Penultimate day at 2019 Open Finn European Championships abandoned
by Australian Sailing Team 18 May 2019 16:10 NZST
No sailing - Day 4 - Finn European Championship - Athens, Greece © Robert Deaves / Finn Class
On the penultimate day of the 2019 Open Finn European Championships, Athens once again presented itself with some challenging conditions and with no more races sailed due to very light wind all day.
The fleet of 84 Finns from 33 nations had a long day of waiting on shore followed by a brief excursion onto the water, only to be turned around as a storm cell appeared from Athens. After a further wait onshore racing was abandoned for the day around 18.30.
"No racing today, but we still have one final race tomorrow (Saturday). The regatta has been a bit of a write-off for me, I haven't brought my a-game and in this quality of fleet I've been punished for it," Jock Calvert reflected on his week that will see him go into the final race ranked 53rd.
"It was actually still a fun day today, just hanging out with the boys. I'll be looking to regroup after the regatta and get everything back on track in Marseilles for the World Cup Final. Onwards and upwards."
Despite no racing on the penultimate day, based on the point score of the so far eight-race series and with only one race left, Norway and Brazil secured their places at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games with two more places up for grabs on the final day of racing.
At the moment, the two spots are occupied by Switzerland (112 points) and USA (120 points), in 11th and 12th, but the points are really close in the chasing group and everyone will have to be at the top of their game. This includes Australian Sailing Squad's Jake Lilley, who goes into the final day ranked 15thon 126 points. Athens and Canada are currently ranked 13thand 14thwith both sitting on 122 points.
On Saturday the focus will not only be on these final two spots, but also on the Europeans titles for the top-end of the fleet. Britain's Olympic champion Giles Scott will go into the medal race with a 15-point lead over world champion Zsombor Berecz, from Hungary, who has a seven point lead over America's Cup winner Andy Maloney (NZL). Gold will go to Scott or Berecz, while Berecz and Maloney will fight for the silver Only these three an win the medals.
On Saturday the Final Race has been scheduled for 11.00 local time (18:00 AEST), followed immediately by the medal race. The forecast would seem to indicate good wind at that time. Live tracking is available through YouTube and SailRacer on the event website 2019.finneuropeans.org
84 sailors from 33 nations are contesting the 2019 Open Finn European Championship hosted by the Hellenic Sailing Federation in Athens.
Live tracking is available through YouTube on the event website: 2019.finneuropeans.org
Australian Sailing Team Standings:
15th Jake Lilley 24, 29, 13, 36, 2, 9, 13, (53) = 126 points
53rd Jock Calvert 52, 36, 42, (BFD), 40, 55, 46, 43 = 314 points
Full results available here.