Fantastic wind, scenic location, great club amenities (pasta after racing, yeah!) what else do you need... Well icould use a new boat, my old stealth has problems following the pace. But then it's probably the sailor more than the boat. Anyway i have the honor of holding the last place since the first race, go me!.

Then in the mean time I'll repost some of the reports that have appeared else where on the internet.


******************** Report race day 1 ******************

Source : http://catsailingnews.blogspot.com/search/label/F16%20Europeans

Race Update – F16 Euro Challenge – Day 1
Date: 19 July 2010 Location: AVAL-CDV Centro Vela Alto Lario - Gravedona, Lake Como, Italy

Race 1.
Race one of the F16 Euro Challenge on Lake Como got underway in the building southerly breeze which started off in 8knots and steadily build to 14knots by the end of the first lap.
The fleet came out of the start and headed for the eastern shore except one lone Italian boat (local) that went hard right and led the fleet easily around the first mark. This set the trend for the rest of the day with more pressure on the western shore.
The battle in the front was between Sojasun – Carolijn Brouwer and Liz Wardley with superior down wind speed and Froukje Feenstra and Darren Bundock. Both boats cleared from the rest of the fleet as the breeze increased in a intense battle with less than a boat length separating the two at each mark rounding. Brouwer/Wardley gained the upper hand claiming buoy room on the last mark to the finish.

Race 2.
The breeze had set in at a constant 15knots with the fight for the right hand side saw the young guns come to the fore with the battle between the youngest team, Jason Waterhouse/Lisa Darmanin and Thijs Visser/Diemer Feenstra. Froukje Fenstra chasing 3rd. Waterhouse showed great upwind speed to breakaway leaving the battle for second in the Feenstra family until Froukje and Bundy capcised just meters from the finish.

Race 3.
Race 3 saw the Sicouri sisters led to the first mark after great tactics timing the layline to perfection and squeezing around in first only to have problems to hoist the spinnaker and handing over the lead to Thijs Visser but it was Jason Waterhouse that was on the charge after being 5th around the first mark to take the lead on the final downwind to the finish.
Jason Waterhouse AUS “We are really enjoying the boat and are adapting quickly, it just smokes downwind in the flat water. Glamour sailing conditions”

Froukje Feenstra NED “I was so pleased after the first race to battle it out all the way to the finish with Carolijn and Liz, it was so close.” I am now getting called the capcise kid after two capcises today. The first one right on the finish but I really wanted to beat my brother for second.
Darren Bundock AUS “ I had so much fun out there today, Just perfect sailing conditions with the building southerly breeze and very close racing. I am amazed at how hard these kids are pushing the boats and getting the most out of the them."


Great overall performance for the 2BSailing/AHPC team. 2009 F18 World Champion, Thijs Visser, leading the fleet.


Darren Bundock adds via twitter

- Super cool boat, where was this boat when I was young?

- Had a awesome day sailing today! magic conditions! Enjoying crewing for Froukje. Gee she is not shy pushing the boat..we are hammering but..

- Had 2 swims today!! race 2 and race 3. finished 2nd in race 1 after close battle for first. There are some great young sailors out there.


Carolijn Brouwer is not to be out done by Darren and sends in 3+1 tweets

- Cool to see the young kids pushing the Vipers hard. Really enjoying the close racing.

- Awesome sailing conditions and close racing at the first day of the F16 Euro Challenge on lake Como. What a great place to sail!

- Liz and I won the race 1 after an intense battle with Froukje& Bundy. They were a little quicker upwind but we were faster downwind.

- We struggled in race 2 when the southerly breeze built to about 15-17kn. in race 3 we hung in well and finished 3rd. Currently 3rd overall



Wouter

************* Report Race day 2 ******************

Source : http://catsailingnews.blogspot.com/search/label/F16%20Europeans

Race 4.

The southerly breeze was in early and the fleet got underway in a steady 15 knots. It was Froukje Feenstra and Bundy that hit the right hand side hard first and led the fleet around the first mark. Just when everyone was comfortable that it was a right hand track but it was Carolijn Brouwer and Liz Wardley that confused the fleet on the second down wind moving from 4th to first after venturing to the other side. Feenstra and Bundock persisted with the right hand side upwind and regained the lead. At the finish it was Froukje Feenstra/ Darren BundockBundock first closely followed by series leaders Thijs Visser/Diemer Feenstra.


Race 5.

