene Mangold was convincingly leading with two wins and one second ahead of the IMX 38 Christina 4 of Gunther Nagele and the Sydney 46 Mas! of Robert Rauhofer.

In spite of her victory in the second race DSK with Zvonimr Bezic at the helm, scored a fourth and sixth place in the remaining races only enough to get them fourth overall after the first day.

Day two brought slightly lighter wind conditions then the first day before but still from the south. Starts were more aggressive and were recalled several times. Even with comfortable lead after first day, Equinoxe 2 and her crew were more nervous. They came fourth in race 4 but won in the fifth. However, their win was spoiled by 20% starting penalty as they were over the line while Z flag was in use. They were also DSQ in race 6 because they started early.

Their opponents Christina 4 with third, fourth and first and after discard managed to equal the overall score but Equinoxe won the title because they have more first places.

The injury of a crew member on Mas! prevented them from continuing the competition and they ended in 11th place. The best Croatian team was DSK with Zvonimir Bezic finishing third ahead of Cool'n, the Sun Fast 32i of Jan Winkler from SC Medvescak Zagreb and smallest boat in the regatta. Fifth was Check Polar the Beneteau First 36.7 of Jaroslaw Korytar and the best Slovenian team was Xx2 of Marco Lugoboni which finished 6th.

The Yacht Sport Cup continues this coming weekend with the Croatia Cup in Punat. The series continues as follows:

27 - 30. 05. Croatia Cup, Punat (CRO)
19 - 26. 06. VIP IMS Mediterranean Championship, Cres (CRO)
02 - 04. 07 Galijola Sailing Week, Opatija (CRO)
03 - 05. 09. Alpe Adria IMS Cup, Rovinj (CRO)

Overall sponsor of this initiative is company Yacht Sport based in Rijeka. Yacht Sport is importing sailing gear from well known UK manufacturer - Gill. Yacht Sport will provide sailing gear as prizes, total value of EUR 4.500 for the best three crews. Participants may as well benefit of special discounts on Gill products provided by Yacht Sport.