European Champs is over. A great experience

PICTURE: Zoe (UK), India (US, Charlotte (NZL) and Ragna


Two races were held in light conditions on the last day. Sam had a good day and advanced in the overall standings, in the top half of the fleet. The girls had more difficulties, but Ragna also kept her position in the top half of the fleet. Well done to both.

Maia and Georgia had an aggressive day on the start line with three OCS out of four possible. If nothing else, this Championship has sharpened their starting skills :-)

The Germans made a clean sweap with both the best boy and the best girl. Paulina, the very nice best German girl, almost came to Mandurah last year. The three German girls all came top 5 in the Girls class.

Our friend Malcolm from the US came third in the open Boy Class. He is only 12 and a very talented sailor. Watch that space ! The best Norwegian girl Karianne came 10th. This was her third and last European Championship, and the second best Norwegian result since Siren Sundby (Gold in Europe Class, Athens) won here 12 years ago.)

The evening was spent with some inter - team bonding and prize giving ceremony. Our team traded Australian gear with other teams and all had a really good time. De rigging etc went easy when you have charter boats, no damage to any of the boats.

Ryan will write a few more words when he has time. He is off to Malta and the Euro Cup in Laser in Sweden

See you soon !



We have had interest from several coacvhes to bring a team to Adelaide, which would be great for us.

GIRLS

1 GER 12302 Rothlauf Paulina 23,0 (7) 3 3 (8) 1 2 2 5 4 1 2
2 POL 1384 Piasecka Sara 37,0 7 1 13 1 3 (18) 2 1 3 (28) 6
3 ITA 7621 Russo Cirillo Francesca 42,0 2 5 (13) 5 10 1 (28) 2 12 1 4
4 GER 12370 Cipra Finja 56,0 (23) 15 3 1 3 7 4 3 4 16 (ocs)
5 GER 12010 Matthiesen Annika 57,0 12 1 1 3 4 15 (40) 7 7 (16) 7
6 TUR 17 Yentur Zeynep 66,0 11 2 12 4 2 (30) 1 7 1 26 (29)
7 GRE 1976 Drosou Maria 72,0 4 17 25 2 9 (34) 3 5 (ocs) 5 2
8 FRA 1930 Poret Jennifer 75,0 1 3 (27) 6 8 3 22 24 (ocs) 7 1
9 SLO 329 Janezic Lea 78,0 21 18 (23) 3 6 8 1 2 6 (23) 13
10 NOR 3615 Hammarstroem Karianne 90,0 (29) 5 5 5 20 (23) 6 4 16 17 12
…..
52 AUS 541 Agerup Ragna 190,0 (48) (39) 26 22 23 4 27 18 10 37 23
81 AUS 559 Thompson Georgia 301,0 42 28 32 36 24 (ocs) 30 32 26 (ocs) ocs
86 AUS 542 Agerup Maia 310,0 43 34 29 37 34 (46) 34 39 18 (ocs) 42

BOYS

1 GER 12337 Hibler Maximilian 52,0 8 3 5 2 7 3 (bfd) 1 5 (19) 18
2 HUN 151 Vadnai Benjamin 61,0 5 16 6 (23) 2 2 5 6 (21) 12 7
3 USA 15462 Lamphere Malcolm 63,0 5 2 16 (22) 9 8 7 12 (45) 1 3
4 POL 1526 Lipski Konrad 65,0 11 (46) 5 17 1 (bfd) 2 4 5 8 12
5 POL 1373 Florek Filip 74,0 (30) 9 (17) 1 12 15 12 5 9 5 6
6 NED 2889 Sonnema Wouter 84,0 15 6 18 1 2 (35) 9 2 8 (29) 23
7 ITA 7488 Ferrighi Stefano 86,0 10 4 10 5 26 (32) 11 8 4 (34) 8
8 FRA 79 Fortune Arthur 87,0 (ocs) 11 (27) 12 20 1 11 2 9 19 2
9 TUR 674 Birincioglu Mustafa Sergen 92,0 11 7 24 10 5 3 10 (42) 2 20 (44)
10 GRE 1525 Magouras Alexandros 100,0 4 3 3 26 (27) 14 19 1 10 (31) 20
….
73 AUS 556 Blackburn Sam 287,0 58 8 (70) 39 30 (64) 45 25 20 23 39

Se full results on:

http://www.sailpiran.si/eoc2009/

Day 6 - A good day

3 races in 12 - 15 knots. Our best day so far with pretty consistent results. Sam had a 20, Ragna 10, Maia 18 and Georgia 26 as their best results. Quite wavy conditions with large, consistent shifts to right and then left.

Todays most unfortunate sailor was NZL sailor Oscar Rorvik who had a fantastic series of 4,1,4, but who had OCS in both of the two last races.