The fleet was eager to get started and many boats broke the line. Brouwer/Wardley, Visser/Feenstra, Van Helden/Goodall returned to clear themselves. Froukje Feenstra/Darren Bundock continued only to find they were OCS after finishing 3rd. Race 5 was great as it was not a one way track with the leader coming from the left hand side of the course. It was Jason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin that took the lead but had to defend off the Sicouri sisters that were sailing extremely well and showed outstanding speed in the stronger breeze and pushed Waterhouse all the way for a photo finish but Waterhouse prevailed. There was a bit of controversy after the right hand bottom gate mark came adrift and the race committee pulled it out of the water after the first 4 boats rounded the gate. It was Thijs Visser in 5th that paid the penalty and was disqualified rounding the remaining mark to starboard where as the sailing instructions state that if there was a single mark it must be rounded to port.


Race 6.

The left hand side was working with a nice lift up the eastern shore and the breeze had settled in at 18 knots. Thijs Visser/Diemer Feenstra had the peddle down upwind in the breeze and led the fleet for 2 laps with Froukje Feenstra/Darren Bundock and the sicouri sisters in chase. Feenstra/Bundock crossed for the lead on the last down wind with only one gybe to go for the finish and with a rush of adrenaline rolled it over and lost 7 places and handed the lead to Thijs Visser/Diemer Feenstra. The Sicouri sisters slid into second.


Good for the class to see some mixed results in the top today, Paul Warren with two 3rds and Gill with his best result yet with a 4th , both with Falcon.
Report by Gill de Bruyne: "Day 2 is over and it was perfect. A bit more wind than yesterday for all 3 races. Very close rasing, closer than yesterday. It was very exciting. And the downwind races were so fast, whow! We loved it. But now I (Kathleen) am totally knackered. I feel my arms!
We managed to get in the top 5 today with our last race, a 4!! Paul and Ann were flying on their Falcon, they scored an 8, a 3 and another 3, great!
Our final scores for today: 10, 7 and 4, getting better yet again :-)
There were some protests and some OCS, so could be the scoring changes a bit. We had again 3 races, but the course was a bit smaller, so it all went a bit faster. Our downwind speed was great and we were overtaking boats, sailing deeper and faster.
Upwind was another story, we had great laps, but also not so great laps. Paul and Ann were able to point higher and they were faster. So we will have a talk to them I guess :-)
Now off to eat something, bon appetito!" <Gill de Bruyne>


Wouter

Darren started the day with a tweet

- Feeling a bit sore this morning after a big day on the water yesterday, bloody hard work on the front. Won a race, OCS & only 1 capsize.


**** Short article on the maiden voyage (with respect to racing) of a new F16 design *******

Source : http://catsailingnews.blogspot.com/search/label/F16%20Europeans

First good picture of the new Aqua Raptor F16, designed and developed by Hans Klok in Netherlands. Clean shape with good volume, a standard feature of all new performance beachcats and this one equiped with Landys. Right now two AquaRaptors are racing the F16 Europeans: Federico Farina´s ITA 111 currently 8th even with Gill de Bryune on his Falcon and Hans Klok's NED 111 who is racing solo-
Till now high winds races were held, and these conditions are not the best for solo F16 racers as they have to manage the downwind spi holding three controls: Tiller, Main Sheet/Traveller and Spi sheet. Although the main is cleated while sailing downwind it is not an easy task in 18knots, imagine that A-Class sailors doesn´t even have to worry about it and they have some of the top solo sailors around.
With low winds the solo racers should have an advantage due to less weight.
So the F16 Class now have several designs to choose from, this is key for their success as its been proved with the F18, and the 2B/Ahpc team giving full extra exposure will do no harm...

Congrats to Hans on this new project, designing and building a new racing boat is not an easy task, you may have experience and knowhow but if you are not a big company like Nacra or Hobie is always harder, but the rewards are also sweeter, building, sailing and racing your own design ... is one of the best feelings a sailor can have.
More info on the AquaRaptor at www.catamaranparts.nl


And now for some boat porn !!!


Photo: Helen Sharrock

Hey Eric,




But then again, you are there while many others like myself are over here working for a pay check.

Makes you better man then all of us !

I say enjoy the sailing, the scenery, food and drink as well as the company for all that it is worth.

Best of luck and enjoyment for the next days !

Wouter

Pepin...how many of these teams you are sailing against are professionals? I think that information is necessary to get a proper picture of what is really happening. A weekend warrior is at a distinct disadvantage to pro sailors on many levels...

