10.09.2017

Max Salminen secures Opel Finn Gold Cup after intense Balaton Medal Race

Max Salminen, from Sweden, has secured his first Finn world title as the 2017 Opel Finn Gold Cup closes at Balatonföldvár with an extremely close and intense medal race in light winds. Jonathan Lobert, from France took the silver while Nicholas Heiner, from The Netherlands, took bronze after leading the race from start to finish.

With a reasonable wind forecast it was with some dismay that the sailors arrived at Spartacus SC to a windless lake and a postponement. However it wasn’t long before an easterly wind was in place and the top 10 were sent out for the medal race.

The title was down to five sailors, with Salminen, Wright and Lobert with the best chances, and Heiner and Zsombor Berecz, from Hungary with outside chances.

Sailed in 6-8 knots it was the kind of conditions the sailors had expected all week, and that many had trained for. Heiner was especially keen to sail in light winds and it was soon obvious why as he took the lead on the first upwind and never relinquished it. He had done everything needed to be in with a chance of a medal, now it just depended what happened behind him.

Ed Wright, from Britain, started badly and then got a yellow flag on the downwind. But he pulled back on the subsequent legs to cross in sixth place.

Lobert had an even worse first leg, rounding the first mark in last place and having a lot of work to do to keep a medal or take the title. He made some ground downwind and on the second upwind and then moved up to fifth on the final downwind, which was just enough for the silver medal.

Salminen controlled his main opponents and defended against Lobert and Wright. But the title nearly slipped away from him on the final downwind as the pressure dropped out on the left and both boats passed him just before the finish.

As the fleet crossed the finish line there was some frantic maths to work out who had won what. In the end, it was extremely close, with just three points separating the top four boats. Even the coaches didn’t want to commit for fear of missing a point. But finally the results were known and the celebrations began.

In the final race for the rest, it was quite fitting that the race win went to the new U23 World Champion Oskari Muhonen, from Finland. This gave him an impressive 11th overall in the Finn Gold Cup.

Facundo Olezza, from Argentina, picked up the best U23 prize from Muhonen and Henry Wetherell, from Britain.

Sailing at his first Finn Gold Cup, Heiner commented, “I think it was quite an interesting week, and for sure not what we expected wind wise. In the training days and early races we had quite a decent breeze and finally today we had a bit lighter and the training paid off and I won the medal race.”

“Having said that, I think I lost a few places in the races just by my own mistakes, so I am a bit disappointed with that, so could have got away with a bit more.”

After his first year in the class, “I have spent nearly a year in the Finn now and spent three quarters of the year training with Rafa [Trujillo]. It’s my first Finn Gold Cup and it’s not a bad result if you think about it. I have had a really nice season, but for sure I need to be a bit more consistent on speed. We know how to race, but I need a few extra kg down to be competitive against the big guys in a breeze. So we are going to hit the gym and the supermarkets again.”

Lobert, who nearly gave up sailing after a disappointing result in Rio last year continues his stellar season.

“It was a very tough week. We did seven very good races and I think I have been sailing very well all week. I was at least five times leading races, but in the end I lost a few points and today I paid the price by finishing second by one point.”

“It’s very, very frustrating, but if someone had told me I would finish second with one point to the gold, I would have been happy. It’s a medal and I am happy to being another one home.”

He adds the silver to the European title and third in Hyeres. “The season has been very good to me, so not to bad for someone who was away for a while after the Olympics.”

On the medal race, “It was very tricky. I thought there was more pressure on the right, so I was protecting that on the first upwind, but it came from the left. But I kept on fighting and came back into the game.”

On the competition, “It was a very intense medal race. We could all play for the medals, and that was very nice. I was really looking forward to going on the water and having a nice race.”

“I think it is good for the Finn to see that there are so many guys and countries and the level of the fleet is always getting better.”

Salminen was also disappointed with his performance in Rio last year.

“It was a devastating medal race in Rio, so that’s why this success is even more sweet now to be able to show to myself that I could pull off a good medal race and do what I need to do”

“It’s been an amazing week and I am just so happy that, even though it was a really light medal race that I managed to finish it off in the best way.”