After races a happy Aussie Team celebrated Georgias father Graydens birthday. We all went to Portoroz and had dinner which was very nice.

Hopefully we will get two races in tomorrow (last day). This will allow us another drop which could help Sam and Ragna in particular.

Results after Day 6:

GIRLS

1 GER 12302 Rothlauf Paulina 27,0 7 3 3 (8) 1 2 2 5 4
2 POL 1384 Piasecka Sara 31,0 7 1 13 1 3 (18) 2 1 3
3 TUR 17 Yentur Zeynep 40,0 11 2 12 4 2 (30) 1 7 1
.......
48 AUS 541 Agerup Ragna 169,0 (48) 39 26 22 23 4 27 18 10
72 AUS 559 Thompson Georgia 251,0 42 28 32 36 24 (ocs) 31 32 26
79 AUS 542 Agerup Maia 269,0 43 34 29 37 34 (46) 35 39 18

BOYS

1 GER 12337 Hibler Maximilian 34,0 8 3 5 2 7 3 (bfd) 1 5
2 NED 2889 Sonnema Wouter 61,0 15 6 18 1 2 (35) 9 2 8
3 HUN 151 Vadnai Benjamin 64,0 5 16 6 (23) 2 2 5 6 22
….
82 AUS 556 Blackburn Sam 290,0 58 8 (70) 39 30 65 45 25 20

Day 5 – Morning

The European Championship has been a truly learningful event for our sailors. The level is just amazingly high. Several times our sailors have been at the top mark in the top 15 boats only to be passed by 10 – 15 boats on the reach / downwind and another 15 boats on the last upwind. You have to be BEST technically on every part of the race, AND think about current, pressure and tactics vs. other boats. Otherwise, 5 boats will pass you in a second.

The whole setting with all sailors at the same venue works really well. Our sailors eat tehir meals with other nations, are together on the water and form friendships for life. The coaches have a good time with each other and so does the team delegations. We have had several invitations to come to events in other countries and we have extended invitations to come to our nationals in January.



You might wonder what our day look like. Here it is:

Daily programme:

07.45. Wake up – quick look out – is there wind ?
08.00 Meet Ryan. Exercise, weather discussion, swim, stretching, team talk.
09.00 Breakfast
09.30 Rinse boats, get sail. Go over boats – anything that should be replaced ?
10.00 Team leader / Coach meeting
10.30 On the water (if wind). Our sailors towed to regatta area with US / GBR
12.00 First start (Boys first – two flights, Girls next – two flights)
16.00 Racing (normally) over.
18.00 Boats washed. Shower, Briefing with Ryan – look at races on the computer. What did we learn ?
19.00 Dinner
20.00 Social w/ other sailors
21.30 Bed.

Today there is wind ! Probably around 15 knots. Hopefully the wind will stay up and we will get 3 races in.

Ryan has been working with our sailors this morning to get them to become more aggressive, especially on the start line. Georgia’s OCS yesterday was really quite good news, as our sailors’ starts generally have been too timid. Let us cross our fingers for todays races !

All sailrs are in good spirits. We are hoping for 5 more races so we can get another drop...

Day 4 - one race only.

Hello from Piran

The weather here continues to puzzle. We had major front passing over us around 11 am which was not forecasted. Strong winds from 25 – 30 knots, gusting to 42! All boats were de- rigged and sails put under cover. Heavy rains, thunderstorm and lightning. The sailors went on water around noon in 20 knots of wind, but by the time they reached the regatta area, the wind had died down.

It took a long time to get the races going and the race committee only managed to get one race for each of the fleets going. A bit disappointing for many. In the boys fleet, false starts took a lot of time. The first start went off at 4PM!

For the boys, more than 40 sailors were disqualified in today’s race and the first start of tomorrows race. (The first boy start tomorrow will start with 50, not 75 sailors..)

For the Australians, the day was mixed. Sam is still struggling to get everything together and finished in the back of the fleet. Ragna almost won her race, but was passed by three boats a few meters from the finish as they lifted passed her. Still a fourth place is reason to celebrate! Georgia had a great reace and finished 9, but unfortuntaly she was OCS’d. Maia finished back of the fleet (but her start was good:-) )

Standings after day 4:


GIRLS

No Sailno Name Scores 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 GER 12302 Rothlauf Paulina 16,0 7 3 3 (8) 1 2
2 GER 12010 Matthiesen Annika 21,0 12 1 1 3 4 (15)
3 FRA 1930 Poret Jennifer 21,0 1 3 (27) 6 8 3
….
54 AUS 541 Agerup Ragna 114,0 (48) 39 26 22 23 4
80 AUS 559 Thompson Georgia 162,0 42 28 32 36 24 (ocs)
88 AUS 542 Agerup Maia 177,0 43 34 29 37 34 (46)

BOYS

1 GER 12337 Hibler Maximilian 20,0 (8) 3 5 2 7 3
2 HUN 151 Vadnai Benjamin 31,0 5 16 6 (23) 2 2
3 TUR 674 Birincioglu Mustafa Sergen 36,0 11 7 (24) 10 5 3
...
101 AUS 556 Blackburn Sam 200,0 58 8 (70) 39 30 65


Sailors paying attention to their Coach..



