finn masters magazine & yearbook 2016

barbados Is CaLLING KrUTsKIKH INTErVIEWTHE HIT sTory

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FINN MASTERSM A G A Z I N E A N D Y E A R B O O K

2016

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

FINN MASTERS MAGAZINE & YEARBOOK 20163

Finn Masters Magazine and Yearbook- the official publication of the

Finn World Masters

ISSUE NO. 3 • FEBRUARY 2016

The Finn Masters Magazine is a non-profit publication that is distributed free of charge to all active Finn masters who are IFA members through their National Finn Association, as well as other interested parties connected to the Finn World Masters around the world.

Articles, race results, photographs and reports from countries are always welcome. All advertisement enquiries should also be addressed to the Editor. A media pack is available on www.finnworldmasters.com

SUBSCRIPTIONSTo subscribe to this magazine go to www.finnworldmasters.com or send an email to [email protected] with your full name and delivery address.

MAGAZINE EDITORRobert Deaves, 2 Exeter Road, Ipswich IP3 8JL, England. Mob: +44 (0)7932 047046 Email: [email protected]

COVER PHOTOStart in Kavala, Finn World Masters 2015 (Photo: Mariya Abashkina). Insets: Jan van de Horst, Robert Deaves.

IFA WEB SITE www.finnclass.org

FINN SHOP www.finnclass.org/shop

FINN MASTERS www.finnworldmasters.com

THE FINN CHANNEL www.youtube.com/thefinnchannel

After finally getting back from Kavala, the preparation started

almost immediately for Torbole and it’s now apparent to me that the workload has increased considerably with our ‘Masters road show’. The expectations from competitors and organising authorities are getting higher all the time and therefore there is a need for a much greater effort on our part to be better organised and more transparent in our processes.

On this basis I am grateful that the Masters agreed to the new secretarial position that Robert has taken on board. The fact that Robert and I can work together has also enabled a number of changes to the efficiency of what the Masters organisation has become.

Whilst writing this, the numbers for Torbole have hit 300. This in itself will produce a headache that has to be overcome and the recent meeting in Barbados has presented us with further consideration to the sailors around the World who wish to attend.

I’m pleased to announce that we have two Candidates for 2018, El Balis, located just north of Barcelona and Marsala in Sicily, both new venues to the Masters fleet. Further to the venue visits that we carried

out at the end of 2015, you can read brief reports of each in this magazine but further information and photos on our website. Please read these and get yourself ready for the vote in Lake Garda.

One of the improved processes mentioned above will be a clearer, more structured and homogeneous Masters rules and event management. This is underway and will be presented at the Annual Masters Meeting in Torbole. This is a continuation of the work started two years ago, and will hopefully enable the Masters organisation to operate far more effectively.

Once again I wish to thank the advertising sponsors, who have made it possible for us to produce this fantastic magazine for the Finn Masters, as well as to Lanfranco Cirillo and Finn Team Fantastica, for the generous sponsorship of the magazine and the Finn World Masters in Torbole.

I would also suggest that you like our Facebook page and be ready for any updates on the forthcoming events, and if you are not into Facebook then please take time to read the updates on the Finn Masters site.

I look forward to seeing you in Torbole.

Andy Denison,Finn Masters President

Contacts and Calendar 5Huge fleet likely for Torbole 6Finn World Masters 2015 8Dmitry Petrov interview 13Barbados is calling 14The Master Athlete 18Vladimir Krutskikh 20Tim Tavinor interview 22Italian Masters / Japanese Masters 25North American Masters 25The HIT Mast story 26Swedish Masters / Polish Masters 29Euro Masters Championship 2015 31Russian Masters / Dutch Masters 33Bids for 2018 Finn World Masters 34Paul McKenzie interview 36UK Masters 37 The Fantastica story 39

YearbookHistory of the Finn World Masters 41About the Finn World Masters 41Trophy Winners 41Finn World Masters 1970-2015 42

Annual Masters Meeting 2015 Minutes 43Finn World Masters Championship Rules 44Guidelines For Finn World Masters 46

ADVERTISERS

Art of Racing 28Devoti Sailing 38Dinghy Racing Centre 48Doyle Raudaschl Sails 38Euro Masters Championship - Tihany 28HIT Trailer 2Hi-Tech Sailing 19North Sails 32Pantaneus 30Pata Boats 17Pata Masts 16Petticrows 22Sandiline 4Suntouched 24 WB Sails 40Wilke 21Zhik 12

Contents

Masters President’s Message By Andy Denison, GBR 20

President Masters’ Fleetandy denison (GBR 20) 4 Wickfield Ave, ChristchurchBH23 1JB, UK Tel: +44 (0)1202 484748 Mob +44 (0)7802 355 522 Email: [email protected]

rolf Elsässer (GER 202) Karlsbader Weg 9, 61118 Bad VilbelGermanyTel: +49 6101 813470Mob: +49 172 6334163Email: [email protected]

Henk de Jager (NED 11) Willem Alexanderlaan 3 5263AZ -Vught, The Netherlands Email: [email protected]; [email protected]: +31 736 565 008Mob: +7 701 754 1813

Marc allain des beauvais (FRA 99)IFA France62 Avenue Camus, 44000 Nantes, FranceTel: +33 (0)285 520 330 Mob: +33 (0)6 07 29 27 56 Email: [email protected]

Philip baum (RSA 51) 18 Norwich Drive, Bishopscourt7708, Cape Town, South Africa Tel: +27 217 611 752 Mob: +27 829 904 399Email: [email protected]

WebmasterGarry Sibbald Email: [email protected]

CONTACTS AND CALENDAR


PasT PrEsIdENTs1978-1992 Georg Oser1992-2008 Rolf Lehnert2008-2013 Fons van Gent2013-present Andy Denison

*Please note that there may be changes

in the committee at the AMM

8-12/2 Semaine Internationale Cannes FRA25-28/3 Gold Cup 60th Anniversary Burnham-on-Crouch GBR31/4-1/5 Italian Masters Lake Garda ITA13-20/5 FINN WorLd MasTErs Torbole ITa18-19/6 Swedish Masters Uppsala SWE 23-28/8 Russian Masters (Open) Moscow RUS26-28/8 Polish Masters Puck POL3-4/9 UK Masters West Kirby GBR 7-11/9 Euro Masters Championship Tihany HUN 16-18/9 Open Dutch Masters Medemblik NED 23-25/9 North American Masters San Diego USA

Future events2-9/6/2017 FINN WORLD MASTERS Barbados BAR

Please check local websites for latest details and information.

BOATBUILDERS AND SUPPLIERSDevoti Sailing www.devotisailing.com CZEFinnports www.finnports.com.au AUSDinghy Racing Centre www.dinghyracingcentre.nl NED HiTechSailing www.hitechsailing.com ITAJibetech www.jibetech.com USAJorge Rodrigues [email protected] BRAPetticrows www.petticrows.com GBRPata Boats www.patafinn.hu HUNPata Finns Africa www.patafinnsafrica.com RSASuntouched www.suntouched.co.uk GBRWilke www.wilke.ch SUI

MASTS & BOOMSArt of Racing (booms) www.artofracing.co.nz NZLC-Tech www.c-tech.co.nz NZLConcept www.conceptsailracing.com ITAHIT Masts www.dinghyracingcentre.nl NED Pata www.patafinn.hu HUNSuntouched www.suntouched.co.uk GBR Wilke www.wilke.ch SUI

SAILSDoyle Raudaschl www.raudaschl.co.at AUTDynamic Sails www.dynamicsails.com GBRNorth Sails www.northonedesign.com GBRTurtle Sails www.turtlesails.de GER Ullman Sails www.ullmansails.co.uk GBR Victory Sails www.victorysails.com SLOWB Sails www.wb-sails.fi FIN

OTHERFinnsailing.de www.finnsailing.de GERHIT Trailers www.hittrailer.nl NEDMarina Dellas www.dellas.de GERPantaenius www.pantaenius.com MONRob Coutts Sailing www.robcouttsailing.com NZL/USASandiline www.sandiline.com SLOWaverunna www.waverunna.com NZLZhik www.zhik.com AUS

Finn World Masters Committee

Events calendar 2016

Supplier directory


LOOKING AHEAD TO 2016 FINN WORLD MASTERS - TORBOLE, LAKE GARDA, ITALY

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there is the Sudtirol Regatta on Caldaro Lake from April 23-24. All visitors are welcome to take part.

Circolo Velo TorboleThe sailing club, Circolo Velo Torbole, is located in the north-eastern corner of the lake, about half a kilometre outside of the town of Torbole, just off the main road that runs around the lake. The club celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2014 and is one of the most respected yacht clubs in Italy counting many prominent Italian sailors among its members.

The 2016 Finn World Masters, sponsored by Fantastica Sailing Team, looks set to become the biggest Finn

event of all time. As we go to press we have around 330 pre-entries and still over three months to go. It will be a challenge to have that many boats in one place but what

a challenge to have?

Torbole is located at the northern end of Lake Garda next to Riva, which hosts

Olympic class regattas each year. This year the Riva regatta is the week before the Masters, so if you wanted some early training that is the regatta to do. In addition the Italian class has organised two regattas close by. The Italian Masters will be held at the Yacht Club Acquafresca on Lake Garda from April 31 to May 1. Before that

The paved boulevard in the town runs around to the club providing easy pedestrian/cycle access to the club from the town centre. The recommendation is to bring a bicycle or rent one locally as no vehicles will be allowed at the club.

Dinghy park storage is on the lawned area by the shore with further concrete hard standing adjoining the club including an additional small sheltered slipway area which might be used for the Legends. All road trailers will be taken to a separate storage compound away from the club. The club has excellent facilities including a bar and restaurant area with an additional small bar serving food adjacent to the club.

TorboleOn the shoreline of the town is a promenade that is used by pedestrians and cyclists. The town runs up the valley to the larger town of Arco, with the village of Nago to the eastern side and to the western side the town of Riva. The town is steeped in history,

Huge fleet likely for

Torbole 2016


dating back to the 12th century, with architecture reflecting its Austrian ownership up until 1918.

Torbole is a beautiful town with bars and restaurants running down to the shoreline of the lake. In the centre by the shore are two small fishing ports, which add to the charm and character of the town.

Coach boatsCoach boats should note that a permit is required to use a motorboat in the northern part of the lake. See the Notice of Race.

AccommodationHopefully everyone has booked their accommodation by now. Torbole has a wealth of hotels, self-catering and camping accommodation. The event will take place in peak holiday time so it is advisable to book early as this is a popular holiday destination. There are no facilities at the club for overnight camping/motor homes. This is forbidden by the community. However there is an abundance of sites around the lake and the handful in Torbole include Al Cor, Al Porto and Europa.

WeatherLake Garda is blessed with wind. The usual format is for the wind to blow from the north in the morning off the mountains and this wind is called, Vent or Peler. It stops at lunch time and then blows from the south, called the Ora, and this wind usually stays until sunset. In May temperatures are expected to be in the early 20s however the north wind from the mountains in the morning may be chilly.

USEFUL INFORMATION

AttractionsSaint Andrea Church, Penede Castle, Cliff Walls Monte BrioneGiants pot holes, Torbole Belvedre and Nago Fortress

EatingTraditional foods are fresh water fish such as pike, tench, perch. Local olives, peaches and broccoliDrink Rose wine, Prosecco, Aperol Sprite.

Transportation Airport: Verona 70 km. 45 minutes, taxi around 100 euros; Bergamo (120 km)Train: Mainline station from Milan is Rovereto, 15 km.Road: A22 motorway, exit at Rovereto Sud (10 km)

Weather conditions during MayNorth wind direction in the morning 8-15 knotsSouth wind direction in the afternoon 10-20 knotsAverage temperature 15-25 degrees Celsius

Useful accommodation linkhttp://circolovelatorbole.com/it/benvenuto

Circolo Velo TorboleAddress: Lungo Lago Conca D’oro 12, Torbole Sul Garda, Trentino 38069Secretary: Renata Vyskocova • Tel. +39 0464 506 240Email: [email protected]: Gianfranco Tonelli • Tel: +39 348 257 8703Fax: +390464506076www.circolovelatorbole.com

Online entry and Notice of Race at:www.finnworldmasters.com

Location

SPONSORED BY FANTASTICA SAILING TEAM


2015 FINN WORLD MASTERS - KAVALA, GREECE

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It was a year of firsts for the Finn World Masters. It was the first time the event had been held in Greece and the

first time that the overall title had been lifted by a Russian sailor. Last year they had promised to be back stronger and it was no idle boast, with Dimitri Petrov finishing as runner up in his first World Masters. Giacomo Giovanelli from Italy took the bronze.

There was also a face change to the event with a large number of sailors competing at their first Finn World Masters. The top five sailors were all sailing in their first Masters, highlighting a step change in the dynamics of the event. It is starting to appeal to many more past Olympic campaigners, and there are many more waiting in the wings to rekindle their Finn campaigns. Many of the top performers of the past few years didn’t figure in the overall results and the feeling is that the new blood has opened a new era for the Finn Masters, one of new faces and more competitive, athletic racing, with rock star names dominating the top ten.

With many uncertainties about Greece, in the end 204 Finn Masters were clever enough to realise that this was an event not be missed. And it was in so many ways. The organisation, the hospitality, the weather (apart from one day) was exceptional. The Greeks and the Kavalaians embraced the fleet with open arms for two weeks in May and created an event to remember.

MondayYellow group started with a general recall, but only half the fleet returned. That race was later abandoned after a major windshift. It finally got away under black flag only to be subject to a series of major windshifts on the second upwind and downwind. Laurent Hay lost a good lead when the sea breeze filled in from the right, but others lost a good deal more places and ended mid-fleet. Karel van Hellemond was the beneficiary to win from Wouter Molenaar and Hay. The second race was sailed in a more stable and solid breeze. This time Krutskikh led all the way to win from Dimitri Petrov and Aleksandr Kuliukin to make it a Russian top three.Blue group was also beset with problems. After two general recalls, the first race was abandoned at the top mark. But whatever the wind threw at the fleet Tokovoi showed amazing skill to win both. In

the first race he won from another newcomer, Martijn van Muyden, and Piet Eckert. Allen Burrell led at the first mark in the second race, but was soon in Tokovoi’s wake downwind. Burrell held on for third after Felix Denikaev crossed in second.

TuesdayTwelve years on from his last major Finn regatta van Muyden took a narrow lead overall from Tokovoi and Krutskikh. However, the story of the day was Henry Sprague winning the first race to give him a clear lead in the Legend fleet at the half way stage of the regatta.

The second race produced superb sailing conditions with great waves for the downwind legs so everyone had a great time, wherever they were in the fleet. It doesn’t get much better for Finn sailors than surfing downwind in a solid breeze in 28 degrees and brilliant sunshine. In Yellow group, the first race produced some high scores for some of the front runners, but there were some new faces at the front. Jake Gunther led at the top from Sprague. Sprague took the lead on the second upwind to win from Petrov and Mikhail Kopanov. Petrov went one better in the second race to pass the initial race leader Marc Allain des Beauvais. Walter Riosa crossed in third.

In the Blue group there were also two winners. Thierry Van Vierssen led all the way in the first race of the day to win from Andre Budzien and van Muyden. In the second race Hay rounded the top mark in fourth, before moving into the lead downwind for the race win from Paul McKenzie and Tokovoi.

WednesdayYellow group got away in a reasonably stable wind that remarkably lasted for the whole race with just a slight right shift at the end of the first upwind. Davourlis Panagiotis held a comfortable lead at the top mark after hitting the right hand corner. Marc Allain des Beauvais rounded in third and moved up to second downwind. He trailed Panagiotis all the way until the final downwind mark before the final short beat to the finish. Unfortunately, the Greek dropped

his mainsheet and the Frenchman attacked and passed to take the race win. Krutskikh crossed in third to take the overall lead.

In the Blue group Vladimir Butenko led at the first mark from the right, continuing the Russian good form, with Tauras Rymonis and Antal Gabor in pursuit. He eventually took the win from Rymonis and Giacomo Giovanelli. The leaders in the group also had to contend with the tail end of the Yellow group as the fleet converged at the last upwind mark. Krutskikh took a one point lead from Tokovoi and van Muyden.