“I got away really good and managed to control the other bib holders around the course, but then the last downwind the wind died a bit and it got a bit nerve wracking there for a bit.”

He has trained with Lobert for many years. “Beating Jonathan at any event is as big an achievement as winning the world title. He is an amazing opponent and sparring partner, one of the best who pushed me each and every day.”

On Balaton “I tried not to have any expectations about sailing here. I knew there could be some waiting on shore, but especially the first half of the week was amazing, with really good racing. It’s challenging for any venue to host a event like this with 100 plus Finns, so it’s been a positive surprise to me.”

“This has been the target all year and we were trying to train in the light stuff, but it only really paid off in the last race.”

At the prizegiving he paid tribute to his coach Dayne Sharp, his training partners Lobert and Tapio Nirkko, from Finland, and also to the whole fleet for being such good role models for the sport of sailing and such good examples of sportsmanship.

Finally, thank you to Spartacus Sailing Club and Balatonföldvár for putting on an outstanding Finn Gold Cup, for Opel and the other sponsors, for all the supporters and helpers. The friendly welcome and hospitality the sailors have received has been nothing short of exceptional.

Final result (medal race in brackets)
1 SWE 33 Max Salminen 47 (8)
2 FRA 112 Jonathan Lobert 48 (5)
3 NED 89 Nicholas Heiner 50 (1)
4 GBR 11 Ed Wright 50 (6)
5 HUN 40 Zsombor Berecz 53 (2)
6 GRE 77 Ioannis Mitakis 59 (3)
7 POL 17 Piotr Kula 80 (10)
8 ARG 48 Facundo Olezza 83 (9)
9 CRO 69 Milan Vujasinovic 92 (4)
10 NOR 1 Anders Pedersen 95 (7)

08.09.2017

No wind on Day 5 of Opel Finn Gold Cup, but plenty of potential

The fifth day of the Opel Finn Gold Cup at Balatonföldvár started promising with some nice wind on the lake, but just as the sailors were getting ready to launch, a fog bank rolled in and AP was displayed.

When the fog cleared two hours later, the wind had gone and Balaton remained calm and largely windless through the morning and afternoon. Finally at 15.30 the race office pulled the pin and the sailors dispersed.

There are two days left to sail, with three possible races remaining in the opening series before the final and medal races on Sunday.

For the past decade, the Finn class has been supporting sailor’s dreams through the Finn Class Development Programme (FIDeS). The current support includes part-funding three sailors to train at the Dinghy Academy in Valencia and with some logistical support.

The three sailors receiving funding are Oisin Mcclelland, from Ireland, Ahmad Ahmadi, from Iran, and Rockal Evans, from Bermuda

While Mcclelland is sailing in his second Finn Gold Cup, both Evans and Ahmadi are sailing their first, and are very encouraged by the experience, though hoped they would be doing better on the water.

Evans moved into the Finn just over a year ago. The grandson of 1976 Finn Olympian Howard Lee, he has set his ambition to qualify and compete at the 2020 Olympic Games in the Finn. He even uses the same sail number as his grandfather.
He is finding it a tough challenge.

“The fleet is awesome with tough, tough racing. They are tough boats to race at the top level, so I have to get fitter, do more cardio, get stronger, and better all round. However, I am learning a lot.”

“I was in Sydney for a month training before this event with Rob McMilllan in Rose Bay. It was a solid bit of training. Then I went back home for a week and went to Croatia for two weeks to train with Milan Vujasinovic, and that was my preparation for this event.”

He is certainly the right size for the boat at six and a half fleet tall and weighing 103 kg, but knows he has a lot of work to do.

“I have been in the boat about a year now, racing and training, improving slowly but surely, but I have got to make way more improvement before the first qualifier next year in Aarhus.”

“My plans after the Gold Cup are to move to Sydney to train from October to February 2018, and then I come back to Europe, maybe to Valencia, training with a new group of guys there in the lead up to the first qualification event in Aarhus in August.”

Mcclelland has spent most of the year training in Valencia at the Dinghy Academy with the new group that has formed there.