Regards,
Bob

Helen has already answered your question dude.

I'll just add that there is no such thing as a pro f16 sailor. No one could even vaugely make money out of sailing one. Quite the opposite.

Everyone there is doing it for fun and it sure looks like great fun to me. Super jealous.

Hey Pepin, I should have come down and then you would not have been last
Finally went sailing last night, only the fourth time this year, family problems and most business problems solved so now for a bit of R & R.

Technically I am a professional, Carolijn is as well, Gill de Bruyne is as well, Hans is. But I would be surprised if anyone was getting paid to be here... This is F16 not X40 or Americas cup.

You are dreaming if you think there is enough money in F16 to pay anyone to be here. Its costing us all to be here, plenty.

Our focus here is promoting F16 and Viper but my main focus is promoting youth.
The young Aussies Jas and Lisa are both 18yrs
My helm Froukje is 17
Thijs Visser is 20, Diemer Feenstra is 17
Chris Sproats crew Rossanna Jury is 18.

These "kids" (now I feel old) are kicking butt. These are names of the future.
and there are chicks sailing F16.. the Lara and Silvia Sicouri are sailing so well (my pick to win)...

They are all loving the boats and having fun.. is time for the next generation. i know everyone doesnt like me refering to F16 as a feeder class but if it gets youth into Catsailing and they hang around 3-4 yrs before they move on.. perfect.

The amount of press that has come out of this week has out done the recent A-Class worlds, F-18 Worlds and Extreme 40 Worlds. Everyone has done well and it can only benefit F16.

well done to all.. think the real winner was the F16 class..

Hey guys and girls, we shouldn't undermine the efforts of AHPC in promoting the Viper as well as the F16 class and the use of pro sailors, that is the real world of sailing and selling boats. Good on them and I hope they sell plenty of boats.

To be fair on the single handers this year, high winds suits the larger volume and heavier boats such as the Viper, but it still takes the nut on the tiller to make the best of that advantage.

Another GLORIOUS day here in sunny Italy... Weather is GREAT - 30 degrees.... GREAT Italian food and hospitality.... Just Bellissimo!!!! (Hope I got the spelling correct)

Boats have left the shore... But the winds are very very light at the moment. Races will probably be postponed until some more wind kicks in.

Hopefully I will manage to get results to you via our Twitter which is accessible by all on our website - www.ahpc.com.au

But I have no problems if anyone wants to copy these back onto here.

Bye for now.... Off to enjoy the scenery!!!

I will go on record in saying that AHPC and 2Bsailing are doing excellent things in getting youths started on multihulls and by extention promoting the F16 class. We all know the youths are not really the ones with the big wallets so neither is getting rich of it.

In response to Darren's comment *being : "I know everyone doesnt like me refering to F16 as a feeder class ... ") I can only say that the "everyone" who is being referred to is actually the one who in error. The F16 class has always been vocal from the very beginning that it sees herself as a partner in comparison to the big other classes like the A's, F18's and the youth boat of the moment (currently sl16). If Darren says that he sees the F16 class as a feeder class then he is spot on in that respect. It is a boat that dad buys and sails singlehanded, maybe taking mom along on nice days and is available to the kids to work themselves up to the big league that is without a doubt the F18's. So if anything, his view is shared by the F16 class founders. That must say something.

Additionally, there is absolutely no shame in being a feeder class and rather I would say that there is in fact alot of honour in it. Take a look at the youths on the Vipers in this Europeans; simply brilliant isn't it ! Who doesn't want to be involved with such enthousiastic people ?


On the other hand I also understand where seeker is coming from. There is a significant difference in experience between various crews. For example both Christa and Brett have attended and done well in more then one F18 worlds. Darren, Carolijn and Liz are also sailors of world renown with trophy chests to proof it. But of course so is Sproat and he is holding a modest placing in the rankings. Come to think of it, these crews that some call professional are not at all having a free ride by "non-professionals" like for example the Sicouri sisters.

So yes, I think Seeker has a point somewhere, afterall put the future European champ on a different make of F16 and I still expect them to be in the top 3. The same applies to the last place finisher with respect to his placings. But more importantly I also feel that it is not worth fretting over. There will always be large differences in crew skills when taken over the whole fleet. Maybe it is better to refer to "talented crews" and "regular crews" rather then "professional" and "non-professional". Other then that, these talented crews are a gift from heaven. If we play our cards right then they may well be our final rocket stage that propels the F16 class to undeniable success.