Vladimir Krutskikh

becomes first Russian to lift Masters title


2015 Finn World Masters - Final results 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 M Tot1 Vladimir Krutskikh (1) M RUS 7 4 1 5 6 3 (10) 1 6 262 dmitry Petrov (2) M RUS 711 12 2 2 1 12 1 (15) 4 343 Giacomo Giovanelli (3) M ITA 202 6 4 8 8 3 4 (21) 8 414 Martijn Van Muyden M NED 12 2 6 3 4 7 4 (dnf) 16 425 yuri Tokovoi (1) GM UKR 21 1 1 10 3 9 (23) 2 18 446 Thierry Van Vierssen M NED 881 (24) 9 1 9 13 5 10 2 497 Laurent Hay (2) GM FRA 75 3 6 28 1 (ret) 1 2 12 538 Walter Riosa M ITA 55 9 10 (22) 3 11 8 7 10 589 allen burrell (3) GM GBR 2 6 2 (58) 4 6 18 4 20 6010 Aleksander Kulyukin M RUS 161 10 3 6 (29) 20 12 3 14 6811 Henry sprague (1) L SWE 6 10 5 1 (36) 4 24 11 5512 Andre Budzien GM GER 711 (59) 33 2 7 13 3 1 5913 Marco Buglielli GM ITA 2 20 11 4 (31) 17 2 8 6214 Paul Mckenzie M AUS 11 4 11 (32) 2 26 14 7 6415 Karel Van Hellemond M NED 41 1 12 9 11 (ocs) 20 13 6616 Vladimir Butenko M RUS 21 5 3 (67) 27 1 9 22 6717 Pete Eckert M SUI 86 3 7 19 11 14 (21) 16 7018 Marc Allain d Beauvais GM FRA 99 (54) 7 53 2 1 2 12 7719 Eric Bakker GM NED 703 7 18 24 6 25 6 (dnf) 8620 Tauras Rymonis M LTU 7 12 17 14 24 2 (ocs) 19 8821 Juergen Eiermann M GER 8 23 8 15 13 8 26 (bfd) 9322 Jan Eckert GM SUI 85 14 19 25 25 (31) 7 11 10123 Panagiotis Davourlis GM GRE 71 40 8 21 17 2 (52) 14 10224 Mihail Kopanov GM BUL 24 30 5 3 7 45 (59) 13 10325 Vladimir Stasyuk M UKR 14 21 9 6 14 26 27 (32) 10326 Akos Lukats M HUN 50 11 (32) 23 12 24 15 18 10327 Martin Hughes GM GBR 567 15 17 19 13 24 (25) 20 10828 Alexei Marchevsky M RUS 20 31 31 24 10 12 (48) 3 11129 Marek Jarocki M POL 100 (58) 15 18 19 28 24 8 11230 Jake Gunther GM AUS 3 (36) 25 12 12 rdg 30 15 11531 Michael Staal GM DEN 80 17 30 21 14 30 (53) 5 11732 Audoin Michel GM FRA 38 9 10 35 21 38 5 (bfd) 11833 Jean-Pierre Lostis GM FRA 84 18 16 23 30 5 (31) 26 11834 Oleg Khudyakov M RUS 16 (43) 28 12 17 8 22 33 12035 Majth Zsombor M HUN 88 16 15 (57) 19 38 14 22 12436 Francesco Cinque GGM ITA 5 8 26 5 25 20 42 (56) 12637 Josef Jochovic GM CZE 67 25 38 (81) 30 10 27 6 13638 Jan Willem Kok M NED 780 (60) 23 13 22 19 56 10 14339 Florian Demetz M ITA 89 16 22 26 (37) 19 30 30 14340 Will Patten GM GBR 52 17 19 17 63 11 (71) 20 14741 Till Klammer M SUI 25 25 20 31 (41) 21 13 37 14742 John Heyes GM GBR 61 31 32 (76) 8 16 16 45 14843 Jean-Louis Simons GM GBR 617 38 37 4 38 14 18 (dnf) 14944 Stepanov Sergey M RUS 205 18 25 22 (61) 32 36 17 15045 Gino Bucciarelli M ITA 67 22 21 31 20 15 42 (dnf) 15146 Andrew Bill GM RUS 27 5 35 29 42 (46) 8 35 15447 Andreas Bollongino GM GER 19 (75) 18 39 21 18 34 24 15448 Philippe Lobert GM FRA 66 19 14 45 24 41 (79) 14 15749 Martin Plecity GM CZE 318 20 26 18 39 (dsq) 49 6 15850 Greg Wilcox GM NZL 15 29 41 20 15 10 44 (49) 159

More chaos and carnage ensued at the Annual Finn Masters Dinner at the Batis Multiplex. Finn sailors love a social occasion, but even the polite hostesses were heard to mutter “No one is doing what they are supposed to be doing here.” A quiet explanation was needed that this was a gathering of Finn sailors and that this was par for the course. Finn style.

ThursdayThursday was the day everything changed. Gone was the sunshine and high temperatures and in was the rain. It was a cold, damp day on the water in Kavala, too cold for some, with incessant rain, low

temperatures and a wind that could best be described as indecisive, with several failed attempts to get the first race away. At the end of the first race, the breeze kicked in to 15-16 knots but for the second it dropped to 1-2 knots at times and then flicked through 120 degrees as the fleet sailed the final legs.

In Yellow fleet Petrov led all the way to record his second race win of the week from Marco Buglielli and Taras Gavrysh. The second race turned into a battle between the top two overall, who put some distance between themselves at the fleet. Eventually Krutskikh took the win from

Vasilis Pigadas, whose vision and enthusiasm made the event possible

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2015 FINN WORLD MASTERS – KAVALA, GREECE

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Tokovoi by less than a metre. Alexei Marchevsky crossed in third. In Blue Group, Hay also scored his second race win of the week, leading from start to finish. He won from Allain des Beauvais and Budzien. In the second race there was a group fighting for the lead, with the win eventually going to Budzien from Hay and Kuliukin.

Krutskikh extended his overall lead to six points from Tokovoi and Van Muyden, on equal points in second and third, but anyone in

51 M GER 194 Axel Schroeder 15952 GM GBR 65 David Potter 16353 GGM HUN 4 antal Gabor (2) 16454 GM RUS 41 Denikaev Felix 16455 GM AUT 11 Bernd Moser 16956 M BUL 1 Stoil Stoilov 17657 GM GBR 708 Michael De Courcy 17758 M HUN 5 Geza Huszar 17959 GGM GER 62 Uwe barthel (3) 18860 M GRE 7 George Sklavounos 19361 GM SUI 13 Peter Kilchenmann 19562 M GBR 68 John Mackie 19563 GGM NED 2 Wouter Molenaar 19964 L NED 8 rodrick Casander (2) 19965 GM RUS 34 Aleksandr Kasatov 19966 GM HUN 2 Peter Sipos 20667 GGM CZE 8 Jiri Outrata 20968 GM POL 26 Boguslaw Nowakowski 21169 GGM RUS 142 Yury Polovinkin 21270 GM SUI 3 Carlo Lazzari 22071 GM CZE 75 Vladimir Skalicky 22072 GM NED 88 Chiel Barends 22273 M AUS 75 Phil Chadwick 22474 GM GBR 1 Sander Kooij 22875 GGM RSA 51 Philip Baum 23176 M AUS 267 Darren Gilbert 23377 GM ITA 80 Martin Atzwanger 23478 L GER 146 Friedrich Muller (3) 23879 GM GER 122 Holger Krasmann 24180 GM POL 2 Andre Skarka 24681 M UKR 1 Volodymyr Bogomolkin 24782 GM SUI 12 Franz Buergi 24883 M NED 902 Pieter Risseeuw 25084 M GBR 10 Robert Deaves 25085 M RUS 13 Lev Shnyr 25286 GM ITA 6 Enrico Passoni 25887 GM ITA 131 Gregor Stimpfl 25988 GM GRE 215 Triantafillos Mavroudis 26389 GGM NED 4 Ruurd Baerends 26590 GGM NED 50 Jan Zetzema 26591 M UKR 8 Taras Gavrysh 26692 GM NED 31 Hans Zuurendonk 26693 GM NED 922 Roel Van Olst 26694 GGM GER 202 Rolf Elsaesser 26795 GM RSA 1 Greg Davis 26996 GM RUS 71 Leonid Kleimann 27097 L BUL 87 Aleksandar Aleksandrov 27698 GM SUI 57 Baumann Rudolf 27999 GM USA 101 Peter Frissell 279100 GGM NED 10 Boot Nanne 281101 GM BRA 021 Ricardo Carvalho 284

102 GGM NED 54 Joos Bos 286103 GGM FRA 40 Rochet Joseph 287104 GM NED 22 Peter Hubregtsen 289105 M AUS 33 Stuart Skeggs 289106 GM GER 193 Thomas Schmid 291107 GGM NED 11 Henk De Jager 291108 GGM SUI 4 Jiri Huracek 295109 GM RUS 25 Anatoly Voshchchennikov 295110 GGM NED 95 Wobbe De Schiffart 296111 M CZE 308 Radek Vit 297112 GGM GER 92 Detlev Guminski 298113 GM ITA 85 Klaus Heufler 302114 GGM AUS 6 Bob Buchanan 305115 GGM BUL 2 Tsvetan Penchev 305116 GGM USA 23 James Hunter 310117 M ITA 73 Luca Taruschio 310118 GM AUT 21 Erich Scherzer 311119 GM RSA 571 Andreas Bohnsack 312120 M SUI 83 Beat Steffen 314121 GGM USA 1214 Peter Connally 315122 GM GBR 20 Andy Denison 316123 L GBR 77 Howard Sellars 320124 GGM GER 293 Georg Siebeck 320125 GM GER 5 Herbert Straub 320126 GM ITA 1022 Filippo Petella 329127 GGM AUT 302 Alfred Braumueller 330128 GM CZE 1 Michael Maier 332129 GM NED 823 Nico Van Wirdum 334130 M NZL 43 Nick Winters 340131 GGM SUI 1 Fatzer Hans 341132 GM RUS 729 Evgeni Kalmykov 344133 GM CZE 222 Petr Vinkl 347134 L GER 89 Guenter Kellermann 348135 GGM ARG 1 Ricardo Reyes Anderson 348136 GGM ITA 93 Nikolaus Mair 348137 M HUN 69 Csaba Stadler 352138 GM GER 222 Ulf-Peter Pestel 353139 GGM FRA 800 Yves Zoccola 356140 GGM AUS 7 Greg Clark 358141 M BUL 855 Valentin Nikolov 360142 GGM GBR 34 Peter Blick 363143 GGM USA 2 Charles Heimler 372144 GM SUI 65 Bangerter Thomas 373145 M HUN 972 Monus Gyula 376146 GGM MON 234 Michael Kurtz 376147 GGM GBR 58 Paul Brown 378148 L NZL 213 Maurice Duncan 384149 GGM AUS 68 Jay Harrison 385150 M SUI 8 Marti Bruno 386151 L NZL 3 Ben Winters 386152 M HUN 27 Szabolcs Andrik 386

153 GGM NED 26 Peter Van Veen 387154 M NED 814 Martin Tas 391155 GGM NED 1 Jan Van Der Horst 392156 M LTU 8 Dangis Babikas 396157 M HUN 44 Tamas Varga 396158 M LTU 29 Adomas Janulionis 402159 GGM NED 971 Pax Van De Griend 409160 GGM ITA 7 Antonio Pitini 413161 GGM GRE 90 Theodore Georgiadis 415162 GGM NED 52 Henk Meijer 416163 GM GBR 4 Russell Ward 417164 L GBR 611 Tony Lock 427165 GGM NED 39 Hans Zomer 428166 GM POL 38 Juliusz Reichelt 429167 GM AUT 19 Gerald Raschke 431168 GGM HUN 95 Jozsef Farkas 435169 GGM NED 42 Ronald De Haan 441170 GM POL 27 Piotr Rosinski 445171 L NED 9 Jobs Isselmann 451172 L SUI 2 Helmut Klammer 458173 GM HUN 89 Imre Solymosi 462174 M SUI 441 Martin Nydegger 472175 GM GER 161 Ralf Kratz 478176 GGM GBR 80 Ray New 479177 GM HUN 64 Balazs Szuzs 483178 GGM USA 1201 David Brockbank 487179 M RUS 18 Evgeny Dzhura 488180 GGM NED 32 Peter Verhoef 490181 GM NED 900 Dirk Hooijer 496182 GGM SWE 9 Veine Jutmar 504183 L RSA 570 Gerd Bohnsack 505184 L ITA 29 Hans Peter Zischg 508185 L SUI 29 Hans Althaus 510186 GGM HUN 9 Tamas Beliczay 514187 L POL 3 Jan Okulicz- Kozaryn 516188 L NED 93 Gelmus Peeters 521189 GGM NED 885 Bert Veerkamp 521190 GGM GBR 99 John Torrance 5235191 GM ITA 881 Fabio Panaro 526192 L NED 836 Bart Kraan 527193 GM POL 31 Maciej Rozkrut 529194 M GRE 5 Ioannis Giaramanis 531195 GM HUN 26 Szil Zsitvay 543196 GM BUL 22 Nikolay Kostov 544197 L BRA 35 Colin Reed 545198 GGM POL 127 Jan Kominek 556199 GGM CZE 76 Jiri Dvorak 562200 GGM GER 40 Heinz Stammnitz 563201 M GRE 17 John Terzenidis 564202 GGM ITA 91 Hubert Sparer 569203 GM BUL 85 Jordan Kaloyanov 583

the top seven could still win a medal, and anyone in the top five could take the title. There was still a lot to play for.

FridayThe final race never happened. The fleet sailed out to the race course in a solid offshore force 4 but Yellow Group only got as far as the windward mark before the race was abandoned as the wind disappeared. Almost an hour later the race officer abandoned for the day with the time limit approaching and the medal race still to run.

The medal race was held close to the shore to give the spectators a chance to see the top sailors in action. The first attempt was abandoned shortly after the start as the wind again switched off, then a light breeze allowed the race to be restarted. The left side provided the best wind with Van Vierssen emerging with nice lead to head the fleet at every mark, leading from Petrov and Krutskikh.

Giovanelli had closed on the leaders and almost took second, but trailed Petrov and Krutskikh across the line, all three boats locked together for the final gybe. A third place was enough for Krutskikh to take the overall victory. Tokovoi and van Muyden

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NORTH AMERICAN MASTERS - MOBILE


placed ninth and eighth to drop out of the medals while a second for Petrov gave him silver and fourth for Giovanelli gave him bronze.

Giovanelli: “The week was perfect for me. Everything went well and also in the medal race I had a couple of gusts to pass my competitors. I was expecting a good level, but my goal was to be top 10. Some of the others are much stronger than me so I am pleased to be among them.”

Petrov: “Thanks very much to the organisation, because the event is perfect at my first Finn World Masters. I very much like the fleet and the friendliness of everyone and how it has been planned. Vladimir is a stronger sailor so it’s OK that he has won. Everything is OK and I am really satisfied with my result. I will come again next year.”

Legends: 1 Henry Sprague USA, 2

Roderick Casander NED 8, 3 Friedrich Muller

GER 146 • Grand Grand Masters: 1 Francesco Cinque ITA 5, 2 Antal Gabor HUN 4, 3 Uwe

Bartel GER 62 • Grand Masters: 1 Yuri Tokovoi UKR 21, 2 Laurent Hay FRA 75, 3 Allen Burrell

GBR 2 • Masters: 1 Vladimir Krutskikh

RUS 7, 2 Dmitry Petrov RUS 711, 3 Giacomo

Giovanelli ITA 202

The 2015 North America Finn Masters attracted 21 Finns at the ever-welcoming Buccaneer YC, Mobile,

Alabama, from April 17-19.

Thursday’s practice race disappeared in a fitful light wind, leaving the competitors to enjoy a keg and snacks, while looking forward to three days hard racing. Friday dawned with again light winds and after multiple postponements, the first race was sailed. Darrell Peck won from Scott Griffiths, third was the ever consistent Louie Nady. At the end of the first race, the wind died completely and the competitors returned to the Club to enjoy an Alabama BBQ dinner. Saturday promised more wind and three races were completed in what proved to be a great day for Darrell Peck, winning all three with Henry Sprague and Steve Landeau hard on his heels. The fleet returned to shore for a Gulf seafood dinner and music by Lisa Mills until late in the evening. Sunday was to provide ‘champagne’ sailing, especially race 7, where competitors were treated to excellent surfing conditions, the shallow bay providing big rolling waves and lots of excitement. Darrell Peck won race 5 but race 6 saw the first win by Chuck Rudinsky and the seventh race, in the best conditions of

the weekend, was won by local hero, Michael Mark. Darrell had done more than enough to win the series from Henry and Steve. Joe Chinburg was first Master, Darrell Peck was first Grand Master, Chuck Rudinsky was first Great Grand Master and Super Henry, complete with his little dog, was in every sense a Legend. Buccaneer Yacht Club supplied its usual high standard of organisation, both on and off shore. The Race Team kept the fleet in good order and the kitchen kept all well fed.

North American Masters in Mobile

By Mike Woodhead, GBR 16

1 USA 10 Darrell Peck 72 USA 19 Henry Sprague 153 USA 5 Steve Landeau 224 USA 117 Michael Mark 265 US101 Peter Frissell 296 USA 1138 Scott Griffiths 337 USA 40 Chuck Rudinsky 348 USA 23 James Hunter 539 CAN 3 Ian Bostock 5910 USA 150 Louie Nady 6511 USA 303 Joe Chinburg 73

12 USA 32 Charles Heimler 7713 GBR 16 Mike Woodhead 8114 USA 69 Simon v Wonderen 8115 USA 22 Terry Greenfield 9316 USA 401 Craig Johnson 9617 USA 15 Pat Healy 10218 AUS 1 Joerg Kemnade 11119 USA 33 John Marshall 11320 USA 911 Jim Revkin 12421 USA 50 Norman Wood 125

Krutskikh: “It’s a surprise but today the wind was very tricky and after the first start I was a little nervous. On the next start I was concentrating harder. I am very happy with the result. I thought maybe myself and Yuri would be fighting for the title. He is a very clever sailor but the other guys are also very good and they made it very difficult for me. I hope to be back next year and thanks to Lanfranco Cirillo for me and Yuri. It was his idea to come. He gave us fantastic boats and pushed us to go sailing.”

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Dmitry Petrov from Russia sailed his first Finn World Masters in 2015 and placed second to his teammate

and overall winner Vladimir Krutskikh. We asked him about his experience in Kavala, his background and his thoughts on the future.

How did you find the atmosphere among the sailors?The atmosphere was very friendly and quiet. Every day was like holiday. I was really enjoying the communication with all sailors.

Why do you think the Russians did so well as a team?Development of Finn class in Russia is happening in giant steps, especially in those areas that are connected to the Finn association activity. The Russian Finn association is doing a great job, and further good results must come.

What is your opinion on the format in terms of fleet sizes and format of racing?The format of racing is good, but I would decrease size of fleets.