A bit more attentative (?)US Team listens to Amanda - the US Coach



NZ Team and team leader

The future of Sailing?

Live GPS tracking in sailing competitions is a great ! The insight the sailors get when they track their own race, and the opportunities for dialogue between the sailors and between the sailors and their coach is just fantastic.

After seing what live GPS tracking can be used for, I hope that this technology becomes so afordable that most major regattas can use it all over the world.

The discussions here are going beyond the entertainment and training purposes. All OCS breaches can be tracked precisely, all penalty monitoring, most starboard / port situations AND finish line situations can be tracked. Just great.

Let us get a set for Yachting WA.

Day 3 - 3 races in 15 to 18 knots!

Finally the wind filled in from the north (it has a name ! the BORA BORA). We had a steady breeze of 15 - 18 knots from 11 to 5 PM and the race committe - eager to get some races off were quick to start and keep the races going. 24 starts in four hours is good work !

The Australian team had another good day. Sam was a bit unlucky in the first race where he was finishing top 15 when a huge wave broke right into his boat. The rest of the day he consistently finished in the top half which is well done in this competitive environment. I think his ambitions are higher, but he is not the one to reveal them.. Watch this space for the next days to come :-)

The girls also did well. Ragna finally got going and clocked in three races in the top half of the fleet. Maia and Georgia also did some good racing at the start of the races but often fell back at the last upwind - that is the homework for tomorrow! They know they can be at the top of the fleet now!

Starts were much better today - have a look at the live GPS tracking races - link from the EOC web site. Good work, Ryan.

Overall - we are improving. Still 3 race days and 7 races to go. Let us hope the wind comes back.

Results so fare are (Total, Race 1 through to race 5)

GIRLS

1 GER 12010 Matthiesen Annika 21,0 12 1 1 3 4
2 GER 12302 Rothlauf Paulina 22,0 7 3 3 8 1
3 POL 1384 Piasecka Sara 25,0 7 1 13 1 3
....
67 AUS 541 Agerup Ragna 158,0 48 39 26 22 23
73 AUS 559 Thompson Georgia 162,0 42 28 32 36 24
80 AUS 542 Agerup Maia 177,0 43 34 29 37 34

BOYS

1 GER 12337 Hibler Maximilian 25,0 8 3 5 2 7
2 NED 2889 Sonnema Wouter 42,0 15 6 18 1 2
3 HUN 151 Vadnai Benjamin 52,0 5 16 6 23 2
…
88 AUS 556 Blackburn Sam 205,0 58 8 70 39 30

Tomorrow we will get a drop, so with continued good racing our positions will improve.

Charlotte from NZ won a race today and Malcom from the US is coming 4th. The team are making friends and having a great time. EVERYONE by know knows who the Australian Coach is..

Day 2 of the 2009 Optimist Europeans - Recalling the past

The 2009 Europeans held off Piran, Slovenia have provided enormous challenges for the Australian Team. 42 nations competing sending sailors that represent the pinnacle of competition in their respective countries creates a fleet equipped with immense talent. This new environment has been a psychological struggle for some of our sailors due to the intensity, calibre and depth of such a fleet and trying to satisfy hopes and expectations.

The starts have proved to be one of the main areas that our sailors are battling with. If they are able to pop out ahead of their nearest competitors at the start it inevitably allows them options to sail their own strategy. However, sheeting on too late results in a lack of options as one attempts to gain clear air. The GPS tracking system used throughout the regatta allows for closer scrutineering of the race, subsequent to the sailors coming ashore. It also reveals that our Australian sailors do not lack speed, but that the shifts are somewhat persistent and some strategic errors are being made.

The weather in Slovenia is very unique. It is affected by developing thunderstorms in Italy, Austria and Slovenia as well as the gradient breezes. These local disturbances often result in the wind being incredibly variable in both strength and direction. These unfamiliar scenarios are adding to our sailors experiences and development in being able to recognise and forecast wind conditions.

Despite day 1 of the regatta being a rude awakening to the fate sailors face when racing in Europe, all of our sailors have shown solid conviction in trying to improve their results by being more agressive in all avenues of racing, and will hopefully canvas future successful Australian sailors.

Ryan Hannan