27.04.2017
Points close as Nicholas Heiner takes lead on Day 3 in Hyeres
Nicholas Heiner from the Netherlands has risen to the top of the Finn rankings after the third day at the World Cup Series in Hyeres, France. France’s Fabian Pic also moved up, to second, while Great Britain’s Ben Cornish didn’t have the best day, and dropped to third. Race wins went to Brazil’s Jorge Zarif and Norway’s Anders Pedersen.
The Mediterranean resort remained grey and occasionally inclement as the regatta entered its third day. Predictions of mistrals remained a mystery while the Finn fleet got in two more races in a shifty offshore wind, which rose from 3-4 knots to top out at 14-16 knots.
Pedersen was the star of the day, leading round the first windward mark in both races, and, but for a first race, second beat, error, could have won both races.
Two attempts were made to start Race 5 in a very light wind, but on the third attempt the wind suddenly filled in at 12-14 knots. However the windward marks were not reset, so the first leg was very short, resulting in a very congested top mark and first gate rounding. Pedersen led round from Zarif and Croatia’s Josip Olujic. Pedersen held his lead at the gate but on the second, and much extended, upwind, Zarif emerged ahead to lead down to the finish for his second win of the week. Heiner crossed second after passing Olujic on the final downwind.
Finn Class at the World Cup Series in Hyeres, France Day 3 Video highlights of third day in Hyeres
Race 6 was similar with the fleet quickly getting over to the right side of the course. Again it was Pedersen leading round the top, but this time he sailed well and extended for the win. Ed Wright from Great Britain was second throughout much of the race, holding off a strong challenge from Piotr Kula, from Poland, who crossed in third.
Pedersen, the 2014 Junior World Champion, won the day with a 4,1 to move up to seventh overall.
“It was quite shifty, so it paid off to stay in the middle, find the pressure, and go for the high courses and I managed that quite well on all the upwinds so that was good. Downwind was tricky to get the shifts. I am quite happy, but I did one bad upwind and lost three boats but all in all a very good day.”
“Last time I sailed this well was over a year ago in the build up to Rio.”
For the coming year, “I am taking it a bit easy this year, taking some time off, some university, but now I am back in the boat I am aiming for Aarhus next year to try and qualify the country and then hopefully Tokyo in three years.”
Kula ended up with a 7,3, to remain in fifth overall. However it wasn’t all smooth sailing.
“I got caught up in some bad decisions right before the top mark, so I lost like easily 100 metres, but then I continued to get back and managed to get back into the top 10 at the finish. And the second race, starting on the black flag was very, very close, but I got a clear nice start. Everyone who sails here either loves it or hates it and today was very hard. On the second upwind I kept to the left and we got a nice lift and managed to pass a few guys. I was third at the top and third at the finish.”
After the disappointment of not qualifying for the Rio Olympics, Kula weighed his options carefully. But he decided to come back and is full of optimism and joy for his third Olympic campaign.
“This is a combination of a couple of factors. First of all I decided if I stay in the Finn and make another Olympic campaign, one of my goals is to be happy with what I do, enjoy my friends here, the Finn guys and everyone involved in the Finn sailing, and I think this attitude gives me a lot of joy. I recover better, I sail better and if I do badly in a race I don’t lose my mood, I keep on finding solutions, so this is good for the racing.”
“I am really happy about what’s happening this season so far. I got a new boat, which is slightly better than what I was using last year and especially in today’s conditions. I am having a lot of fun with my sailing this year.”
Kaynar ended the day with a pair of sixth places.
“Today we had again two difficult races. We had lots of shifts in the upwinds and free pumping in the downwinds. The first race was quite important for me as I had a bad upwind. I recovered in the second upwind, which I think was the key for me today. I had two good races, so now fourth overall. I am happy so far.”
On his good form so far this year, “We did some good training over the winter and I am ready physically and we practice some races, so everything is going well.”
The Finns continue with two more races scheduled for Friday from 13.30. Racing continues until the medal race on Sunday 30 April.
Results after six races
1 NED 89 Nicholas Heiner 17.00 2 FRA 17 Fabian Pic 26.00 3 GBR 91 Ben Cornish 26.00 4 TUR 21 Alican Kaynar 27.00 5 POL 17 Piotr Kula 31.00 6 BRA 109 Jorge Zarif 35.00 7 NOR 1 Anders Pedersen 38.00 8 GBR 11 Edward Wright 41.00 9 FRA 112 Jonathan Lobert 45.00 10 CAN 18 Tom Ramshaw 51.00
28.04.2017
Alican Kaynar takes lead after double win on Hyeres Day 4
Turkey’s Alican Kaynar crushed his fellow Finn sailors at the World Cup Series in Hyeres, France after two brilliant race wins in some of the shiftiest, trickiest and difficult wind conditions of the week so far. He now leads the fleet from Nicholas Heiner from the Netherlands and Great Britain’s Ben Cornish with just one day left of the opening series.