“We got some pretty good training in over the summer. After the European Championship [in Marseille, in May] I felt that I had made a big step forwards in boatspeed and set up.”

He placed 30th out of a fleet of 64 “My goal for the year was to finish top 30 at a major event, so it felt like I’d done well there. Top 30 here will be tough considering where I am currently sitting, the number of people here and the trickiness of the racing.”

After seven races he is the highest of the three sailors in 49th place out of 113 sailors.

“The money from FIDeS had allowed me to train pretty much non stop since the Europeans, and assist in the training cycle of three months leading up to this Gold Cup. It really felt like I came into this competition with the best preparation I have had towards any event I have done.”

“Obviously this week has been a bit tricky for me and I not currently sitting where I’d like to be, but there has definitely been glimpses of speed and getting where I’d like to be.” A high point was leading the fleet round the first mark in the first race of the series.

“The FIDeS funding has been a big help this season, giving me a more stress free time to train and not worry about the money.”

He says that next for him is solid winter of training in Valencia.

“I think this season was a lot of building. I learnt a lot, made some steps and next year I just have to put it all together and move forward. Obviously the goals are a bit higher next year, but the progress is still there. I am still making progress every day I am on the water.”

He was joined on the campaign trail this year by another Irish sailor, Fionn Lyden, who recently picked up the bronze medal at the U23 World Championship.

“It’s a good thing for sure. With another competitor from the same country, it’s going to make you wake up better in the morning. When you are feeling a bit groggy in the morning it’s definitely great motivation. We get along well and we are making plans to train together next season as well.”

Ahmadi is the most recent inclusion in the FIDeS programme and this Finn Gold Cup is his first major event in the class.

“I really have a good feeling about the races and the guys and how friendly they are, helping each other and I really appreciate that.”

“Every race I did here I learn something from the start to the finish line. It has been really good so far in the seven races so far. It was completely different to what I was expecting but since I joined in, it has been a really nice fleet for racing. I really love it, and I am learning all the time.”

For the future, “I just need to keep training towards my qualification, the worlds in Aarhus and the continental, as well keeping up with the paperwork for the visas and stuff. “

“I want to sail full time and keep improving in the Finn and sailing fast, so I am really looking forward to having good progress in the coming months.”

Racing is scheduled to restart at 10.00 on Saturday. Three races are scheduled before the final race and medal race on Sunday.

Check out the links below to follow the racing on Twitter and Facebook. Most mark roundings and finishes are broadcast on Facebook Live through the Finn Class page.

Results after seven races
1 SWE 33 Max Salminen 31
2 GBR 11 Ed Wright 38
3 FRA 112 Jonathan Lobert 38
4 NED 89 Nicholas Heiner 48
5 HUN 40 Zsombor Berecz 49
6 GRE 77 Ioannis Mitakis 53
7 POL 17 Piotr Kula 60
8 ARG 48 Facundo Olezza 65
9 NOR 1 Anders Pedersen 81
10 CRO 69 Milan Vujasinovic 84

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06.09.2017

Max Salminen leads after snakes and ladders third day at Opel Finn Gold Cup

Max Salminen, from Sweden, is the third leader in three days at the Opel Finn Gold Cup at Balatonföldvár on Lake Balaton. The ever-tricky wind caused a few more high scores, while a few of those at the top maintained their consistency. Ed Wright, from Britain, moves up to second with Nicholas Heiner, from The Netherlands, who won the first race of the day, in third. Piotr Kula won the second race.

Both races on Day 3 were started under black flag as the fleet seemed overly keen to get the racing underway. Race 5 was a left hand favoured course with most of the fleet heading out towards the eastern shoreline of Balaton to get the best wind. Heiner led round the top mark from Milan Vujasinovic, from Croatia, and Ioannis Mitakis, from Greece. Heiner pulled away downwind and was never really threatened to record his first win of the week in his first Finn Gold Cup.

However the battle behind him was pretty intense, with lots of place changes. In the end Jake Lilley, from Australia, came through for second ahead of the British pair of Henry Wetherell and Wright.