Every day is like

a holiday

DMITRY PETROV INTERVIEW

FWM: How and when did you first get involved in the Finn Class?DP: My first experience in Finn class happened in Moscow, when I had chance to sail a Finn at Open Russia regatta in 2009. I managed to take third place. It was good motivation for our yacht club to start a programme in the Finn class.

Sum up your sailing career to date.I was winner and in top three in the USSR championship and Russian Championship many times in our national class, the Luch, and in the Laser class. I have also won an international regatta in Qatar in 2007 in the Laser. After I joined the Finn class, after my first success – third place at Open Russian in 2009 – I took third and second places at European Finn Masters Cup in 2013 and 2014. And now second place at World Finn masters in Kavala.

How was your experience at your first Masters?I had a very nice experience and I will come again without any doubts.

What were your expectations of your own performance in 2015?Usually I don’t plan my performance and results. I am just sailing for fun. But anyway I am very satisfied and glad about my result. What were the key parts to your success?Actually I was in the right frame of mind to sail my best, but I also managed to select the right equipment during our internal regattas. And in total everything just all came together at once. Did you find the competition tougher than expected?I actually thought that the competition would be tougher than it was. We have quite a high level of competition at our internal regattas with our Olympians and juniors all mixed together. We always expect a higher level from international events than at internal ones.

What was the best moment for you in Kavala?I felt the highest emotion just after the finish of the medal race. [He placed second - close finish in photo on right.]

Is there anything you think we could do better?So far everything is good. I do not see anything to improve.

How would you like to see the FWM developing in the coming years?I would like to see the FWM to grow in numbers every year.

Last year we were promised the Russian sailors would be very strong in 2015. Do you think this will get better for you in 2016 and onwards as more ‘older’ sailors start to join in?We will see. So far everything is coming to the point that results are growing. I do hope that this trend will stay.

What is the greatest attraction for you to sail the Masters?The atmosphere, which predominates in races and ashore, is the biggest motivation for me to race the Finn and to come to World Masters. But also it gives motivation to keep good shape, and we are having fun by competing in the Finn. Will you be back in 2016 and future events?I will come to FWM 2016 for sure, as well as bringing new sailors with me.

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VENUE FOR 2017 FINN WORLD MASTERS - BARBADOS

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At the end of 2015 a small team were invited out by Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc (BTMI) to take a look at the club facilities and the wider island and begin to prepare for the regattas in 2017. There will be two regattas run consecutively, with the OK Dinghy World Championship being held immediately before the Finn World Masters. If you want a really good excuse to spend another week in the Caribbean, then why not do both events? A number of sailors are already planning to do this.

The trip is an eight-hour flight from London. There are also direct flights from USA and Canada, as well as connections to many other Caribbean Islands. We flew out with Virgin Atlantic, which is one of the main sponsors of the event. On arrival we were fast tracked through passport control, but then had to wait with everyone else for the bags to arrive. Andy was mentally making a shopping list of what to buy to replace his luggage by the time his turned up, but everything eventually came through on the carousel and we were taken to our courtesy bus to head towards our hotel – the Coconut Court Beach Hotel.

The Coconut Court is set on the beach along the island’s south-western strip, in the middle of a gaggle of hotels that lead all the way to the Barbados Yacht Cub. No sooner than we were dropped off than we were taken to the yacht club for first introductions and cold beers on the beach, as the sun set over Carlisle Bay. Rum punches followed in the club bar, then dinner, more rum and finally bed, almost 24 hours after waking up at Gatwick Airport.

The few days we spent in Barbados were packed full of meetings and visits – too many to recall. Every day started the same way with a refreshing reef meeting in the sea facing the hotel, followed by breakfast overlooking the reef. It was here we got to grips with what was going on and got down to the nitty gritty detail of our Caribbean adventure – where we were going to eat that night and was it rum or Banks beer on the menu.

Barbadosis calling

From the Coconut Court it is a leisurely 20-30 minute stroll along the sandy beaches to the Barbados Yacht Club. Along the way you pass Amaryllis Beach Resort, Sugar Bay and Savannah Beach before turning the corner through the impressive Hilton. The Radisson is next up just past the quaint Barbados Cruising Club with its open-air raised restaurant overlooking the beach. To get past the Radisson it is either a short walk to the road and in the main gate or under the pier in knee depth water. The Barbados Yacht Club is right next door to the Radisson hotel on a pristine beach that stretches away into the distance towards Bridgetown.

The walk back to the hotel by road is much quicker and passes the famous Historic Garrison, one of the world’s oldest military garrisons with a fine collection of canon overlooking the Garrison Savannah, a popular horse-racing venue. Walking beside the road, you will be tooted and honked at by passing taxi’s and buses, ever keen to deprive you of BD$ 2 to take you to your destination.

Barbados is only 21 miles long and 14 miles wide and you can drive right round the coast in a matter of hours – but the temptation to stop, take in the view, enjoy the local hospitality means it can take a lot longer than that – added to the fact that some of the roads on the east coast could best be described as interesting. On our third day there we did just that. Our host, Andrew Davies, martyred his hire car for the day-long excursion, with stops for suitably Bajan refreshments and photo-ops along the way. There are many contrasting landscapes around such a small island.

The 2017 Finn World Masters will be held in Barbados from 2-9 June. It promises to be a fabulous regatta

with warm seas, nice winds and perfect hospitality. Barbados has the distinction of being one of the most revisited islands in the Caribbean – and once you are there the reasons are obvious: beautiful scenery, fantastic weather, incredible beaches, exciting activities, and a very warm welcome. And of course, great sailing.


This panel is a summary of the information on www.finnworldmasters.com. It will be updated periodically so

please check back for updates.

Schedule The Finn World Masters will follow on directly from the OK Dinghy World Championship. The logistics of swapping one fleet for another are being worked out but there is plenty of space. The current plan is for the Finn containers to sit at the Barbados Yacht Club while the OK Dinghy containers will sit next to the Barbados Cruising Club next door.

Tues 23-Tues 30 May (tbc) OK Dinghy WorldsWeds 31 May - Thurs 1 June (tbc) Day(s) offFri 2-Sun 4 June Measurement and registration Sun 4 June Finn Masters practice race Mon 5-Fri 9 June Finn Masters races

entryThe Notice of Race, entry process and entry fee will be announced as soon as possible, probably before April 2016.

containerSOne of the event’s major sponsors is Geest Line in the UK. The line operates out of Portsmouth in the UK and Le Harve in France. Estimated costs are US$1750 (2016 price) plus insurance (estimated around GBP 50 per boat) plus any inland transport (though own arrangements or booked through Geest in some countries) to get the containers to one of the ports. Short sea shipping is also an option for countries that have access to a port. The transit time to Bridgetown is about 10 days, but if there is a large number of boats going shipments may have to be scheduled over several weeks to get them all there on time. The containers will be cleared in Bridgetown and trucked to the Barbados Yacht Club, where they will be stored for the duration of the event. All local costs in Barbados are being covered by the sponsorship.

The website will also contain a list of contacts of those co-ordinating containers so if you want to book a space you know where to go.

PLEasE do NoT CoNTaCT GEEsT. We would prefer one coordinator for each shipment who will make all bookings through the Finn Masters organisation. Contact is Ray New ([email protected]). Anyone sending a container from outside Europe and not using Geest will have to make their own arrangements, however the arrangements on arrival will be the same. Check www.finnworldmasters.com for latest details.

FlightSVirgin Atlantic is also a major sponsor and as such will provide discounts with a code for booking nearer the time. Flights do not become available until 300 days before departure, so about August 2016. The majority of long haul connections are through London, while other airlines provide connections through USA, Canada, Colombia and several Caribbean islands.

hotelSThere is a lot of accommodation from self-catering bungalows to 5-star hotels. A selection of hotels will be available at discounted rates with a special booking code. Packages that include Virgin flights and hotels will be offered through Virgin Holidays and a discount code will be available.

ProviSional timeline1 Jan 2016 to 1 Feb 2017 Book container space (see website)Jan-May 2016 (tbc) Codes for hotel discounts issued.1 August 2016 (suggested) Pay for boat transport1 August 2016 (approx) Flights become available (discount code will

be issued during July). 1 May 2017 Complete entry complete and pay entry fee April- early May 2017 Containers being shipped with Geest Line to

be loaded

Important information

The capital, Bridgetown, is a busy business and shipping hub with one of the largest cruise ports in the region. From the club is a 10 minute ‘boom box’ bus ride to the central bus station and from there you can walk across the town in 20-30 minutes. There are attractions around the island too numerous to mention, but include Oistin’s Fish Fry, Mount Gay tour, Barbados Museum, Garrison tour, Harrison’s Cave, St Nicholas Abbey and the Tyrol Cot Heritage Village.

The island is the most easterly of all the Caribbean islands and is located in a relatively isolated position in the Atlantic, about 200 miles to the east of the east of Windward Islands. As such its eastern coastline bears the full brunt of the Atlantic swells and is in stark contrast to the largely affluent and well-developed west coast. The south-west coast, where the club is located, is sheltered from this Atlantic assault and provides fantastic sailing conditions. Every day we observed a stable, and warm, 12-18 knot breeze blowing in the same direction, building during the morning and calm at night. It was never too much nor too little.

The Barbados Yacht Club sits on the sandy shores of Carlisle Bay, with a fantastic range of facilities including tennis courts, ample storage areas, meetings rooms and a fabulous beach bar just a few steps from where the boats will be kept. We hope, come June 2017, that your boat will be one of them.

For a more complete and factual venue visit report please go to: www.finnworldmasters.com


THE MASTER ATHLETE

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You are only as old as you feel; sometimes that’s the problem. The years take their toll on the

body. As we age there is natural wear and tear on the muscles, ligaments and joints. Just like a car, a high mileage or accumulation of daily strain will come with consequences. The good thing is we can manage ourselves in order to continue to get the best out of our body. As we age we accumulate injuries and imbalances which give us the perception of losing athletic ability. While we do lose some plasticity in the muscle we can maintain a certain level of conditioning and strength. The phrase “use it or lose it” is quite relevant to aging.

The general perception is that the older you get the weaker you become. This is not the case. Studies looking at the response to training in an untrained elderly population vs. untrained young adults showed the elderly to have a greater positive response to training. The reason being that they are more sedentary than young adults. They have a greater response because they have more to gain. Generally younger people are more active and have better strength and cardiovascular conditioning as a result. Training has less of an effect as they maintain a higher level through lifestyle. What this tells us is that more sedentary lifestyles

in older populations are the cause of losses in general fitness. It’s no mystery as to why we become more sedentary as we get older. People work longer hours and have family commitments which prevent them from getting exercise. What we learn here is that age is not as big a factor as lifestyle.

The beauty of Finn sailing comes with its variety. We can leave the dock for either a gentle cruise or a battle with the elements. We should be prepared for both. I have always believed that the more prepared you are the more enjoyment you can get. Hobbling around the boat after an hour, out of breath, is no fun for anyone. There are several things that should be considered as the sailing season draws close if you want to get the most enjoyment out of it.

1. MovementMost of us spend the majority of our day sitting, whether it be at a desk or in the car. We spend large durations in various limited body positions. Over time our body adapts to these positions. We develop tightness and muscular imbalances which drastically impact our ability to move. Maintenance of mobility is essential to be able to move around the boat efficiently. Often good master sailors really suffer because they are slow around the boat. This slowness comes from diminished mobility rather than any loss in muscular function. In order to prevent losses in mobility we must move regularly. Yoga and stretching are fantastic ways to maintain mobility. Playing any sort of sport or even staying active also have great benefits. If you find that you suffer from tightness or reduced mobility then spend time restoring it and maintaining it. Performing daily exercises can go a long way in maintaining and improving performance in the boat.

2. FitnessI often hear the complaint “I’m not as fit as I used to be”. The truth is neither is anyone else you sail against. It is not an excuse to give up on your fitness. Sailing is a sport and in a class like the Finn, fitness is essential. As we age we do lose cardiovascular fitness, but again most of the reduction is due to a sedentary lifestyle. Regular exercise is the only way to maintain fitness. While there are health implications that come with age we still need to promote our ability to work at higher intensities; this maintains function of the cardiovascular system. If you are concerned about conditioning speak to your doctor about what is safe for you. Then get out and exercise as regularly as possible following his or her advice. Cardiovascular fitness can be maintained relatively well and improved if there is adequate and consistent exercise.

3. StrengthAs we age, general wear and tear on the body, as well as past injuries, can make us reluctant to undertake strength training. It is essential for us to maintain our strength. When we refer to strength we are not talking about lifting heavy weights like a powerlifter. We are referring to the strength that allows us to maintain balance

The MasterAthlete By Ross

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walking down a stairs or carrying a shopping bag. Strength ties in with movement. In order to maintain strength we must move our bodies on a regular basis. We must maintain a level of functional strength that allows us to maintain a straight back when pulling our boat up a slipway or when hiking out. In order to do this we should regularly undertake some form of resistance training. The trick is to focus on movement and range of motion. While resistance machines may seem less daunting and safer, they will kill our range of motion and eliminate the stabilizing muscles that are essential to functional movement. Speak to trainers at your local gym and learn proper technique with free weights. You don’t need to become a gym junkie throwing around lumps of iron. You simply need to reinforce your movement patterns such as walking, squatting, pulling and pushing so that you can move well and in control. This is perhaps your biggest weapon for preventing injury.

Some of you may have been looking for the magical fountain of youth while reading this. The honest answer is exercising regularly in any shape, way or form is your biggest asset to keeping fit and healthy. It is too easy to use age as an excuse. We must make a big effort to stay active and use our bodies. If you do not use it you lose it. If you want to enjoy sailing and continue to sail to your potential then you must make exercise a regular thing. You must address your weaknesses and maintain your strengths. Staying active will keep you healthy but also prevent you from losing your ability in the boat, come the sailing season.

Ross Hamilton is an ex-international Finn sailor who campaigned from 2009-2014. You can read more of his articles here: www.hamiltonsport.com

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VLADIMIR KRUTSKIKH INTERVIEW

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“Thanks to Lanfranco and the Fantastica team, my job is very close to sailing, and I could do some training immediately after finishing my job or during breaks. Also I was feeling very strong support from our team and their belief in my ability to win. And my Olympic experience helped me as well.”

OBJECTIVEHe says he really enjoyed his first Finn Masters experience. What was his objective coming into the event? “Honestly, I was only thinking about winning. But I really enjoyed by the regatta. The Finn World Masters has a very high level of competition and a strong mood of competitiveness during the race while all are friends just after you finish a race. Everybody is ready to help you, and you are feeling yourself as member of a big family on ashore.”

“The competition was very tough. The first half of the regatta was difficult for me. But I managed to brace myself and to decrease the number of my mistakes until the end of the regatta. Of course my coaching experience helped me much. I saw the races from a different angle and I tried to realise those tasks and tricks, which I ask our sailors to work in practice.”

The title came down to a very tricky and light wind medal race with five sailors still in contention. The first attempt was abandoned as the wind disappeared but then a light breeze filled in to allow the race to be restarted. “The medal race was really very difficult for me. I thought after the first start that I could lose the regatta. But perhaps God wanted a different final. The race was stopped. So during the next start I was more aggressive and did not give any chance to my rivals.” A third in the race and ahead of his main rivals was enough to give Vladimir the title.

RIVALSOne of those rivals was his fellow Fantastica coach, Yuri Tokovoi, who led the early part of the regatta. Yuri is the main coach while Vladimir mostly looks after the young sailors. At one point the week was looking like a close fight between them, with just six points separating them going into the medal race. However, Yuri never recovered from a bad start and lost the silver medal. He did however retain the Grand Master title.

At his first World Masters, Vladimir was suitably impressed. “The atmosphere at Finn World Masters was wonderful. You feel yourself like a member of a big friendly family. I did enjoy this regatta, and it actually fitted to my thoughts. I also like that the regatta has so many participants. It is a real adventure to sail in such a big fleet.”

He first came to Finn class from Laser after the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, where he placed 20th. “It was difficult for me to keep optimum weight for the Laser and I had to change class. I liked the Finn from my childhood, and it was very good chance for me to try this class.” He finished 21st in the Finn class at the 2004 Olympics and sailed his last Finn regatta at the 2005 Finn Gold Cup in Moscow.

“We did not have competitive boats at that time because of lack of budget. We could go to international events only once a year. We had to spend most of the time training in Russia. So I cannot boast of good results at international regattas.”

ESCAPE“I tried to escape from competition in the Finn class after I stopped

my Olympic career, but my work with Lanfranco has revived me back, and he insisted that I make my

contribution into overall result of the Russian team. After I decided to take part in the

Finn Masters, I started to train on the water and in a gym a lot. The point that

I would compete not only for myself, but for our team, gave me additional motivation to be well prepared for the competition.”

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Vladimir Krutskikh

talks about his return to Finn sailing

Vladimir Krutskikh from Russia won the 2015 Finn World Masters in Kavala at the first attempt. After a

short-lived Finn career in the early 2000s he stopped for 10 years before being offered a coaching job with the Fantastica Sailing Team by Lanfranco Cirillo.


What was his opinion on the format used? “I think that it would be interesting to sail in one big fleet and with races which are 2-3 hours long.”

CHANCE TO RACEWhat would he say to someone to encourage them to compete? “To me, if you have the chance to race, you must race. I am trying to convince everybody to sail the Finn, because it is a totally different reality when you are sailing the Finn – there is just you and the elements only and nothing else.”

Does he plan to defend the title in 2016? “Yes of course. It is very nice to immerse yourself into this atmosphere again and again. Also the 2016 Finn World Masters will take place in Torbole, which was promoted by the Fantastica team. It will be an honour and a big responsibility for us to compete this year.”