The day started windy, very windy with a long postponement on shore. Finn bravado around the dinghy park did nothing to get the fleet afloat as the 30-35 knot winds buffeted the harbour early in the day. By the time they were released from AP at 1430 the strong breeze was fast evaporating in the warm Mediterranean sunshine. But at least the sun was shining at last.
Kyle Martin, CAN
The first race of the day was sailed in 12-18 knots, but during the afternoon the breeze dropped out and the second race was held in 8-12 knots. Oscar flag was dropped just before the start and caught out many sailors who had not seen the small flag missing among the so called ‘flag festival’ on the committee boat and began pumping down the first run, only to hear the Jury’s whistle behind them. For second overall, Fabian Pic from France and Oli Tweddell from Australia, it was their second yellow flag and the end of racing for them for the day.
Finn Class at the World Cup Series in Hyeres, France – Day 4 Video highlights of fourth day in Hyeres
You can see all the Finn Class videos on our new TV channel FINN TV at finnclass.org/finn-tv
In Race 7, Kaynar led at the top from Finland’s Tapio Nirkko and Australia’s Rob McMillan. Despite his advancing years, this was McMillan’s fourth front row top mark rounding. Great Britain’s Ed Wright passed the leading group downwind and led round the gate, but on the very shifty second upwind, Kaynar got past to lead down the run to the finish. However Wright kept the pressure on and at the finish was just seconds behind. Mikolaj Lahn from Poland sailed another great race to cross third.
Piotr Kula, POL
As the wind dropped further, Oscar flag for free pumping downwind was lowered for Race 8. It was still pretty patchy across the race course with areas of stronger wind and some less but the overall wind was still dropping.
Again it was a very shifty race, with half the fleet overstanding in a big right shift at the top. Norway’s Anders Pedersen led round from the left from Kaynar and Tweddell but Kaynar had the lead by the gate and was never headed winning by a comfortable margin. Zsombor Berecz from Hungary moved up to second at the gate, but he couldn’t stay there and on the final downwind Nirrko and Italy’s Filippo Baldassari came past for second and third.
Rob McMillan, AUS
Two of the sailors here this week who are getting back with the pogramme after extended layoffs since the Olympics are Tapio Nirkko and Jonathan Lobert, both now in the top 10.
Lobert, the bronze medalist from the London Olympics picked up two fifth places to move up to sixth overall.
“So far I am very happy with my week because I was not training at all over winter and I had surgery on my knee at the beginning of February so I am still in recovery mode. I have had just three days sailing in Marseille before coming to Hyeres. So slowly, slowly everything is coming back. And I am happy because day after day I am feeling better in the boat and today I had very good day. It was very tricky and I managed to be relaxed and play with the shifts, so it was a good day.”
Jonathan Lobert, FRA
A seventh and second for Nirkko moves him into the top 10 for the first time.
“It’s been a tricky week so far. For me I haven’t really got the things right. Today was a better day, finally fighting for the top positions. I had a long break after the Games. I didn’t get back in the boat until the end of March and did some camp before Palma, and then Palma and now this regatta, so it’s good to be back racing.”
Tapio Nirkko, FIN
The opening series concludes on Saturday with two more races before the top 10 head into Sunday’s medal race.
Results after eight races
1 TUR 21 Alican Kaynar 29.00 2 NED 89 Nicholas Heiner 33.00 3 GBR 91 Ben Cornish 47.00 4 POL 17 Piotr Kula 52.00 5 GBR 11 Edward Wright 53.00 6 FRA 112 Jonathan Lobert 55.00 7 NOR 1 Anders Pedersen 57.00 8 BRA 109 Jorge Zarif 61.00 9 FIN 218 Tapio Nirkko 73.00 10 CRO 1 Josip Olujic 74.00
29.04.2017
Kaynar and Heiner to battle for gold in Hyeres Medal Race
Hyeres saved its best until last with two great races in fantastic conditions to wrap up the opening series. Again, Turkey’s Alican Kaynar ruled the day with a second and a first to go into the medal race with a 10-point advantage. The only person who can now take gold away from Kaynar is Nicholas Heiner from the Netherlands, who remains in second. The winner of the first race of the day, Great Britain’s Ed Wright, climbed all the way up to third.
