Russian winner

Yngling coach clinches Dragon European championship in Oslo

Maxim Logutenko, skipper of I Feel Good from Pirogovo Yacht Club never lost sight of his closest enemies, and friends from the same yacht club, in the last race in Aberdeen Dragon European Championship. He and his crew have been crowned the new European Champions.

"This is probably my best result in my sailing carrier ever," said a very happy Maxim Logutenko when the last race of the Aberdeen Dragon European Championship was over.

While Maxim Logutenko sailed the last race in Oslofjorden, Norway the Olympics opened in Beijing. He is usually a coach for the Russian Yngling team and he hopes that they also will bring back the gold. Besides the Dragon he sails a ton class back in Moscow, and has been the national champion “a couple of times” he says.

Together with Mikhail Senatorov and Vladimir Krutskih they decided to sail conservatively in the last race as the gold was within reach.

"We had a good start and focused on keeping our enemies behind us all the way. Our enemies are also our friends as we come from the same yacht club," said Logutenko.

The strategy worked and they finished in ninth place with no one in front that could beat them on points. They got 61 points total, while Dimitry Berezkin, Pirogovo Yacht Club, got 73 points and the silver.

It was only German Thomas Mueller who managed to sneak in between the dominating Pirogovo sailors. He took the bronze with three other Moscow sailors right behind him.

Finn Henrik Dahlman had his best day in the good breeze Friday and won the last race. That sent him up to seventh place overall. Best local sailor was Terje Wang on 9th.

Tor Möinichen, Vice Commodore KNS and chairman of the organising committee for the Aberdeen Dragon European Championship, enjoyed the last day off racing as much as the sailors. "The conditions on Friday were very good and it was an excellent last race for the championship with very close competition," he said.

Full results here