And any suggestions for future venues? “I do believe that some day we will hold this regatta in Moscow.”

SUPPORT“In conclusion I would like to thank Lanfranco Cirillo, Fantastica team and Russian Finn Association for their big support and the

chance for me to come back to the Finn. This result would be impossible without long-term support from the Association and from the Fantastica team. Thanks to them I came back to real life. Is not so easy for Olympians in Russia to come back to dinghy sailing after they finish their career.”

[With thanks to Vasiliy Kravchenko for asking the questions and translating.]

Photos: (This page) Left: Celebrating after medal race • Below: The crucial seventh race when Vladimir and Yuri Tokovoi battled all race for the win, clear of the whole fleet •

Inset: yuri won the Grand Masters category (Opposite page) Top: stressful light wind medal racebottom right: Tight bunch at the top mark in race 5


There are few people who have had as big an impact on the Finn class as Tim Tavinor. In the

early 1990s, alongside Luca Devoti, he helped create Victor Boats and the Devoti hull that transformed Finn sailing worldwide. After helping move the boatbuilding operation, by then called Devoti Sailing, to Eastern Europe, in 2005 he moved away from Finn building and bought Petticrows boatyard in Burnham-on-Crouch, where he carried on the company’s tradition of building world beating Dragons.

comparisons. We do a lot with the Dragons if we want to get a feeling for the reason that boats are performing differently.”

“If you overlay you look at the section – that can give you such a misinterpretation of the shape – you are far better off just overlaying the scans and you get a 3D colour map of where they are big and where they are small and how symmetrical they are and that’s the biggest indicator of the differences between boats. It’s really interesting to do.”

“So I’ve no idea what Rita was when it was first made. I know the section numbers but not the overall shape. But they’ve done so much fairing over the years and it underwent so much work. And it went round the world so many times.”

CHANGESPetticrows has also introduced a few innovations. Gone is the foredeck breakwater, but the boats have a simplified fit out with steel ring deflectors on the control lines inside of blocks, recessed

The Finn gets under your skin

TIM TAVINOR INTERVIEW

In 2014 he returned to Finn production, with the release of the Petticrows Finn. Using processes and technology that were not available 20 years ago he says the quality has come a long way in two decades. Tim reckons he has the most symmetrical and fair Finn hull ever built. “We did a lot of work on the hull and the mould. Our production boats are really good quality without any secondary finishing needed. A lot of detail has gone into the new boat.”

And the much rumoured shape. “It is reasonably close to the Rita shape (Ben Ainslie’s boat). We looked at Rita and we looked at all sorts of shapes. Rita was really interesting actually. When you measure a boat all you get a is snapshot of the shape at the stations but the beautiful thing about the scanning is you get a complete overview of the shape so it’s quite interesting to do


toestap tracks as an option, recessed hatch covers, and a longer control line console. “One thing we did is to make the control line console a bit longer. To be honest when I last sailed Finns I thought all the cleats were too close together so I though we’d spread all this out a bit further. We moved this whole area forward. We elongated it by 100 mm and pushed the front corner forward. So we can spread the cleats out, which make it easier.”

“Because the centreboard is so flat and straight you can make the case really tight. Normally the reason you have a lot of wobble is not because it’s quick or it makes no difference, it’s because the centreboards are never flat so you always have some wobble so they go up and down.”

“The centreboard is a big job: not easy at all. It’s really specialist engineering work. When I was racing Finns I’d have loved to have a centreboard of this quality. I always tried but never got a decent one. You can just feel it. It’s been machined from a bigger, solid piece of aluminium and PTFE coated.”

“It’s special stress relieved material, so when it’s machined there is no stress in the material to bend. Often when you machine a centreboard you’ll get a nice flat plate and think it’s really flat and then cut the centreboard and there will be some residual stress in the aluminium and it will bend.”

“So this one is completely flat and completely straight. You can talk about the hull shape and stuff, which is of course important, but one of the fundamental things that is easy to do it to get everything lined up. If you get everything straight and lined up – your rudder centreboard and mast – and everything symmetrical then that’s half the battle. And it’s not easy to do.”

How much more symmetrical are the new boats? “It’s hard to say. You never start off to make an asymmetric boat, but our experience, the available materials and technology has improved so much, but I wouldn’t like to make a comparison.”

WHY IS HE BACk IN THE FINN?I think the Finn gets under your skin. I sailed a Finn from when I was 18 years old and I just loved it.

The Finn is a successful boat and remains a successful boat because it is just basically a beautiful boat. The Masters circuit is just so well supported by people that have previously raced Finns at different levels because they just love the Finn. They’ll go off and sail different things, and always have fond memories, but they always come back to the Finn to meet up with their old friends.

There’s no doubt when they changed the rules on the aluminium to carbon masts and freed up the position of the deck ring, that made a massive difference to the popularity of the boat. I don’t think we’d have a Master’s circuit today if they hadn’t done that. In fact I think the Finn would even exist today as an Olympic boat. In some ways it was just so heavy on the helm and you had to hike so hard and you had to have a weight jacket.

At that point it was a brute of a boat, but now it is a refined boat. I think it is a very refined, and technical boat. The old guys have lost a bit of their strength, but they certainly haven’t lost their appreciation of how to trim a boat and it’s a boat that rewards good trim and good steering.

And you can fiddle around with the sail and masts, soft masts and stiff masts, different mast rakes, different leach tensions: there’s a never ending amount of things to play with. And of course a lot of the modern boats don’t give you the opportunity to play with anything.

So I think the Finn is just a wonderful boat. That’s one reason I came back into it – because it gets under your skin. I love the Finn; in the same way I love the Dragon.

I started sailing a Dragon 25 years ago. People say to me, ‘why are you so enthusiastic about the Dragon, it’s so old.’ Yes, it is old, but it’s still in existence and it’s popular because it is good. All the old designs, like the Star boat as well, if it wasn’t a fundamentally good boat it wouldn’t be in existence. It would come and go as so many of the new and modern boats. There is something fundamentally not good about some of the modern boats; they just come and go like a fashion. With the Finn, Dragon, Star, there is no fashion; you also see the OK Dinghy and 505 thriving. They are all popular boats because there is something fundamentally really good about the design.

He says the stability of modern materials makes a huge difference to the construction process. “It all starts at the design stage, to the manufacturing of the plugs, to the moulds, to the material you make the boat from. They all contribute to the quality and the symmetry of the boats, and also its compliance with the original concept.”

“As long as you don’t get too much shrinkage. In total from the manufacture of the plugs, though to the manufacture of the moulds through to the final product we got 0.5 mm in shrinkage on the overall length. I can tell you that is remarkable.”

“That’s from what we expected from the computer, to what we knew we had on the plug, to what we knew we had on the mould, to what we measured on the boat, in overall length. It’s pretty accurate.”

“When we did the first Finn mould [in 1992] we got 15mm in overall shrinking which we thought at the time was a disaster. But as we built more moulds and gained experience that of course changed. That’s the difference in knowledge and materials today.”

above and below: World Champion Giles scott puts the Pettiocrow through its

paces at Weymouth

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Suntouched Sailboats Ltd., Hayling Island, Hampshire, UKTel: +44 (0)208 133 0104 Mobile: +44 (0)7734 251033

email: [email protected] Skype name: Suntouched

Devoti Sailing

DEM FOILS

New and used Finns, including the Fantastic Devoti D-Fantastica!All spares and accessories, available to click and buy online.


ITALIAN MASTERS AT MARSALA, SICILY

Marsala (Sicily) hosted the 2015 Italian Master Championship at end of August. Participation was

less than expected but all competitors appreciated the hospitality and the sailing conditions. Much appreciated were also the visits to Marsala wineries, salt ponds and archaeological sites.

Five races were sailed, and Marco Buglielli took the lead on first day winning all three races held in a nice southerly, starting at 20 knots and gradually decreasing to 12 knots. The following day two races were sailed in light winds, with Marco winning the first to wrap up the Italian title with four bullets. with Alberto Bellelli, a former Italian Class secretary who recently returned to Finn sailing, winning the last one.

IFA was delighted to hear that the Finn class in Japan has reformed, as they get ready for the 2020 Olympics.

Yasuo Hozumi, who finished 23rd in the 1960 Rome Olympics, is sailing and he reported. “I take pleasure in sending you photos of the First Finn Masters of Japan that was held in Karatsu, Saga prefecture. Six Finns floated, 15 sailors gathered and seven very short races were sailed on the first day, October 24th. The second day was very rough and the race committee cancelled the remaining races because they were concerned about damage to the boats and masts, not masters. All masters were happy (probably, I was the luckiest person in all). After the race we discussed about the revival of Finn Class in Japan and the Tokyo Olympics.

1 GM Shigeo Kato 42 L Yoshio Shozaki 7

Italian Masters in Marsala

By Marco Buglielli, ITA 2

1 ITA 2 Marco Buglielli 42 ITA 52 Franco Martinelli 93 ITA 77 Alberto Bellelli 11 4 ITA 67 Gino Bucciarelli 155 ITA 1022 Filippo Petella 16 6 ITA 98 Marco Viti 22 7 ITA 94 Renato Irrera 25 8 ITA 1000 Marcello Micheli 319 ITA 68 Pietro Saija 32 10 ITA 102 Diego Maltese 3411 ITA 51 Paolo Trtambailo 37

JAPANESE MASTERS IN KARATSU

3 GM Hiroaki Hashiba 7 4 M Takeshi Kuroda 8

By Yasuo Hozumi

Japanese Masters

in Karatsu5 L Tatsumi Akou 11 6 GGM Hideo Oba 11 7 M Manabu Hotta 12 8 L Koichi Murakami 169 M Masaki Komukai 17

Others: Shingen Furuya, Yuji Fujimura, Yasuo Hozumi, Yuji Akiyama, Takeharu Kawase, Kazuoki Matsuyama


AFTER 25 YEARS OF HIT MASTS

There are few Finn sailors that have not shared a coffee with Jan van der Horst around his kitchen table. For

25 years he delivered Finn dinghies, masts and sails to every corner of the world, but recently he sold the HIT Masts company. Sailing had become his work, now he wants to return to sailing as a hobby.

It all started in around 1970 when Jan got his first Finn at the age of 16. The virus has not left him since – Finns for 45 years now. Jan finished his study as a landscape architect in 1979 and took over the farm of his parents-in-law a few years later. It was a modern big farm in new reclaimed land set four meters below sea level. For years he farmed all kinds of crops from potatoes to tulips beans and sugar beets. Beside the farm he started up a company that produced injection equipment to inject animals with medicines. This company is now the main business selling products worldwide. So there was more than just farming and the combination of the Finn virus and running companies were the basis of staring up the HIT Masts company.

BUT“Once you are in this business, you’ll end up working,” said Tim Tavinor to Jan van der Horst (61 now) before the conception of HIT Masts. How right he was. Jan started in the late 70s with Finn

sails, and ended up selling masts, boats and sails. It was hard work, at the farm, at regattas and even if required during

the holidays.

THE EARLY YEARSHit Masts started as a result of the introduction of carbon masts in the mid 1990s. The masts were originally wooden, then aluminium and the logical development was to carbon rigs.

Jan: “Carbon masts were 3 kg lighter than the aluminium masts. There was huge demand

and the market was wide open. There were some manufacturers of carbon masts for the Finn, but mast builder Thomas Wilkes from the nearby town of Lelystad – who had already been building Europe masts for the Olympic trialists – thought he could improve the design. However he had a limited knowledge of the Finn dinghy, no contacts in the Finn class, minimal resources and was looking to start his own company.” When Jan and Thomas met all the pieces of the puzzle began to fit together and HIT Masts started in 1997.

TRIAL AND ERRORThomas started manufacturing round (teardrop form) profiles that Jan would bring to the market. It was not an instant success.

Jan: “There were a lot of problems with the first masts, reliability and the right material choices were improved by trial and error.”

Thomas: “Engineering was complex and did not simulate the masts correctly.”

But within a few months of trial and error the right mixture was found. Thomas built the masts and Jan sold them, keeping a good record of how the masts performed on the water. Together they developed their own measurement system and nurtured the market.

Jan: “Our policy was never to leave the customer without a mast. If a mast broke due to manufacturing issues it was quickly replaced without any costs.”

Quite possibly was this the main reason that Finn sailors were willing to take the risk with the new HIT Mast. When Jan brought 20 masts to a regatta, and laid them out against a washhouse wall for all to see he sold them all within the shortest time.

“The start-up costs were perhaps a bit high, but the demand was immense,” says Jan. “The first batch of masts sold like hotcakes, especially when the race results began to reflect the performance of the mast. That Larry Lemieux won the Masters twice with a HIT carbon mast was enough to convince the doubters. Suddenly everyone wanted one.”

THE PARTNERSHIP WITH DEVOTI‘Everyone’ was, at that stage, primarily the Masters amongst the Finn sailors. That was also the target group for Jan. By keeping the price relatively low it was easier to build a reputation for his company. Having sold almost 200 masts in a short time Devoti Sailing got in touch. “A mast. You’ll need a boat with that!” Devoti Sailing was interested in a partnership.

The result was a dealership whereby both HIT Masts and Devoti held rights to sell complete boat and mast sets. This partnership was based on respect for each other and an unrestricted market share. For both parties, and for the customers, this was an attractive combination.

Jan: “As dealer for Devoti I sold hundreds of boats. Primarily because I made sure that I always had a large stock of boats (up

25 years of HIT Masts By Suzanne

van der Horst


to around thirty hulls) available at the farm. If a boat was not quite what the customer wanted, there was sure to be one that was perfect. The sails and trailers came later as a natural progression. But my basic principle was that there should be no disappointed customers. That is how I nurtured the reputation of HIT Masts and the customers trust. I think I succeeded.”

WING MASTSAround the millennium a new trend started in the Finn world, the wing mast. The English manufacturer Boyce Spars had entered the market, but was unable to make a profit from the production. Building the wing mast was proving difficult and the tendency to break easily was returning. However Thomas was confident that it would be possible to make successful masts in the Boyce mould and so the decision was made to purchase the mould. HIT Masts became the owner of the mould where more than 1,000 masts would be produced in the years thereafter.

Jan: “By using pre-preg carbon, carbon fibres with the resin already impregnated, and compressed air, Thomas was able to optimise the resin and laminate layup throughout the entire mast. But we struggled with the design in the first months. The masts need to bend more fore and aft which was in conflict with the natural stiffness of the wing profile. Once this was controllable then we were able to concentrate on the precise design of the bend curves.”

HIT MASTS FOR THE PROFESSIONALSThis last development made the HIT mast an interesting prospect for the professional market. These sailors often knew which bend curve they wanted and this became a hot topic of discussion even for those lower down in the ranking and the Masters. The quality of all the masts needed to be raised. The masts were supplied with measurement certificates and bend curve data. Sailors could compare data with each other. The HIT Wing masts scored at international regattas with world champions and Olympic medalists.

THE OPTIMAL CURVE“By following the results of our masts on the water and keeping track of which masts performed well, we gradually discovered what the optimum curve for a mast should be. That was my method. Thomas and I learnt an immense amount from the building and tracking of over 1,000 masts. We sponsored professionals such as Pieter-Jan Postma who tested many masts for us. We received lots of feedback from the top sailors. These were all important moments in the learning curve. With this knowledge I was able to offer better advice to my customers, without giving away specific curve details of a mast. I was always careful with the data of a ‘super mast’ from a top competitor.”

TRUTH AND HONESTYIrrespective of the importance of the bend curve of a mast, Jan never encouraged the practice of ‘building to numbers’. Why not? Jan: “Simply said, it is not possible. Any mast builder that says otherwise is not being honest. The fact is that the carbon and the process is too unpredictable to precisely determine the curve pre-production. We have re-measured masts from our rivals and seen that the reported curve was nothing like the actual curve. To avoid this, I measured every mast after Thomas had manufactured and measured them. Thus I knew for certain what the bend curve of each mast was and could always honestly inform the customer. By having 30 to 40 masts in stock with varying curves I always had the curve that a customer was looking for.”

That the masts from HIT Masts were generally cheaper than those of the other manufacturers was because Jan wanted to keep the pricing under control. His masts needed to be affordable for every sailor. He achieved this by building fast masts, but did not fit and finish them such that they became unaffordable.

NEW DEVELOPMENTSThe latest development in the Finn class is the new hull form that recently became available. Potential mast buyers are cautious of investing at the moment. Also there are other reasons that have made the mast market more difficult. Jan has noticed that selling masts requires more effort now. Gone are the days of 20 masts up against a washhouse being sold within a few hours.

THE END OF HIT MASTSThis is one of the reasons that Jan has decided to pass his company on. He is also getting older and after 25 years has had enough of the boat and mast business and has moved on to a new trailer project under the name of HIT Trailers.

Around the same time that the first two trailers were delivered last year a buyer (two good friends) showed such interest in taking over HIT Masts that Jan decided to let it go. In one deal he sold everything to Dinghy Racing Centre, the name, the image and all the stock of boats, masts and moulds.

A GOOD FEELINGHow does Jan look back on the last 25 years? “With a warm feeling. I enjoyed HIT Masts greatly and have gained many friends over the years. It was also unique that many deals were sealed around our dining room table, in a more personal atmosphere. Very cosy. But if your hobby becomes your work, you risk loosing your hobby. That happened to me, I would like to get back to Finn sailing as a hobby. It is wonderful to sail in events with a degree of anonymity. It will be different travelling to the Masters without 10 or 12 charter boats in tow.”

AND DINGHY RACING CENTRE?“I wish them good luck for the future and hope that they forge a successful path.”