The day was defined by an onshore 10-15 knots with clear blue skies and waves large enough to allow the sailors to have lots of fun downwind. Both races were started under black flag after a general recall.Race 9 was controlled and dominated by Wright. Coming into the top from the middle left, he extended away for a comfortable victory. Second round the top mark was Australia’s Rob McMillan, who started at the boat and headed out right before almost crossing the fleet. But for the fact that he nearly fell out of the boat half way up he could have been leading at the top. Third round was Kaynar, who was soon in second, while Heiner moved up to third, and they chased each other round the course to finish in that order.
The fleet all flicked onto port soon after the start of Race 10 with Croatia’s Nenad Bugarin leading round the top from Kaynar and Norway’s Anders Pedersen. While Kaynar cruised through for a third race win, the fast Hungarian Zsombor Berecz, who has not had the easiest week, took second in front of Pedersen.
A seventh from Wright moves him up to third, but the points are very close for the bronze medal. Poland s ever-happy Piotr Kula is fourth after another consistent day while France’s Jonathan Lobert and Brazil’s Jorge Zarif also had good days to stay in contention. With Great Britain’s Ben Cornish, leader for the first two days, having another difficult day, and dropping to seventh, he still has medal potential but it won’t be easy with this competition.
Finn Class at the World Cup Series in Hyeres, France – Day 5 Video highlights of fifth day in Hyeres
You can see all the Finn Class videos on our new TV channel FINN TV at finnclass.org/finn-tv
The medal race line up is:
Alican Kaynar – Despite two Olympics under his belt he has never really produced the kind of performance he has shown the potential for. This week he has proven otherwise and he seems to have moved his game up another level after a 13th in Rio. To lose the gold, Heiner much beat him by five boats.
Nicholas Heiner – First full season in a Finn, the 2014 Laser World Champion is learning fast and has reached the front of the fleet faster than most expected. Can only win gold or silver.
Edward Wright – Getting his 2020 campaign off to a great start this former World and European champion is formidable in certain conditions and is probably the favourite to take the bronze
Piotr Kula – Back for a third Olympic campaign and is relaxed and sailing better and than he has done for a very long time.
Jonathan Lobert – the 2012 Olympic bronze medalist has just returned after an extended layoff since the Olympics.
Jorge Zarif – former World Champion and winner of the first stage of the World Cup Series in Miami, this young Brazilian is getting better and better.
Ben Cornish – Fourth year in the Finn after training the last quad with Giles Scott. Had a great start to the week, but lost direction the past two days and now has an uphill task to take a medal.
Anders Pedersen – the 2014 Junior World Champion was 17th in Rio, but this week he has shown again that he can mix it with the best of them. Theoretically he can win a medal but realistically probably too much to do
Zsombor Berecz – Runner up at last year’s Europeans he has not shown his full potential this week. Finished 11th in Rio after some early promise and winning one of the windiest races.
Tapio Nirkko – Most experienced sailor in the fleet now and starting his fourth Olympic campaign. Like several here he is only just back in the boat after time out after Rio.
Sunday’s Medal Race is scheduled for 1340 and can be watched live through World Sailing’s YouTube Channel.
Results after 10 races
1 TUR 21 Alican Kaynar 32.00 2 NED 89 Nicholas Heiner 42.00 3 GBR 11 Edward Wright 61.00 4 POL 17 Piotr Kula 65.00 5 FRA 112 Jonathan Lobert 66.00 6 BRA 109 Jorge Zarif 70.00 7 GBR 91 Ben Cornish 72.00 8 NOR 1 Anders Pedersen 76.00 9 HUN 40 Zsombor Berecz 83.00 10 FIN 218 Tapio Nirkko 97.00
Daily galleries on Finn Class Facebook Page and on Flickr
Rob McMillan, AUS Tom Ramshaw, CAN Nicholas Heiner and Jonathan Lobert
03.05.2017
The 2017 Finn Senior and U23 European Championships opens in the French Mediterranean port city of Marseille this weekend. Shared with the RS-X Europeans, the events were designed to showcase the potential of Marseille as the preferred Olympic sailing venue should Paris win the right to host the 2024 Olympic Games.
The Finn class voted in 2015 to hold its 2017 European Championships here and is looking forward to its first major championship in these waters.
Alican Kaynar
Coming straight after the World Cup Series event in Hyères last week, some of the form for the coming week should be easy to predict, but the fleet is more than double the size with 65 sailors from 26 countries on the pre-entry list.
The host club is the Yachting Club de la Pointe Rouge, though the sailing base is about 4 km to the north of the club at Stade Nautique du Roucas Blanc.