For that I'm personally very thankful.

In the end we all benefit.


Hopefully, we don't forget to enjoy ourself in the mean time as well !


Wouter

(most definately a "regular crew" myself and not getting any younger either !)

Again, thanks for your effort Hellen, and thank Marco once more for his pictures. There is only one reason why there is more news coming out of the F16 Europeans than the A-worlds, F18-worlds and Extreme-40 worlds and that is the group of volunteers like you, Marco, Gill, Darren and many others who take the time and pains to go the extra distance and write up a report, do a twitter and shoot a picture or two.

All free of charge or restrictive copyright stipulations.

Lets remain "amateurs" in this respect !

Wouter

Newest twitter flashes.



Source : http://www.ahpc.com.au/ (Hellen Sharrock)

First race underway. Top mark second lap

1st #193 Thijs
2nd #700 Silvia
3rd #194 Froukje
4th #189 Christa
5th #888 Carolijn
6th #192 Jason
7th #9 GEERT!
8th #207 Paul,

Go GEERT!


Race 10 complete - winds are 8 to 12 knots. Big left hand shift on last downwind. ITA 111 - Frederico Farina.WON..... Well done!!!


Carolijn Brouwer on yesterday evening

source : http://twitter.com/CarolijnBrouwer

Sojasun Viper scored a 1st, 2nd and 5th in today's racing which moved us into 3rd overall. It's very close on points between the top 5 boats.



Darren Bundock on yesterday evening

source : http://twitter.com/DarrenBundock

Slightly lighter day today 8-12knts scored 4,3,2 and no capcizes!!!! Top 5 overall are within 6 points. Still 2 days (6 races) to go.


Brett Goodall is also on twitter :

source : http://twitter.com/Brett_Goodall

Great Italian eat up at the F16 Europeans at como... still have to try the wine

started the day well... should have won but Caroline pippped us with 200m.... damn!! finnished with a 4 and 6... we're sailing well though.



Gill and Kathleen wrote last night

source : http://twitter.com/TheBoatShopBE

We are in a draw with Paul&Ann for 7th place after todays races! That'll be exciting tomorrow.Daniel is also getting the hang of his Falcon!



Liz Wardley (crew for Carolijn) can be followed here :

http://twitter.com/LizWardley

Race 10 finish:

1st 111 Frederico Farina & Luca Bertani
2nd 192 Jason Waterhouse & Lisa Darmanin
3rd 193 Thijs Visser & Diemer Feenstra
4th 194 Froukje Feenstra & Darren Bundock
5th 700 Silva Sicouri & Lara Sicouri
6th 008 Chris Sproat & Jury Rosanna
7th ??? Carolijn Brouwer & Liz Wardley (who hit the gate bouy before finishing, were in 2nd place)

(Hellen Sharrock)

I'm just glad you're there! Good on ya dude! Bringing top rated sailors to a F16 regatta can only be good for the sport and for the class. Now, if I could only get you to show up at Racine, sailing Uni...

Seeker: I grew up in Sebring and remember the excitement when the Ferrari team drove into the middle of town for technical inspection, prior to the 12 Hour; the place went wild! At the same time, there were small private teams operating on a shoe string, and one guy who was there all by himself, driving a Morgan iirc! Very few of us ever make the Ferrari team but the excitement they create encourages others to participate at their own level.

I'm just glad there is some excitement. Not long ago it seems everyting was negative. This is very, very positive.

http://catsailingnews.blogspot.com/2010/07/f16-europeans-day-3.html

Everyone is back on the beach, and it appears the two most eventful issues today were:

1. First race won by a BLADE.... Well done to Riccardo & Elia (ITA 111). They were so excited about this finish that they then OSC in the second race....

2. Second race - 3 x OSC. These were ITA 111, BEL 888, and AUS 189.

There are a couple of protests, one about the OSC so they are frantically downloading video footage of the start to see if they can prove anything.

I will post the provisional results shortly, but the Aussie kids have extended their lead!

Sounds like you are all having a ball!

Be good to see a few Single handed Vipers out in the future! (Anyone want to lend me one :-) )

Wish I was there too!

PROVISIONAL RESULTS ONLY.... Provisional Results after Race 12

Carolijn & Christa are protesting OCS. Video footage shows that they are not be over.... But it will be interesting to see if the protest committee take this as evidence!