Finn Half Models for individuals, presentations and prizes

From just £40 each

see www.finnclass.org/shop

Mosaic Poster: £5

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Tie: £18

Photo FINNish: £25 + p&p

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Cuff links: £12 FINNLoG:

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Finntastic Games£10


The Sola Cup regatta was held September 12-13 in perfect conditions with good wind and sunshine at

the Karlstads Kappseglingsförening on Lake Vänern in the middle of Sweden. For some years the Sola Cup regatta has also included the Swedish Masters Championship, which this year was won by Johan Wijk from Sandviken. Second place went to Par Friberg from Karlstad with Christian Finnsgard from Gothenburg in third place.

This year the Polish Masters Championship were announced as an international event, and or the

first time in history when only Master competitors were allowed. The event was held on 4-6 September on a very beautiful Dąbie Lake by the Szczecin Sailing Center.

The organising authority managed to hold six races for the 19 competitors that arrived from Poland and Germany. Three were held on the first day, in rather light wind conditions of 5-7 knots. The other three were held the following day, with gusts up to 20 knots. No races were held on the last day, as the wind was too strong.

The first race was won by Marek Jarocki, the second one by Bogusław Nowakowski, and the third by Andrzej Romanowski. On the following day Włodzimierz Radwaniecki won races four and six; the fifth race was won by Jarocki. The race committee did a great job while the organising authority arranged a fantastic picnic on Friday

POLISH MASTER CHAMPIONSHIP 2015 – SzCzECIN

evening and a banquet on Saturday evening, with a lottery of prizes from our sponsors (Toyota, Dobre Sklepy Rowerowe, anSail, Finnsailing, PSRKF) for all participants.

In 2016 the Polish Masters Championship will also be open only to Masters, and will take place in Puck 26-28 August. NoR will be available soon and published on www.finnclass.pl.

1 POL 99 GM Włodzimierz Radwaniecki 102 POL 100 M Marek Jarocki 103 POL 73 GM Andrzej Romanowski 134 POL 26 GM Boguslaw Nowakowski 175 POL 111 M Artur Piernicki 266 GER 146 L Friedrich Muller 287 POL 715 M Przemyslaw Chmura 438 POL 2 M Andre Sarka 459 POL 27 M Piotr Rosinski 4610 POL 37 M Mariusz Swistelnicki 4811 POL 87 M Marcin Mrówczynski 5312 POL 863 M Piotr Kosobucki 6013 POL 127 GGM Jan Kominek 6814 POL 31 M Maciej Pozkrut 7015 BEL 17 GGM Meidcyzslaw Szwed 7216 AUT 210 M Dariusz Konopczak 7717 POL 55 M Leslaw Swistelnicki 7918 POL 3 L Jan Okulicz-Kozaryn 8419 GER 114 M Jacek Kalinski 88

SWEDISH MASTERS 2015 – KARLSTAD

Polish Masters in Szczecin

By Marek Jarocki, POL 100

Swedish Masters in Karlstad

By Stefan Fagerlund, SWE 22

In total 15 Master sailors were competing in this year’s championship. Wijk won three races, but it went to the last race as he failed to finish the third race. As part of the SOLA Cup the only other race wins went to Pär Friberg. A third place in the final race for Wijk was enough to take the title.

Champions in the various divisions were: Master - Johan Wijk; Grand Master - Par Friberg; Grand Grand Master - Mikael Brandt; Legend - Jan-Erik Florén (see photo).

1 SWE 75 Johan Wijk 142 SWE 91 Pär Friberg 203 SWE 3 Christian Finsgård 284 SWE 721 Mikael Brandt 525 SWE 16 Henrik Rydell 536 SWE 2 Svante Colvin 577 SWE 44 Bengt Strömberg 638 SWE 111 Torsten Jarnstam 639 SWE 66 Ulf Bjureus 6510 SWE 702 Gert Pluto 8611 SWE 725 Jan-Erik Florén 9912 SWE 7 Hans Wiberg 10713 SWE 719 Peter Bernstein 10914 SWE 5 Fredrikl Tenghed 11115 SWE 88 Hans Gustafsson 111

The stages of life By Ian Ainslie

RSA 1


EURO MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP 2015

2015 Finn European Masters Championship1 GM RSA 1 Ainslie Ian 1 1 -9 8 1 1 1 -12 9 222 M LTU 7 Rymonis Tauras -22 7 5 5 2 3 2 4 -16 283 GM HUN 7 Székely Antal 6 2 3 -11 9 7 4 2 (dnf) 334 GM HUN 211 Szilvássy Attila -14 (ocs) 8 1 7 5 14 5 5 455 M HUN 5 Huszár Géza 10 4 7 10 4 -12 6 -11 4 456 M RUS 20 Marcherski Alexei 26 3 1 -27 11 6 (ocs) 7 1 557 M CZE 43 Hyrs Ladislav 13 5 -21 -17 10 4 11 10 3 568 GM RUS 51 Petriga Mikhail 11 -20 6 -22 3 9 3 6 20 589 GM RUS 3 Borovyak Alexey 16 -17 -29 2 15 10 13 1 7 6410 M HUN 50 Lukáts Ákos -19 6 4 16 -19 14 12 8 10 70

11 M HUN 88 Majthényi Zsombor 7112 M UKR 8 Gavrish Taras 7413 GGM CZE 8 Outrata Jiri 7914 GM RUS 21 Butenko Vladimir 8115 GGM CRO 110 Cicarelli Luksa 8516 GGM RUS 142 Polovinkin Jury 8917 GM HUN 2 Sipos Péter 9918 GM CZE 75 Skalicky Vladimir 9919 M HUN 51 Rutai István 10520 L GER 146 Müller Friedrich 11221 GM HUN 18 Demeczky Mihály 12822 M RUS 16 Khudiakov Oleg 13423 GM RUS 71 Kleimann Leonid 14724 GM FRA 53 Corcaud Gilles 15025 M RUS 4 Baniko Alex 15026 M HUN 972 Mónus Gyula 15327 GGM HUN 95 Farkas József 17228 GM HUN 961 Varga Attila 174

In olden times, Hindus were expected to go through four stages of life—the life of a student, the life of a

house-holder, the life of a retired ascetic and the life of a renunciate monk. These stages were prescribed by the scriptures to gradually lead Hindus away from the pursuit of enjoyment to its renunciation in favour of the spiritual world.

29 M LTU 8 Babikas Dangis 18830 M LTU 29 Janulionis Adomas 19331 GGM HUN 9 Beliczay Tamás 19632 GGM HUN 4 Antal Gábor 20233 GM HUN 150 Csányi Zoltán 20634 M HUN 20 Elek Péter 20835 GM GER 2 Peters Nils 20936 L AUT 320 Gál Csaba 21037 M HUN 143 Wchovszky László 21438 GM HUN 64 Szűcs Balázs 22839 M HUN 69 Stadler Csaba 22940 M HUN 27 Andrik Szabolcs 24041 GM HUN 26 Zsitvay Szilárd 25642 GM HUN 3 Szalay László 26243 GGM HUN 140 Mészáros Gábor 27244 M HUN 111 Újvári Gábor 27445 L HUN 401 Szolvik Gyula 31246 GM RUS 41 Denikaev Felix 423

a side of the course and go for either the shift on the left or the better pressure on the right. Being too conservative up the middle, seldom works.

There was a range of equipment used but, as usual the Finn’s longevity allows for many older hulls to do well. Pata, the Hungarian Finn builder/ innovator/ tinkerer/fleet benefactor was responsible for the majority of the hulls and masts in the fleet. There was a range of sails used. The speedy Russian guys used WB sails, as did Tonyo (third overall). These are powerful but are able to open the upper leech which is helpful to keep the boat accelerating when the legs get tired. Also impressive were the Doyle stratis sails. They seemed quick and easy to keep moving fast, which is useful when you have to keep your eyes out of the boat. Taurus was the fastest upwind in the lighter stuff and he used a polyester North sail.

Despite my dismay (and the wife’s chortling) at having a newly earned GM status, ‘old’ is always 10 years older than your current age. So, when I get old, I aim to have the fitness and shape of a Jiri Outrata (GGM winner) or Freidich Muller (Legend winner). I will achieve this by following their example of intemperance and continuing to sail a Finn. Probably with an idiotic grin of pleasure on my face.

In modern times, it has been dictated that Finn sailors go through the stages of life as a student, masters, grandmasters, great grandmasters before finally attaining the ultimate enjoyment and renunciation of piety: the legend.

50 odd old bullets from 10 countries descended upon the picturesque peninsula of Lake Balaton for the 4th Euro Finn Masters regatta to celebrate the renunciation of growing old. The event was held, as usual, at the excellent facilities of THE (Tihany hajos egylet). Early autumn is the best time for racing on Balaton. The water and air temperatures are still warm and the wind starts to rouse from its summer torpor. The race committee ran nine excellent races with a few free pumping legs conveniently interspersed with mostly light/medium conditions to allow time for the effects of voltarin to kick in.

Racing was close and competitive. The top four overall had all competed in the Olympics during their ‘student’ phase of life. On Balaton, there is seldom a very obvious way to go, making it very easy to get a high score. It is common for there to be different influences on each side of the course. it was better to commit to

FINN MASTERS MAGAZINE & YEARBOOK 2016 33

RUSSIAN MASTERS IN MOSCOW

DUTCH MASTERS 2015 - HARDERWIJK

Russian Mastersin Moscow

By Vasiliy Kravchenko, RUS 17

Dutch Masters in Harderwijk

Pos Cat Points open 1 RUS 2121 Vladimir Krutskikh M 54 42 RUS 711 Dmitriy Petrov M 60 53 RUS 77 Igor Horoshilov GM 92 124 RUS 161 Aleksandr Kulyukin M 94 145 RUS 41 Felix Denikaev GM 127 166 RUS 31 Igor Frolov GM 129 177 RUS 131 Aleksandr Lauhtin M 135 188 RUS 34 Aleksandr Kasatov GM 136 199 RUS 16 Oleg Hudyakov M 156 2210 RUS 3 Aleksey Borovyak GM 171 2511 RUS 17 Vasiliy Kravchenko M 189 2812 RUS 51 Mihail Petriga GM 196 2913 RUS 205 Sergey Stepanov M 196 3014 RUS 13 Lev Shnyr M 202 3115 RUS 21 Vladimir Butenko GM 250 3316 RUS 100 Dmitriy Ahromenko M 259 3517 RUS 142 Yuri Polovinkin GGM 273 3818 RUS 212 Lanfranco Cirillo GM 286 4019 RUS 120 Sergey Kovalenko GM 293 4220 RUS 8 Nikolay Kovalev GGM 312 4321 RUS 167 Vyacheslav Buyakas GM 345 5122 RUS 101 Arkadiy Chirkov GM 349 5223 RUS 74 Yan Mahanek M 393 5424 RUS 189 Sergey Lukin GGM 394 5525 RUS 20 Sergey Bolotin GMM 403 5626 RUS 729 Evgeniy Kalmykov GM 405 5727 RUS 96 Boris Razuvalov M 419 5928 RUS 18 Evgeniy Dzhura M 434 6029 RUS 117 Victor Kozlov L 434 6130 RUS 333 Andrey Voloshin GM 461 6431 RUS 50 Andrey Dyubin M 481 6532 RUS 97 Maksim Gromov M 489 6633 RUS 61 Dmitriy Volovik M 498 6734 RUS 113 Andrey Berezhnoy M 512 68

The traditional annual Open Russian regatta, which includes the Russian Finn Association championship

and Russian Finn Masters championship, took place in Moscow during the last week of August.

The regatta attracted 68 sailors from 18 regions of Russia, Ukraine and Italy including 34 Masters. Matching the result at the Finn World Masters, Vladimir Krutskikh won the title from Dmitry Petrov and Alexander Kulyukin. The overall fleet composition gave interesting competition since several Olympians and medalist of World masters, junior World and European championships came together. The

weather gave quite wide range of wind conditions starting from light wind in the beginning of the regatta and ending with 20+ knots. 10 fleet races and one medal took place in total. Krutskikh was also in second place in the Open before the medal race, but he dropped to fourth after an unlucky finish.

The ONK Masters and Randmeerrace was sailed over

three days from 28-30 August at Harderwijk and won by the winner of the Finn World Masters medal race Thierry van Viersen, who won two races during the week, including the crucial final race.

Sailed in light winds it came right down to that final race. Cees Scheurwater was leading the series at this point so it was a tight finish, but van Viersen won his second race to Scheurwate’s fourth and took the

title. Other race wins went to Masters wannabe Tobias Kirschbaum, Bas de Regt, Thomas van den Berg and Wouter Molenaar. With a fantastic 68 entries the Dutch fleet welcomed visitors from USA, Australia and Germany

1 NED 881 Thierry van Viersen, M 232 NED 7 Cees Scheurwater, M 233 NED 972 Tobias Kirschbaum, S 494 NED 4 Ruurd Baerends, GGM 505 NED 29 Bas de Waal, M 506 NED 39 Steven Straffordt, M 537 NED 977 Thomas van d Berg, GM 548 NED 66 Ewout Meijer, GM 60

9 NED 888 Bas de Regt, GM 6210 NED 2 Wouter Molenaar, GGM 6911 NED 54 Joos Bos, GGM 7912 NED 40 Peter Aukema, M 8613 NED 95 Wobbe de Schiffart, GM 8614 NED 43 Ronald van Klooster, GM 9415 NED 27 Paul Kamphosr, GM 10216 NED 45 Bas Weyman, GM 11517 NED 57 Bart Brijder, M 11818 NED 15 Maurits Boot, S 12219 NED 55 Eddy Huisman, GM 12320 NED 88 Chiel Barends, GM 12721 NED 101 Chris Frijdal, GGM 13022 NED 35 Bas Proper, GGM 13223 NED 112 Michel Miltenburg, S 13624 NED 150 Hans Klaassen, GGM 13825 NED 30 Denny Rofekamp, S 14426 NED 864 Daan Dijxhoorn, S 14527 AUS 8 Dirk Seret, L 14728 NED 3 Gert v Woudenberg, GM 15329 NED 58 Maxim Berrens, M 16030 USA 2 Charles Heimler, GGM 164

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BIDDING CLUBS FOR 2018 - BALIS AND MASALA

Balís, Spain

Porto El Balís is located 35km north-east of Barcelona, situated in the

direction of Girona on the northern Spanish Mediterranean coastline. It is located in the Catalonia region of

Spain, roughly 130 km from the French border.

The marina at Balís is populated with a large number of moored yachts and motorboats that are

principally used for recreational purposes.

The sailing club – Club Náutico El Balís (www.cnelbalis.com) – is located at the northern end of the marina, has a membership of around 3,500 and is active in dinghy and large boat, pleasure sailing and racing. Founded in 1966, the Club affords spacious and modern accommodation with an excellent restaurant area providing indoor and outdoor eating and a fabulous pool terrace with a sunbathing area. There is also a private beach, with outdoor showers, a small gym and changing facilities.

• A number of launch ramps will be installed and have been used before.

• Excellent media, Jury and conference facilities• Large covered measurement area.• On-site campervan facilities.

Accommodation: It is proposed to host 30-40 campervans on the marina site (a small charge will apply for the event.)

There is further serviced camping 1 km away at Camping Barcelona, which has touring facilities and also a number of static bungalows. It is located on the same road as the marina, further along the coast. It is a level cycle to the marina.

Nearby villages and townsAndreu de Llavaneros – Local village and train stop for the marina at Porto El Balís. There is very little in the way of accommodation here except the camping and some budget apartments.

Caldes d’Estrac – a small town 2 km north of the Marina along the beach road. There are several hotels including 2 and 4 star, as well as apartments. It is an easy cycle ride and a reasonably long walk from the marine to Caldes.

Matáro – a much larger town loaded 8 km south-west of Porto Balís with many hotels, restaurants and extensive facilities and attractions. A train runs from the town centre with a stop right outside the marina. Tickets cost €2 from town to marina and the ride takes five minutes.

AirportsBarcelona 35km, Taxi 75 euros to Porto El Balís • Girona 55km.

Ladies ProgrammeA Ladies programme has been proposed for the Tuesday and Thursday, sampling some of the local sites and shopping.There is also the local club beach and pool area for your pleasure in the week.

In the middle of the marina there is large workshop/office area that would act as race office, measurement area and jury rooms. There are many rooms for use overlooking the marina. Further south is a row of retail outlets and restaurants, all facing the marina. The marina is gated for vehicles, though is accessible on foot or bicycle.

First impression is that this is a family orientated club and not a commercial enterprise. The dinghy fleets include Optimist, 49ers and 470s and a small Finn fleet, which is expanding. The J80 held its World Championship here in 2014, with 62 participants.

Points to note• Ample Finn storage space with adequate fresh water wash-down

hoses. Excellent trailer storage.• Gym, pool, private beach• 11 Bars and restaurants in the port.


Marsala is a town situated at the western point of Sicily, in the Middle of Mediterranean Sea, in front of

Aegadian Islands. Writes Marco Buglielli, ITA 2.

The ClubThe bid for the organisation of 2018 Finn World Master is presented by Circolo Velico Marsala (www.circolovelicomarsala.com), created in 1973, which has an extensive experience in organising regattas at national and international level (including 2013 Moth European championship, 2007 49er Europeans, 2005 Italian Championships for all Olympic classes, Lightning Worlds, several Italian championships including 2015 Finn Italian Masters, etc).

The club is located 500 meters from the historical centre of Marsala and occupies an area of about 5,000 square meters. In the immediate neighbourhood of the club there is a vast parking area for campers, cars and trailers, with all the necessary facilities. The clubhouse has a secretary’s office, a big saloon, rooms for regatta office and jury, bar and restaurant, changing rooms with indoor and outdoor showers and toilets.