The outright winner in Hyeres, Alican Kaynar, from Turkey, will be full of confidence after winning his first major event last week. He showed exceptional speed and great decisions on a very tricky course, so will be keen to show that he can repeat this performance.Likewise new Finn convert, Nicholas Heiner from the Netherlands is gaining confidence at only his fifth regatta since he stepped into the boat towards the end of 2016. The son of the 1996 Olympic bronze medalist Roy Heiner, he is not only keen to follow in his father’s footsteps but also to exceed his achievements. His start in the class has been exceptional so far, but as a former Laser World Champion, he knows his way around the race course.Jonathan Lobert
The home fleet will be led by the bronze medalist in Hyères, and the 2012 Olympic bronze medalist, Jonathan Lobert, who has just started his third full campaign. Although he is still in recovery for knee surgery earlier this year he is proving as dangerous as ever, however also in the wings is the younger, and hungry, Fabian Pic, who is making huge progress and will push Lobert hard going towards 2020 selection. Eight years younger than Lobert, Pic was putting together a great series in Hyères until a few slip-ups mid series.
The ever-strong British team will be headed by 2010 world champion Ed Wright and Ben Cornish, both of who are more than capable of podium finishes. Wright, who is one of only two previous European champions competing next week, has just announced his intention to campaign or Tokyo, his fourth attempt to realize his Olympic dream, and one that has been previously dashed by the likes of Ben Ainslie and then Giles Scott. With Scott’s future Finn plans still uncertain due to America’s cup commitments, Wright may finally achieve his goal. Based on his performance last week in Hyères he is as fast and determined as ever. If Marseille lives up to expectations he will be hard to beat. Cornish, 14 years younger, is starting to hit the front of the fleet more frequently and threatens a win sooner or later.Facundo Olezza
There are less of the ‚old guard‘ sailing this year than in previous seasons with nine sailors who were in Rio and only five who were in London. The young guys are starting to take over and it will be interesting who emerges as the leaders of this group. One of the more exciting young sailors is Facundo Olezza from Argentina. Still focused on training at Luca Devoti’s Dinghy Academy in Valencia, he exceeded all expectations in Rio by winning two races and making the medal race.
Hungarian, Zsombor Berecz, is another sailor who could hit the big time this year. Runner-up at last year’s Europeans in Barcelona he has sailed well in individual races since but has yet to manage to put together a complete series at a major event since, finishing a frustrating 12th in Rio, after holding a medal position earlier in the regatta.
Winner in Palma, Max Salminen, from Sweden, will also be one to watch next week. Also disappointed with his performance in Rio, he has refocused and won four races in a row to snatch the title in Palma. Last years bronze medalist Milan Vujasinovic is also back for his first major regatta since losing the Croatian Olympic trials in May last year. He is up against two fast and younger guys, Nenad Bugarin and Josip Olujic, who have both put in great performances in the past year.
Ioannis Mitakis, from Greece, is the only other sailor here apart from Wright to have claimed a European title. He won in light winds in 2012, and simnce an 11th place in Rio has not sailed a major regatta since placing but he can always surprise, so also one to keep an eye on.
Other names to watch for include Deniss Karpak from Estonia, Tapio NIrkko from Finland, Tom Ramshaw from Canada and Poland’s Piotr Kula. With a new boat and new enthusiasm Kula putting together some great races, with only two results outside the top 10 in Hyères, he is sailing as well as he has done since he placed sixth at the 2012 Finn Gold Cup.
Likewise, Norwegian Anders Pederson is finding the front of the fleet more often than not and it feels like only a matter of time before he will make a major breakthrough. His turning point came in 2014 when he won the Junior worlds and later qualified Norway for Rio with a great performance at the ISAF Sailing World Championships in Santander. Like several of the other young guys he is taking an easy year to focus on his studies but his progress should see him starting to win major events medals in the coming three years.
Ondra Teply
From an U23 perspective, numbers are down on previous years with last years strong group now too old to compete. The 2015 Junior World Champion, Ondra Teply, from the Czech Republic must be the favourite, but he will still have some strong opposition from the fleet.
The winner in 2016, Pieter-Jan Postma, will be absent this year
Format
Following the format trial in Palma this year, the ‚medal races‘ will be a slight modification, with three boats from the opening series fast tracked to the final. The next seven boats will sail the semi-final, with the top two going through to the winner takes all five boat final. All boats will sail the 10 race opening series from Monday 8 May to Saturday 13 May before the finals on Saturday afternoon. The championships open on Friday 5th May with the practice race on Sunday 7 May.
Because of this continuation of the format trials, the survey the class was intending to carry out will be done after the Europeans has concluded so respondents can compare the two different formats alongside the traditional medal race from Hyères. The results of the survey will be published as soon as possible after that.