The wind was starting to drop as Race 6 was started, but Oscar was raised at the first top mark as the wind returned. Some heavy cloud came down the lake threatening rain, but the day remained dry.

Lilley continued his good form by leading round the top mark in Race 6 from Kula and new U23 World Champion, Oskari Muhonen, from Finland. The first downwind was kind to Kula who pulled ahead as the wind died again to around 6-7 knots. He maintained his lead to the finish, though was pushed hard on the second downwind by Muhonen and Lilley. Heiner came through in the last stages of the downwind to round the find, shortened, downwind mark inside Lilley to take third

Heiner is now up to third, nine points off the lead.

“Slowly getting into the event and today was a really nice day. It was decently steady for Balaton. We’ve had three great day’s sailing so far, and not really what we expected from Balaton. But so far, so good.”

“I spent the first two days trying to get the feel of the leverage with the big fleet and today I got a bit more into that. In the end I think it’s just about winning your side and keeping an eye out for the other extremes and see how they go.”

“Today with the second race, it was quite tricky. The big cloud came over, so I just had a plan. It’s always a tricky one. Do you go for a side and get the leverage or do you start out of the middle and just play the fleet? And that changes race by race.”

“You always have a plan, but if you see something starting to happen then at least you need to have the possibility to come across and make something decent out of it.” In the second race, “Even two minutes on port trying to get back to the right, made a huge difference at the top mark.”

Kula stays in fifth place, discarding his 68th in the first race today.

“I didn’t do well out of the first black flag start today and messed up my race, but wiped my tears away and won the second race.”

In the second race, “I was expecting the left would pay better than the right, but the crowd on the pin was so big, I found a more empty spot on the line and tacked quickly and then I played the shifts and was second at the top.”

How did he turn a disastrous first race into a win in the second?

“I actually started preparing for the second race in the first one. At the second top mark in the first race I was thinking this is hopefully my worst race so the best I can do now is to focus and gather my thoughts and sail nice downwind to set my mind for the next race and this is what I did. I just focussed on myself, focussed on the waves, surfed nicely and basically on the finish line I swallowed this bitter pill and just focussed on the next one.”

Salminen had the third best day of anyone on the water and takes a four-point lead at the top.

“Another good day for me. I am happy to be up there in almost every race so far. That’s what I wanted to do. It’s not about winning races, just about dodging those bullets that can get really hairy in a fleet of 113 boats.”

“It’s hard to manage to risk out there especially when you don’t really know what you are going to get. So far the left has been paying, but on the second race today almost all the guys at the top came from the right, so it’s hard. I think speed is your only weapon that will always be there, so good speed and good starts for sure.”

Finn sailors have many challenges when racing in Gold Cup fleets, but Mikael Hyrylainen, from Finland, had a rather unique challenge today, trying to get a snake out of his boat between races. Loitering somewhere in the depths of his boat for the first race, his slithery friend, named Frank, made an appearance and it took Mikael some effort, balanced on the foredeck, to force the snake back to the cockpit, where he was duly dispatched back into the Balaton depths.

As the sailors came ashore lake became windless for the first time since the event opened. Racing is scheduled to continue at 10.00 Thursday, but some forecasts would indicate a delayed start is possible.

At the half way stage there is no clear leader. Finding the 2017 Finn World Champion could turn into one of the most interesting battles yet. There are plenty of snakes to slide down and ladders to climb.

Check out the links below to follow the racing on Twitter and Facebook. Most mark roundings and finishes are broadcast on Facebook Live through the Finn Class page.

Results after six races
1 SWE 33 Max Salminen 26
2 GBR 11 Ed Wright 30
3 NED 89 Nicholas Heiner 35
4 FRA 112 Jonathan Lobert 35
5 POL 17 Piotr Kula 43
6 HUN 40 Zsombor Berecz 47
7 ARG 48 Facundo Olezza 49
8 GRE 77 Ioannis Mitakis 49
9 CRO 69 Milan Vujasinovic 61
10 FIN 8 Oskari Muhonen 69

Highlights video to follow at FINN TV and on Facebook.