There are two big launching ramps and a single one, together with a small beach close to one of the ramps where other boats can be launched. Furthermore there are piers at sea, where RIBs and small boats can moor.

An area of the Club is dedicated to families with sun umbrellas and beach chairs.

Weather and RacingIn May the weather is usually fine, with high temperatures between 20° and 25° Celsius. The prevailing southerly breeze is stable in daytime between 10 and 20 knots. Occasionally westerly winds blow from 8 to 25 knots. Tidal range is minimal (30 cm) and the current is light (less than 1 knot). The racing area is close to the Club and two trapezoid courses can easily fit in the vast area between Lilibeo Point, Aegadian Islands and the Stagnone lagoon.

TransportTrapani Birgi international airport is just 14 km from the Club and hosts Ryanair and other low cost companies, while Palermo international airport is at a distance of 100 km. Palermo is the main harbour in Sicily and is connected by ferries to Genoa, Civitavecchia and Napoli. Other ferries link Napoli to Trapani. Discounted fares will be available for all maritime transfers.

AccommodationIn the vicinity of the Club there are several different accommodations available (hotels, B&B, apartments).An area adjacent to the Club will be equipped with water and electricity for campers.

Tourist attractionsMarsala is famous for its internationally renowned wine, with several wineries active in the city and its neighbourhoods. Guided tours will be organised in the ancient and fascinating Cantine Florio, 3 km from the Club. Food is a must in Sicily and all kinds of pasta, fish, meat and vegetarian dishes can be enjoyed in restaurants just a short walk from the Club.

A great number of tourist attractions are available in Marsala and within 50 km, like the nice beaches and the wonderful Aegadian island (connected by hydrofoils from Marsala) and the minor islands (Mothia, San Pantaleo e Isola Lunga) in the Stagnone Lagoon, a natural reserve famous for windmills and the salt pans.

The historical and artistic heritage is very rich, with the archaeological areas of Segesta and Selinunte and their astonishing Greek temples, the medieval town of Erice, close to Trapani (where the America’s Cup series were held in 2011 and 2013). A very interesting and varied Ladies programme will be organised, and all family members can easily find pleasant

Marsala, Sicily


VENUE FOR 2014 FINN WORLD MASTERS - SOPOT, POLAND

36

INTERVIEW WITH PAUL MCKENzIE

IntroductionPaul writes; After a lot of Finn sailing in the late 90s and early 00s I stopped sailing the Finn frustrated that I was on the slippery slope downhill. I stayed in touch with the class and sailors through coaching and saw how the new generation of sailors took Finn sailing to a new level.

However, time heals and memories of frustrations and weaknesses fade to the point where we are ready to sail the Finn again. Of course starting by sailing someone’s boat home on a long downwind leg…I began doing some short tuning sessions with some of the current good guys and to my surprise, frustration quickly changed to elation when I realised I could keep up. The mental side of sailing has always been important and here was the perfect example. “If expectations are low enough satisfaction is guaranteed!”

ON THE 2015 WORLD MASTERSHow was your experience at your first Masters and has it encouraged you to come again? This regatta was the most fun I’ve had for a long time. I was back in the boat I love, with a lot of the old mates and racing on pretty even physical terms (everyone is aching somewhere). Even the attitude of the sailors was better than usual. No-one really got upset about a bad race or too carried away with a good one.

What were your expectations of your own performance in 2015 and how did that match the reality?I didn’t really know what to expect at the masters. I’d been out of the Finn for so long and hadn’t sailed against any of the other masters. I was hoping to be up the front, but knew I wasn’t hiking well due to very limited sailing (I didn’t have a Finn at that time).The reality! I had a lot of trouble starting. There are subtle differences between a dinghy start and my recent experience in

Satisfaction is guarenteed

By PaulMcKenzieAUS 11

keelboat starts and it had been 12 years since my last Finn start. Upwind was actually ok when I was hiking, but slightly off the pace in lighter conditions. Downwind was fine. I finished 14th and in the end was pretty satisfied.

How did you find the atmosphere among the sailors and was it more fun than you thought it would be?The atmosphere was great. Competitive and relaxed at the same time. These mature sailors know how to turn on for the racing and off between and after racing. Some of the Olympic aspirants would perform better if they could do the same. Early on in the regatta I shut an Italian guy out at the top mark (legally) and left him hooked on the mark yelling “you Australian cheater”. Later that night I had dinner with Walter Riosa and to my surprise met his mate Giacomo, who I had only previously met at the top mark. We laughed about it for the rest of the night.I was on a high all week: meeting up with our old mates and spending a week together doing what we like.

What is your opinion on the format in terms of fleet sizes and format of racing?Split fleet are necessary to make it work. One fleet is not an option, so the question is just how many boats in each fleet. I think around 100 in a fleet is manageable but not too many more eg 300 = 3 fleets, 400 = 4 fleets.The format set up by Richard Hart worked pretty well. Splitting into Gold, Silver, Bronze etc is not fun for anyone except the lucky Goldies. I like the idea of racing against everyone all week except the medal race. It can be a bit frustrating that you don’t race against certain sailors very often but this is the luck of the draw. If we get more races in this will be less of a problem though.

What is the greatest attraction for you to sail the Masters and what would you say to someone to convince them to compete?I’m someone competitive. I come for the competition and the chance to race again at the highest level available for guys of our age. And this sailing is very high level.However it’s such a big fleet that there’s competitive racing for everyone. There are so many sailors and different generations sailing that sailors finishing well down the results can be satisfied that they did well in their age group and can still see many good sailors behind them.Then there is the social side, which is massive with the number of sailors and their entourage. The regatta is always in great locations, so there are many different options every night.

Where would you like to see the World Masters held in the future? Any new venues to consider?We need venues:1. That are interesting and attractive to the sailors and family/ friends that come along2. Nice sailing conditions, waves and mix of wind conditions3. Suitable accommodation at a reasonable price4. Competent shore and race management5. Easy accessibility to the location for everyonePoint 4 could be clubs with significant experience organizing big

One of the first-timers at the 2015 Finn World Masters was Paul McKenzie from Australia. Paul placed

sixth at the 1996 Olympic Games in Savannah and stopped sailing a Finn in 2004 after losing the 2000 and 2004 trials to Anthony Nossiter. However he has been a regular sight on the senior circuit for the last few years as a coach. Paul has now bought himself a Finn again and hopes to be back in Torbole.

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UK MASTERS 2015 - MENGEHAM RYTHE


events, but it could also be a less experienced club if it was ready to accept assistance from experienced race officers (volunteer or professional).Point 5 could be somewhere in Europe, but it could also be somewhere more remote provided there was assistance (financial or logistical) to get to the venue.My wish list would include: Rosas, Catalonia Spain. Santander, Cantabria Spain, Elba island, Italy and Warnemunde, Germany (but not in May).But I like going somewhere new too, so Kavala was fun.

ON COACHINGWhat did you think of the quality of the fleet in kavala and did you find the competition tougher than expected?I was pretty focussed on myself and didn’t really look at what other people were doing, but the guys around me were sailing well in the conditions we had. Some of the guys were always up there, but a lot of others were rotating in and out of the front end. When they got the clear air they really showed their worth.Conditions were light, but in that weather many sailors were all fast upwind. Downwind there were bigger speed differences.Further back in the fleet I feel a lot of guys have good speed but don’t race well in big fleets.

What were the more common mistakes you saw people make?In such a big fleet it’s difficult to sail when you’re outside the top 30. It’s difficult to find the right mix of sailing in clear air, on the shifts and inside the laylines, but this is critical if you want to move up in the fleet.

What do you tell the sailors you are coaching when they are at a new venue and no idea what is going on?Don’t talk to the locals unless they are really top sailors with no conflict of interest.We try to get a feel for the venue during training days, but also increase our knowledge during the week of racing. Keep notes on

what works, but keep eyes open during racing.Run through some basic regatta preparation in terms of venue/local information, equipment selection, physical preparation (for old guys), surviving the event.It’s best to do the training well before the event and arrive fresh for racing. Physical preparation needs to be ongoing. At our age it’s hard to make quick gains in strength or endurance.Do equipment testing and selection in advance too. It’s better to know how to use your gear at 100%of its potential, so don’t be afraid to use it before the regatta.I like to get to the venue two days before racing. This leaves time to do all the admin (hotel, registration, measurement), set up the boat, have a short sail and relax before the regatta starts.

What to concentrate on during training for Torbole 2016.Hiking harder and free pumping technique

Three ideas to try something different?Firstly don’t bother trying anything too different. The guys that do well, just keep it simple but do it well.1. Upwind: Stay inside the laylines in strong winds, but don’t be afraid to go outside in light winds.2. Smooth out light wind gybes by dropping the centreboard.3. Find a good song before you leave the dock. Sing it on the downwind (in your head please) to clear your thoughts and find a rhythm that matches the waves.

What to focus on and what not to focus onFocus on racing well with the speed you have. Sometimes you will be fast and sometimes not, but you have to keep making the right decisions regardless of your speed. It’s common to try something you know isn’t right, but you do it because you’re losing. Normally it will just increase your loss.Don’t focus too much on the others. Focus on doing the best job you can and see what happens.

Good luck to all in Torbole.

UK Mastersat Mengeham

Despite a dismal forecast, 22 Finns arrived on a grey and misty

morning on 3-4 May at Mengeham Rythe Sailing Club. The wind was set to reach 30 knots and it was decided to keep the fleet inside Chichester harbour.

Combined with an open event as well, Masters race wins on the first day went to Allen Burrell and John Tremlett. A much

lighter second day brought changes, with Julian Smith winning the first race with Burrell wrapping up the Masters with two top places, while Tremlett faded away.

1 GM GBR 2 Allen Burrell 122 GM GBR 720 Julian Smith 183 GM GBR 679 Neil Robinson 214 M GBR 642 John Tremlett 225 M GBR 635 Simon Percival 306 M GBR 37 Steve Hayles 417 M GBR 90 Richard Sharp 438 GM GBR 708 Michael DeCourcy 459 GGM GBR 80 Ray New 5010 L GBR 656 Graeme Macdonald 6011 GM NED 924 Fred van Arkel 6112 GM GBR 22 Andrew Wylam 7413 M GBR 12 Dan Belton 7814 GM GBR 567 Martin Hughes 8315 GM GBR 61 John Heyes 8316 GM GBR 595 Edward Thorburn 8517 GM GBR 4 Russ Ward 9118 M GBR 486 Cy Grisley 9119 L GBR 77 Howard Sellers 9320 G GBR 82 Simon Green 9921 M GBR 548 Jon Tweedle 10722 GGM GBR 34 Peter Blick 123Pi

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THE FANTASTICA STORY


First of all, Ciao to everyone. My name is Lanfranco, though I am better known as MOMO.

I have a long story in sailing. I used to sail in Maxis and I owned a beautiful Swan 100. Then I discovered one-design racing and I changed to a Swan 45, and then about seven years later to a Melges 32, then a Melges 24, then a 20 and in the end someone told to me to try to sail a Laser, and then “you will really learn how to sail”.

For this reason in 2014 I started to think about making a new Finn project. I am an architect and I love the technical side of sailing.

I was thinking that the last Finn was made in 2000 and I was thinking that in 15 years the material and technology has changed so much. So I thought, let’s look at the boat in 2000 and now. Why not to try to make the Finn more fun? So I started to study and to speak with different persons and find a project manager.

The story of theFantastica By Lanfranco

CirilloRUS 212

So at 50 years old I sat in a Laser for the first time. Fortunately it was in the summer and I know how to swim. From the first moment it was clear that even if I had been sailing on the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and racing all over the world, sailing an Olympic class is something completely different. It was also clear that any Olympic class is a dream that is suffering both financially and technically.

So I started to finance some Olympic athletes. Then an Italian Finn sailor, Michele Paoletti, that told me that the best boat for me would be the Finn...and so I bought two Devoti Finns in 2010.

In 2012 I tried to train and attend my first regatta in the Finn and it started a crazy love. I remember the first time I sailed a Finn, on the water in strong wind how was difficult it was and how many times I went swimming.

So I sold all my other boats and I started to buy Finns and to organise a Finn team. I knew I could not go to the Olympics at my age but I could help someone else to go and be with him there and experience the emotion and the Olympic fever.

In 2013 the Fantastica Sailing Team was created just for Paoletti and Bambi [Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic] and then I started to sponsor the Russian Federation after I was given Russian nationality. The team is not only Finns. I also now sponsor many other young sailors including five Optimists, three Lasers and two Nacra teams; and I now have 24 Finns.

In 2013 I built and sailed a Class 40 and my boat finished 13th in the Transat Jacque Vabre. Then last year I sponsored the great Italian sailor Giancarlo Pedote in trimarans.

Some people say that I am a philanthropist of sailing. It could be. I love sailing and I like to help people that love and trust in this sport.

In the end I started to speak with big Luca – a man that can dream. We were talking a lot and we were agreed that from a hand made boat we had to make a more contemporary project so we found a yacht architect and I started to finance the process. My idea was, and I hoped it would be realized, to present to every Finn sailor an easier and faster boat.

For this I financed the project and the mould and presented to Luca and to all sailors without any financial interest.

So when I went to Takapuna for my first Finn Gold Cup and I saw more than 30 D-Fantasticas I was happy and quite a bit surprised.

That is the story. I made a project and presented it to the best constructor, without any money or any interest: except to have fun with all Finn sailors and to have a Finn with my name on it.

Now I am helping the yacht club in Torbole (pictured left from Lanfranco’s plane) to organise the Finn World Masters this year and I hope that we will create the biggest Finn regatta that was ever sailed.

Hope to see you all there Ciao MOMO


Finn sailors of the age of forty and above are called ‘Masters’ and are divided into age groups: Master (40-49), Grand Master (50-59), Grand Grand Master (60-69) and Legend (70 and above). Each year the Masters, the Grand Masters, the Grand Grand Masters, the Legends

and Ladies sail a separate World Championship called the Finn Masters. Also existing are the large local groups of Finn sailors, which are actively involved in national or club level regattas. Ages vary between 18 and 75 years, but in the Finn Legends some sailors are above 80 years. The binding factor characterising these Finn sailors is that all have a sport-loving, collegial and institution based on friendship and respect. Note: If, in a specific year, you reach(ed) the age as listed, the accompanying title is applicable from January 1 to December 31 of that year.

Category 2016 2017 2018 Jan.1 – Dec. 31 Jan.1 – Dec. 31 Jan.1 – Dec. 31Master 40-49 Born 1967-1976 Born 1968-1977 Born 1969-1978Grand Master 50-59 Born 1957-1966 Born 1958-1967 Borm 1959-1968Grand Grand Master 60-69 Born 1947-1956 Born 1948-1957 Born 1949-1958Legend 70+ Born 1946 or earlier Born 1947 or earlier Born 1948 or earlierLadies 40+ Born 1976 or earlier Born 1977 or earlier Borm 1978 or earlierNOTE: all ages and years are inclusive of that year

FINN WORLD MASTERS YEARBOOK 2016

The first suggestion for a special Finn Veteran Gold Cup for sailors over 40 years of age was from Dr. Fred and Heidi Auer at the 1969 IFA AGM in Bermuda. The Auers organised the first Veteran Gold Cup in 1970 on the Silvaplana See close to St. Moritz in Switzerland.

Even Rickard Sarby sailed in the regatta to represent Sweden. Mel Oskamp won and organised the next event in Holland. From this time stemmed the tradition that the winner has the right to decide the place of the next Veteran

Gold Cup. From 1974-1979 the event was held in Port Carmargue, France. Andre Mevel won three titles during this time. In 1978 Heinz Reiter of Germany won the Cup but when he offered to organise it in 1979, a committee was formed to retain the event in sunny Port Camargue.

In 1984 entries exceeded 100 for the first time and they had to divide the fleet into two groups on the small lake. In 1985, an even larger number gathered in Bavaria. In 1990, the sailors forced Georg Oser, the Masters organiser, to have an ‘Oldie AGM’, and one of its first actions was to rename the event the Finn World Masters. During this time there were generally more than 100 boats attending and in 1999 when 148 boats took part it was considered exceptional.

In 1995, Larry Lemieux won the first of his five title, the others following in 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2004. In 1996, for the first time ever the Finn

World Masters was combined with the ‘real’ Finn Gold Cup in La Rochelle, France, and this was repeated in 2000 in Weymouth, UK.

From 2003, André Budzien won three titles and seven more podium places. Also, long time Olympic campaigner Michael Maier reached an eligible age and has exceeded Lemieux’s record with six titles. In 2008 numbers passed 200; there were 229 entries for Medemblik, but this was exceeded the following year and twice since with the record now standing at 285 in 2013.

The only problem with the Finn World Masters is that each year a new group of sailors qualify without merit simply by getting older than 40, so the numbers sailing get bigger all the time. And the problem for the organisers is finding a venue large enough for such a big fleet.

MASTERS (President’s Cup, Presented 2014)2014 Aleksandr Kuliukin, Russia 2015 Vladimir Krutskhik, RussiaGRAND MASTERS (Finn Veteran Gold Cup - Trophäe Marktgemeinde Kaltern 1984)1984 Walter Mai, Germany1985 Jørgen Lindhardtsen, Denmark1986 Heini Unterhauser, Italy1987 Peter Raderschadt, Germany1988 Hans Fatzer, Switzerland1989 Peter Raderschadt, Germany1990 Mikael Brandt, Sweden1991 Kurt Schimitzek, Germany1992 Roland Balthasar, Germany1993 Peter Vollebregt, Netherlands1994 Roland Balthasar, Germany1995 Larry Lemieux, Canada1996 Roland Balthasar, Germany1997 Wolfgang Gerz, Germany19981999 Jiri Outrata, Czech Republic2000 Hans-Günter Ehlers, Germany2001 Luksa Cicarelli, Croatia (1st GM)2002 Henry Sprague, USA (1st GM)2003 Eberhard Bieberitz, Germany2004 Jiri Outrata, Czech Republic2005 Marin Mrduljas, Croatia2006 Eberhard Bieberitz, Germany2007 Marin Mrduljas, Croatia2008 Ilias Hatzipavlis, Greece2009 Francresco Cinque, Italy2010 Michael Gubi, Austria2011 Marc Allain des Beauvais, France2012 Rob Coutts, New Zealand

2013 André Budzien, Germany2014 Michael Maier, Czech Republic2015 Yuri Tokovoi, Ukraine

GRAND-GRAND MASTERS(Finn World Masters Trophybuilded by ralf Kratz sV biblis Germany)2000 Luksa Cicarelli, Croatia Mike Till, Great Britain (1st GGM)2001 Louie Nady, USA (1st GGM)2002 Minski Fabris, Croatia (1st GGM)2003 André Budzien, Germany2004 Larry Lemieux, Canada Alan Tucker, South Africa (1st GGM)2005 Friedrich Müller, Germany2006 Friedrich Müller, Germany2007 Luksa Cicarelli, Croatia2008 Luksa Cicarelli, Croatia2009 Jørgen Lindhardtsen, Denmark2010 Luksa Cicarelli, Croatia2011 Michael Brandt, Sweden2012 Pascal Tetard, France2013 Henk de Jager, Netherlands2014 Henry Sprague, USA2015 Francesco Cinque, Italy

LEGENDS(Legends Trophy presented in 2012)2006 Walter Mail, Germany2007 Seigfried Bohl, Germany2008 Walter Mai, Germany2009 Walter Mai, Germany2010 Richard Hart, Great Britain2011 Howard Sellars, Great Britain2012 Howard Sellars, Great Britain2013 Friedrich Müller, Germany2014 Richard Hart, Great Britain2015 Henry Sprague, USA

LADIES(Ladies Trophy presented 2012)2006 Bozena Smidova, Czech Republic2007 Bozena Smidova, Czech Republic

2008 Bozena Smidova, Czech Republic2009 Brigitte Devilliers, France2010 Brigitte Devilliers, France2011 Sabine Breuer, Germany2012 Sabine Breuer, Germany

GOLDEN CRUTCH1988 Han van Vierssen, Netherlands1989 Horst Klein, Germany1990 Rolf Lehnert, Germany1991 Herbert Sondermann, Germany1992 Jürgen Kraft, Germany1993 Lucio Nodari, Italy1994 Dieter Borges, Germany1995 Hans-Günther Ehlers, Germany1996 Jiri Outrata, Czech Republic1997 Kurt Schimitzek, Austria1998 Kurt Schimitzek, Austria1999 Herbert Sondermann2000 Claudio Bosetti, Italy2001 Louie Nady, USA2002 Mladen Makjanic, Croatia2003 Peter Raderschadt, Germany2004 Martin Plecity, Czech Republic2005 Nicola Menoni, Italy2006 Bernd Moser, Austria2007 David Potter, Great Britain2008 Laurent Hay, France2009 Francesco Cinque, France2010 Bas de Waal, Netherlands2011 Arwin Karssemeijer, Netherlands2012 Panagiotis Davourlis, Greece2013 Raymond Hall, New Zealand2014 Alexiy Marchevskiy, Russia2015 Henry Sprague, USA

* NOTE: These lists generally represent the engraving on the trophies. Some trophies appear to have been used for various categories over the years. Where there are inconsistencies or lack of engravings, other names are displayed in italics. It seems some sailors won categories but the trophies were presented to others. Please see the results tables on http://www.finnclass.org/news/686 for complete lists and the large number of gaps in the records that need completing.

History of the Finn World Masters

About the Finn World Masters

Trophy Winners


WINNERS – ANNUAL MASTERS MEETING 2016

42

1970 st Moritz, switzerland1 Mel Oskamp, Netherlands2 Othmar Reich, Switzerland3 Worn Clark, South Africa

1971 Medemblik, Holland1 Andreino Menoni, Italy2 Othmar Reich, Switzerland3 Mel Oskamp, Netherlands 1972 Gargnano, Garda, Italy1 Mel Oskamp, Netherlands2 Andreino Menoni, Italy3 Beda Zingg, Switzerland

1973 - Not awarded 1974 Port Carmargue, France1 Andre Mevel, France2 Mel Oskamp, Netherlands3 Vernon Stratton, Great Britain

1975 Port Carmargue, France1 Andre Mevel, France2 Othmar Reich, Switzerland3 Erich Kaspareth, Italy

1976 Port Carmargue, France1 Andre Mevel, France2 Laszlo Zsindely, Switzerland3 Othmar Reich, Switzerland

1977 Port Carmargue, France1 Georg Oser, Switzerland2 Heinz Reiter, Germany3 Andre Mevel, France

1978 Port Carmargue, France1 Heinz Reiter, Germany2 P Lebois, France3 Georg Oser, Switzerland

1979 Port Carmargue, France1 Karel Hruby, Czechoslovakia2 C Sturm, Switzerland3 Andre Mevel, France

1980 Lake Lipno, Czechoslovakia1 Georg Oser, Switzerland2 Karel Hruby, Czechoslovakia3 Jiri Maier, Czechoslovakia

1981 Port Carmargue, France1 Gy Wossala, Hungary2 Georg Oser, Switzerland3 Frank Roth, Switzerland

1982 Lake Neusiedl, austria1 Georg Oser, Switzerland2 Ivan Hoffmann, Czechoslovakia3 Friedrich Müller, Germany1983 Port Carmargue, France1 Heini Unterhauser, Italy2 Frank Roth, Switzerland3 Herbert Herwig, Germany

1984 Lago di Caldaro, Italy1 Walter Mai, Germany2 Palle-Steen Larsen, Denmark3 Friedrich Müller, Germany

1985 seebruck, Fr Germany1 Jørgen Lindhardtsen, Denmark2 Klaus Stuffer, Italy3 Henning Wind, Denmark

1986 Lagi di bracciano, Italy1 Heini Unterhauser, Italy2 Klaus Stuffer, Italy3 Georg Oser, Switzerland

1987 Les Embiez, France1 Peter Raderschadt, Germany2 Walter Mai, Germany3 Ivor Ganahl, Switzerland

1988 Lido degli Estensi, Italy1 Hans Fatzer, Switzerland2 Jiri Outrata, Czechoslovakia3 Kurt Schimitzek, Austria

1989 Torbole, Garda, Italy1 Peter Raderschadt, Germany2 Kurt Shimitzek, Austria3 Mikael Brandt, Sweden

1990 altenhein, switzerland1 Mikael Brandt, Sweden2 Friedrich Müller, Germany3 Jiri Outrata, Czechoslovakia

1991 Port Carmargue, France1 Kurt Schimitzek, Germany2 Jochen Lollert, Germany3 Hermann Heide, Germany

1992 Uppsala, sweden1 Roland Balthasar, Germany2 Herman Heide, Germany3 Peter Vollebregt, Netherlands

1993 Lake bracciano, Italy1 Peter Vollebregt, Netherlands2 Walter Mai, Germany3 Jan Bjornberg, Sweden

1994 diessen, Germany1 Roland Balthasar, Germany1 Jiri Outrata, Czech Republic3 Walter Mai, Germany

1995 Malcesine, Garda, Italy1 Larry Lemieux, Canada2 Kurt Shimitzek, Germany3 Wolfgang Gerz, Germany

1996 La rochelle, France1 Roland Balthasar, Germany2 Wolfgang Gerz, Germany3 Walter Mai, Germany

1997 Cervia, Italy1 Wolfgang Gerz, Germany2 Larry Lemieux, Canada3 Minski Fabris, Croatia

1998 Castelleto di brenzone, Garda, Italy1 Larry Lemieux, Canada2 Minski Fabris, Croatia3 Wolfgang Gerz, Germany

1999 Maubuisson, France1 Larry Lemieux, Canada2 Greg Davis, South Africa3 Jean Paul Gaston, France

2000 Weymouth, England1 John Greenwood, Great Britain2 Larry Lemieux, Canada3 Andrew Cooper, Great Britain

2001 Kingston, Canada1 Larry Lemieux, Canada2 Hein-Peter Okker, Netherlands3 Eberhard Bieberitz, Germany

2002 split, Croatia1 John Greenwood, Great Britain2 Minski Fabris, Croatia3 Larry Lemieux, Canada

2003 schwerin, Germany1 Eberhard Bieberitz, Germany2 André Budzien, Germany3 Roman Teply, Italy

2004 Cannes, France1 Larry Lemieux, Canada2 André Budzien, Germany3 Michael Gubi, Austria

2005 bracciano Lake, Italy1 Silvio Santoni, Italy2 André Budzien, Germany3 Allen Burrell, Great Britain2006 Lake balaton, Hungary1 Michael Maier, Czech Republic2 André Budzien, Germany3 Michael Gubi, Austria

2007 Murcia, spain1 André Budzien, Germany2 Agustin Juarez, Spain3 Allen Burrell, Great Britain

2008 Medemblik, Netherlands1 André Budzien, Germany2 Mihail Kopanov, Bulgaria3 Han Bergsma, Netherlands

2009 Maubuisson, France1 André Budzien, Germany2 Jurgen Eiermann, Germany3 Laurent Hay, France

2010 split, Croatia1 Michael Maier, Czech Republic2 André Budzien, Germany3 Christen Christoph, Switzerland

2011 Puntala, Italy1 Michael Maier, Czech Republic2 Allen Burrell, Great Britain3 Uli Breuer, Germany

2012 Pwllheli, Wales1 Michael Maier, Czech Republic2 Allen Burrell, Great Britain3 Laurent Hay, France

2013 La rochelle, France1 Michael Maier, Czech Republic2 André Budzien, Germany3 Erik Lidecis, USA

2014 sopot, Poland1 Michael Maier, Czech Republic2 André Budzien, Germany3 Akeksandr Kukliukin, Russia

2015 Kavala, Greece1 Vladimir Krutskikh, Russia2 Dmitry Petrov, Russia3 Giacomo Giovanelli, Italy

*For the Austrian Hungaria Cup (Presented 1982 by Peter Mohilla and Gy Wossala.)

Finn World Masters

1970-2015

1970

18

1971

13

1972

14

19

73

2

019

74

2

0 19

75

7 19

76

?19

77

2

819

78

3

719

79

2

919

80

30

1981

38

1982

5

119

83

48

1984

1

0319

85

1

1119

86

83

1987

9419

88

1

0019

89

1

0119

90

103

1991

97

1992

85

1993

127

1994

140

1995

13

219

96

1

2019

97

131

1998

13

219

99

14

820

00

9020

01

32

2002

1

3420

03

1

5820

04

191

2005

168

2006

1

8420

07

13

620

08

229

2009

264

2010

167

2011

282

2012

1

3320

13

2

8520

14

230

2015

204

23

6 2Attendence at

Finn World Masters 1970-2015


Minutes of the annual Masters Meeting

Held at the Galaxy Hotel Kavala, Greece at 10:30 Wednesday May 27 2015

Present:President: Andy DenisonCommittee: Henk de Jager, Marc Allain de Beauvais, Rolf Elsaesser,Finn Sailors: around 100

1. opening by the Masters PresidentPresident, Andy Denison opened the meeting by welcoming everyone. He thanked everyone for their involvement in organising the excellent 2014 event in Sopot. He reported, • he is due to visit the 2016 FWM venue in Torbole on Lake Garda in October to confirm and finalise the details for the 2016 event • in March he met with the organisers for the championships in 2017 in Barbados. The cost of transporting boats in containers to Barbados should be around €120 per boat in containers from Europe and the UK. He recommended that Country Representatives begin to look at shipping arrangements as soon as possible to collect names and deposits from sailors. Pre-entry commitment forms will be available on the FWM website by September. There will not be any camping in Barbados!• he will visit Barbados again in December and provide a detailed article for the Masters Magazine• he identified the new Micro site on the FWM website which will allow users to go directly to the current event site, and thanked Garry Sibbald for his work in setting up the new improved FWM website. He also thanked Robert Deaves for his work in editing and producing the Masters Magazine and to Yan Kingma for his work in providing graphical representation of entries on the website for Kavala• he has revised the standard guidance now given to all potential FWM competition venues and has also developed a revised Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions.

2. Minutes of the last meeting Minutes were published on the World Finn Masters website, there were no questions

and the minutes were proposed as a true reflection of the meeting by Will Patten (GBR 52) and Seconded by Jay Harrison (AUS 68).

3. raising the Entry FeeThe President asked the meeting to approve an increase in the potential entry fee to the FWM event to a maximum of €200 to allow him some flexibility in working with host clubs. This was agreed by a significant majority vote.

4. approval of revised rules and guidanceThe president told the meeting he has revised the rules and guidance given to potential host clubs to help them prepare for hosting the FWM, but would continually look to update the information based on lessons learnt. The meeting unanimously accepted the changes.

5. Committee membership re-electionsOnly the position held by Henk de Jager was due for change and Henk has agreed to stand again for a further four years.

6. super LegendsThe president explained he has received a number of requests from within the membership to establish a classification for super legends, over 80yrs. This was unanimously agreed by the meeting.

7. FinanceThe president presented a summary of the accounts to the meeting identifying a surplus in the account of €16702.00 after the FWM event in Kavala. There is no outstanding expenditure with medals and prizes already purchased for the next three years. Some of the surplus will be used to reinvest into the Masters Magazine, which was well thought of and much appreciated by the meeting.

8. Magazine and WebsiteRobert Deaves has been appointed as the editor of the magazine, but would appreciate help from members to provide articles and reports that can be included in the magazine. The president reported that magazine has produced a small surplus of £1300.00 in 2014/15 which will be used to reinvest into the 2015/16 magazine.

9. Wind strengthThe president introduced this item to gauge opinion from the membership and prepare the ground for the future asking for comments from the membership about changing the current wind strength recommendation. The 20 knot wind strength is a recommendation not a limit and should leave the decision to hold racing at the discretion of the Race Officer dependent on safety cover and other factors. He asked the meeting if the 20 knot recommendation should be changed.

Strong opinion from the floor identified that too many of the older sailors are disadvantaged when sailing occurs in over 20 knots, but many sailors were more concerned about the cold than the strength of the wind. It was felt that Legends and GGM sailors are the main ones affected by feeling they have to sail as was seen on the three race day in Sopot. Howard Sellars (GBR77) and Jake Gunther (AUS 3) proposed the following wording for consideration by the Masters Committee for inclusion into future sailing instructions• At the discretion of the PRO, in conditions where the wind exceeds 20 knots across the course, sailors classified as GGM, Legends and Super Legend may retire form racing and be awarded a score that is an average of their points.

10. Country representativesThe president asked all sailors in all countries, competing in the WFM events, to ensure they have a country representative who is identified to the committee. This ensures there is a point of contact in each country. Sailors are asked to check the contacts section of the website and update any out of date or missing information, 19 countries are still to identify a representative.

11. Presentation from Hayling Island sailing Club to host the FWM in 2018Martin Hughes gave a short presentation on behalf of Hayling Island Sailing Club on the South Coast of England, offering to hold the FWM in 2018. The venue is one of the top sailing venues in the UK and is within easy reach of all of the cross channel ferries. Hayling Island Sailing Club have a very experienced race team and the capacity to manage fleets of in excess of 250 boats.

12. Update on the 2016 FWM event at TorboleThe president assured the meeting that everything is now on track for the next FWM event at Torbole on Lake Garda. Final commitment has been received from the key personnel at the host club. Lessons learnt from Kavala will now be shared with the organisers at Torbole.

13. any other businessNo further business had been received in writing by the committee prior to commencement of the meeting.

14. date and time of next meeting10:00 on Wednesday May 18th, 2016 at the World Finn Masters Event in Torbole.

15. CloseThe President declared the meeting closed at 11:40

Annual Masters

Meeting 27 May 2015 KavalaMinutes


FINN WORLD MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP RULES

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FINN WorLd MasTErs CHaMPIoNsHIP rULEsLast updated August 2014 1. INTrodUCTIoNThe Masters World Championships of the International Finn Class shall be governed by the Rules of the International Finn Class (IFA); the Racing Rules of Sailing in force at the time of the event; the Masters World Championship Rules; and the Finn World Masters Championship Guidelines. These shall be binding on the Organising Authority (OA) unless varied in writing.

All documents and messages concerning this event shall be written in the English language and the language spoken shall be English.

2. orGaNIsaTIoN oF THE CHaMPIoNsHIPThe Organising Authority (OA) will organise and manage the Championship in close conjunction with the Master’s President. The OA is financially responsible for the whole event. No funds from the FWM will be available, except for the prizes, as mentioned in Section 24.

3. daTEs oF THE CHaMPIoNsHIPThe Championship will be held during the period of Whitsun.The Practice Race will be on Whitsunday afternoon in the race area where the official races will take place.The first race will be sailed on the Whit Monday.The last race will be sailed on the Friday following Whitsunday.Other dates will be considered only after discussion with the Masters President. 4. ELIGIbILITyThe Masters World Championship shall be held annually and is open to all Finn sailors who during the calendar year of the event shall be in their 40th year or older.

There will be the following categories:- World Master (the overall winner)- Master (winner 40-49 years old)- Grand Master (winner 50-59)- Grand Grand Master (winner 60-69)- Legend (winner 70+).- Ladies- Classic Boat (Built prior to 1985)

5. CHaMPIoNsHIP VENUEsThe Masters World Championship shall be sailed on waters that have a record of stable wind directions and good breezes; variable and very light airs venues shall be avoided.The course of the Masters World Championship shall be exclusive and separate. The date and place for the Masters World Championship shall be published on www.finnworldmasters.com by the Masters President no later than 12 months prior to the event.The venue will normally be situated within Europe, however, the Annual Masters Meeting can decide to accept a candidate outside Europe.

6. ForMaTThe series will consist of a maximum of eight races.

A maximum of two races will be sailed on each day; except that three may be sailed to save the series if races have been lost. This decision shall only be taken with the approval of the Masters Committee.Fours races shall be completed to constitute a series.The format will be announced at least 3 months prior to the event. It will depend of the expected number of entries and what is realistic on the sailing water.Depending on entries, the fleet will be divided into two, three or four Colour Groups of similar size, which will change each day. The decision about the amount of groups will be with the Masters President.

The format could be as follows:When sailing in one group, there will be a maximum of 8 scoring races.When sailing in more than one group there will be a maximum of seven opening series and, on the last day of racing, there will be one final fleet race and a medal race. For the medal race the top ten sailors in the overall result after the opening series plus the sailors with equal points to number 10 will be selected for the medal race.When sailing in more than one group the daily results after the first day will be used to allocate groups. For the practice race and the first racing day groups will be allocated at random.Identification of the boats in the different groups will be defined in the Sailing Instructions.

7. sCorINGThe low point scoring system, Rule A2, will apply. After five races have been completed, the worst score of each competitor will be discarded.In the medal race (if applicable) the scoring points will be doubled and not discarded.The results for the age groups (Masters, Grand Masters, Grand Grand Masters and Legends) will use the points the competitors have in the overall results.

8. ENTry ForMs aNd NoTICE oF raCE (Nor)The Organising Authority shall publish the official NOR and relevant Entry Forms in the English language during the month of January in the same year of the event, or at least four months prior to the event, whichever is earlier. The NOR, whilst abiding by the RRS, shall be subject to the express agreement of the Masters President.

The entry fee shall be agreed with the Masters President and shall include the cost of the award dinner and a €20 fee for the Masters account. The Masters fee may be changed at the Annual Masters Meeting.

Eligible boats may enter by completing the official Entry Form for the Masters as published on the Finn World Masters event website.

Fully completed entry forms and payments should be received no later than four (4) weeks prior to the event. After completing and sending the Entry Form the competitor agrees to pay the Entry Fee as defined in the NoR, however, only after receipt of payment is a competitor’s entry valid. Entries and payments received less than four weeks before the first race, will be charged 50% more. Entries received after arrival will be charged double the entry fee. No shows without notification will be expected to pay before any entry will be accepted in future years.

9. saILING INsTrUCTIoNs (sI)The SIs shall be published by the OA in accordance with the provisions of current RRS, ISAF Race Standards and IFA Class Rules, and Finn World

Masters Championship Rules, and approved by the Masters President no later than 2 months prior to the event. The President will, at least 3 months before, provide standard SI to an OA for next Championship. These standard SI will be adapted on limited items to the local organisation.

10. INTErNaTIoNaL JUryThere must be an International Jury in accordance with RRS Appendix N. It shall include at least six members (2 from the organising country and 4 from other countries) who have proven experience in on the water judging of RRS 42 (Propulsion) and umpiring Medal Racing. At least one should have practical Finn racing experience. The International Jury should meet with the IFA Representative or Masters President before the first race for a policy briefing. The Jury Chairman must not be of the same Nationality as the organising country.

One national judge may be appointed through the Eurosaf exchange, but not the international judges. As long as Appendix N is applied, one national judge from the host country may also be appointed.The constitution of the Jury must be approved by the Masters President, at least 6 months prior to the event.There shall be at least one boat with 2 judges per fleet.For the medal race the OA must provide 3 suitable judge boats.

RULES 42 and 31: The Jury will apply Appendix P of the Racing Rules of Sailing with regard to Rule 42 and may draw attention to boats that break Rule 31 during the rounding of the marks.

11. CoUrsEsCourses will be either a windward-leeward course or a trapezoid course. The target time for a race is 75 minutes; the maximum time for a race 120 minutes.

When sailing in 1 starting group the windward-leeward course will be used. When sailing in 2 starting groups the trapezoid course, with outer and inner loop may be used. When sailing in more than 2 starting groups, 2 race areas should be sailed simultaneously.

12. adVErTIsINGThe Organising Authority may require all participating boats to display the event sponsor’s advertising in accordance with RRS. 13. INsUraNCE, NaTIoNaL assoCIaTIoN dUEs aNd IFa dUEsAll eligible boats shall provide the current IFA Class sticker for the year of the Championship plus hold an insurance Certificate showing a minimum third party limit of €2,000,000 or equivalent in another currency. Sailors shall sign a declaration, but should not be asked to present the insurance documents.

14. raCE oFFICEr (Pro)The PRO shall be an ISAF qualified International Race Officer and his appointment shall be subject to the approval of the OA and the Masters President.

15. raCE oFFICEStarting from the first measurement day the Race Office should be open daily from 8.30 am until 7 pm. Preliminary race results must be available as soon as possible after each day’s racing and posted onto the Official Notice Board.

The Official Notice Board must be in, or close to, the Race Office.

Finn World Masters

Rules


The GPS coordinates of the Race Office will be mentioned in the Notice of Race.

16. EQUIPMENT INsPECTIoNThe items of sailing equipment to be inspected and the measurement procedure will be discussed with the Master’s President, but the inspections as mentioned below will always be executed.

An Equipment Inspection Committee (EIC) will be established. The EIC must consist of at least 3 qualified measurers. The EIC should execute spot checks on the class rules during the Championship on boats selected at random. These spot checks will be executed directly after crossing the finishing line. For this purpose a separate inspection boat shall be available.

All eligible boats shall present a current valid IFA Measurement Certificate.

Boats will be measured in accordance with the latest Class Rules and amendments thereto.The measurer may check any measurements within the class rules at any time during the event. At the measurement the following items shall be scrutinised:

Hull: Weight, including checking amount and location of weight correctors. Arrangements to prevent the mast and rudder from becoming detached in a capsize.Masts: Max 2 per boat. Weight, centre of gravity and mast limit marks.Booms: Boom limit marks, and limiting stop with the boom attached to the mast.Centreboard: Maximum projection from the keel.Sails: Max. 2 per boat. Only sails that have been certified according the Finn Class Rules shall be presented. It is incumbent on each competitor to ensure that all sails are measured and the OA shall make no provision for sails to be measured.

17. sKIPPErs MEETINGA briefing meeting for the sailors should be held before the start of the practice race, or the first race if no practice race is scheduled. The Race Committee and the International Jury will be introduced to competitors. The Race Officer has to be present. Sailing Instructions should be available well in advance so sailors can ask questions. Additional skippers meetings may be requested by the Masters President and/or his committee.

18. sTarTING sIGNaLsAll flag signals will be repeated on all starting line boats.Audible signs will be given, when possible by a gun.The Starting vessel should display the approximate magnetic compass bearing from the leeward mark to the windward mark in clear, large numbers.The Committee boat shall ensure that it is able to post all boats numbers that have been black-flagged in a manner that is legible from a reasonable distance.

19. THE sTarT LINEThe start line shall be equivalent to 1.5 times the length of the Finn times the number of starting boats. Where there are more than 60 boats on any one start there should be a middle mark, or boat, placed in the centre of the line. This shall not constitute a mark of the course for the purpose of the ‘round the ends rule.’In addition to the Committee Boat there shall be a pin end boat that shall repeat all flag and sound signals made by the Committee Boat.

20. WINdWard MarK boaTWherever possible there should be a mark boat

at the windward mark displaying a clearly visible shape or flag, in such a manner as to assist identification of the windward mark. This is particularly important in poor visibility.

21. MINIMUM/MaXIMUM WINd sTrENGTH aNd TIME LIMITThese shall be as prescribed in the SIs but no race shall be started in less than 5 knots of wind measured on the Committee Boat at deck level.No race shall be started in more than 20 knots of wind measured on the Committee Boat at deck level.The decision whether to start a race or not, regarding wind speed, will be taken by the Race Committee.The time limit for each race and for the latest warning signal on the final day must be specified in the SIs.

22. saFETy boaTsThere must be at least one RIB safety boat per 15 competitors.

23. aNNUaL MasTErs MEETINGAn Annual Masters Meeting (AMM) shall be held during the Masters World Championship Week. The time and place to be fixed by the Masters President and shall be published on the FWM website www.finnworldmasters.com at least one month before the Meeting.

The Agenda will include:

• Approval of the Minutes of the last AMM.• Report of the Masters President• Finance Report• Election of new member(s) of the Masters Committee to stand for a period of 4 years, in conformity with the resigning schedule. The Committee shall consist of the President, and up to five other members. It is recommended that the immediate past President stays on the Committee for the year following their retirement. The nominee for a new President should be elected to the Committee at least one year prior to becoming President.• Approval of venue and date of Masters World Championships to be held two years after the current Championships.• (Re-)Election of the Masters President for a 4-year period. (This President shall be elected Vice-President (Masters) of the IFA Executive Committee by the IFA Annual General Meeting.)• Any item presented to the Masters President in writing at least one calendar month before the Meeting.

Finn Masters may, by a simple majority, decide whether any other business should be added to the Agenda. Any proposals must be handed over to the Masters President at least 24 hours before the start of the AMM.

NOMINATIONS FOR A VENUE: Nominations for a venue shall be sent to the Master’s President before February 1st two years before the desired year of the Championship. Candidates will be sent the Rules and Guidelines and new venues may be visited by the Master’s President as soon as possible. After the President has approved the venue and an agreement has been made on the Guidelines, an invitation to present their venue and organisation during the next AMM will follow. During the AMM a maximum of four potential candidate venues are invited to make a maximum of a 10 minute presentation. The presentation shall be supplied on a USB drive in advance of the meeting. After the presentation(s) the competitors will vote for the venue that will host the FWM two years ahead. This decision shall be by a majority show of hands. It will be ratified by the minutes of

the AMM and by the Masters President who will confirm the result of the vote in an email to the OA.

Normally venue nominations can only be accepted two years in advance, but in special circumstances, a venue can be voted on three years in advance. However, the venue proposal can only be heard, and voted on, if there is a majority in favour of this at the meeting.

24. PrIZEsThe OA will provide prizes (i.e. cups) for the top 10 sailors in the Overall Results and for the top three sailors in each age category.

There are additional prizes (Medals) from the Masters organisation for the first 3 competitors in the following categories:• Master (40-49 years old)• Grand Master (50-59)• Grand Grand Master (60-69)• Legend (70+)• First Lady • Classic Finn giftsAll legends will receive a participation prize from the Masters President.Perpetual prizes will be awarded to:• 1st Overall (Large Gold Cup)• 1st Master (Presidents Cup)• 1st Grand Master (With the grapes on top)• 1st Grand Grand Master (With the Finn model on top)• 1st Legend (Wide cup)• 1st Lady (Wide cup with ears)• The ‘Golden Crutch’ will be awarded to the first sailor outside the prizes in the overall results.The prize giving ceremony should be held as soon as possible after the end of the last race.

25. FINaL dECIsIoNsThe final decisions on any matters not covered by the RRS and the International Jury shall rest with Masters President.

26. aCCoMModaTIoN aNd TraNsPorT For CLass oFFICErsThe Organising Authority shall pay for the Masters President, one nominated class official (normally the media rep), the Class Measurer and the Jury.

27. oTHEr FaCILITIEsThe following facilities should be available:• Free parking• Campsites with special rates, including sanitary facilities and electric power supply. These sites must be in walking or biking distance.• Communication services, including adequate wi-fi, for competitors and press• Fresh water in the dinghy park • Launching facilities sufficient to launch the fleet in due time• Emergency medical facilities• Security in camping sites and boat park.

28. LIabILITyEach competitor is required sign a form to confirm the following items:• A liability clause. • They have understood and abide by the risk statement as written into the notice of race • The boat has a valid measurement certificate and the boat meets the IFA Class Rules• The competitor has a third party insurance to an amount of at least €2,000,000 This amount to be fixed in the NoR.• The competitor has a valid IFA sticker which proves that his IFA fee has been paid.

FWM8/8/14


GUIDELINES FOR THE ORGANISATION OF THE FINN WORLD MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP

46

GUIdELINEs For THE orGaNIsaTIoN oF THE FINN WorLd MasTErs CHaMPIoNsHIP(Last updated August 2014)

The Finn World Masters Championship is a World Championship for Finn sailors who will reach the age of 40 during the year of the event. It has to be organised as an event offering good racing in limited wind strength in combination with good socials.

This document has been created, in conjunction with the Finn World Masters Championship Rules, to bring consistency to the Championships. It provides information about the format, and provides guidance for potential candidate venues. These documents will be used as a basis for discussion when the Master’s President visits the location organising a Championship. The President will expect to see that the venue has sufficient resources in place to manage a championship and will report his findings back to the Finn sailors.

1. orGaNIsaTIoN & CoMMUNICaTIoN

1.1 WEbsITE MasTErs orGaNIsaTIoNThe main website will be the ‘FINN WORLD MASTERS (FWM) site’: www.finnworldmasters.com. This site will be used for all of the official Finn communications. A local event website will also be in place.

1.2 CoNTaCT PErsoNThe Organising Authority (OA) will appoint one person who will be the primary contact between the Masters President and the OA. E-mail addresses and cell phone numbers will be provided.

1.3 LoCaL WEbsITEThe OA, in the year they host the FWM Championship, will manage their own Finn World Masters website, to contain local information to aid the sailors in getting to and making the most of the local area. A link to this site will be placed on the main FINN WORLD MASTERS site. Entries will be made through the local site and open on 1st January of the event year. The local website should be up and running no later than November of the previous year.

1.4 soCIaL MEdIaThe OA should plan to launch a Facebook page for the event as soon as possible after the end of the previous year’s championship concludes.

2. GENEraL

2.1 LoCaL PErMIssIoNsThe OA will acquire, and take full responsibility for establishing and maintaining all the relevant permissions and licenses required to run the event. This will include liaison with authorities such as the Police, Military, environmental organisations, local and port authorities, community, health and safety, etc

2.2 MEMENTo The OA will provide each competitor with a special gift for the Championship as a memento of the local area.

2.3 road sIGNsThe OA must ensure that appropriate road signs are in place to guide motorists to the venue from the main arterial route-ways. Signs must clearly indicate the Finn logo with an arrow to indicate the direction of travel to the venue. GPS geographical coordinates, postal or Zip codes of the venue must also be available on the website and in the notice of race.

2.4 NaTIoNaL FLaGsThe OA must have and display a national flag for all the competing nationalities.

2.5 EVENT FLaGThe Finn Class flag will be supplied by the Master’s President and will be officially returned to him at the prize giving ceremony. Another flag will be available for all competitors to sign at registration. This flag will, at the closing ceremony, be presented to the OA by the Master’s President. The Masters President will also supply a Finn class flag for the committee boat.

2.6 PrEss CoVEraGEWhenever possible the Finn Class will provide the press coverage of the event with daily reports, photos and video footage, published during and after the event on the Finn Class website, electronic newsletters and social media feeds. In return the organisers will supply accommodation and/or subsistence to the Finn Class press officer (see Rule 26), and (if they compete in the Championship) their entry fee. The organisers may be asked to provide additional on-the-water photographs through a local photographer and to provide coverage of the event in local and national media. For further detail please contact Robert Deaves, Chairman Marketing Committee of the International Finn Association ([email protected]) or the Masters President.

2.7 MEdIa The OA will ensure that there is adequate internet/Wi-Fi access free to the competitors.

2.8 INForMaTIoN dEsK/rEGIsTraTIoNThe OA must provide a fully staffed information desk open between 09:00 and

21:00, from the Thursday before the start of the event until 12:00 on the first day of racing.

2.9 MarK roUNdINGsMark boats should be located at the windward and leeward marks while racing is in progress in order to record each boat passing these marks and to ensure all boats sail the correct course.

2.10 INsUraNCEIt is recommended that the OA has arrangements in place for competitors to purchase boat insurance for the duration of the event, if needed.

3. aCCoMModaTIoN & boaT ParKING

3.1 aCCoMModaTIoN aT THE VENUEAccommodation must be available on or very close to the venue and must have the capacity to provide for 300-400 persons. Every effort should be made for accommodation to be within walking or biking distance from the boat park.

3.2 CaMPErs aNd TENTsThere must be space, close (walking distance, or biking distance maximum of 2 kilometers) to the host club, for 60 - 80 campers and +/- 35 tents. There must be electricity and water available on the site. Toilets must be accessible 24 hours a day. The cost for these camping facilities will be as reasonable as possible.

3.3 sECUrITyThere shall be 24 hours a day security on the camp sites, to continue until 12.00 on the day after the last official day of racing during the Championship, normally Saturday.

3.4 HoTELs / b&b / sELF-CaTErING There must be sufficient hotels, bed & breakfast, self-catering accommodation etc. close to the venue for around 200-250 persons.

3.5 ParKING PLaCEsThere must be a (free of charge) car and van parking close to the club area for competitors throughout the championships.

3.6 boaT ParKING PLaCEs There must be sufficient Finn dinghy parking spaces for around 320 Finns and 280 road trailers on the beach or in the immediate vicinity of the club. Finn parking spaces should ideally be numbered. There must be security in the boat park from three days before the Championship commences until 12.00 on the day after the Championship finishes.

3.7 sLIPWays/ TroLLEy rECoVEry/ boW NUMbErsThere has to be sufficient launching facilities to be able to launch and recover the entered number of Finns within a thirty minute period. Sufficient support and assistance must be

Finn World Masters

Guidelines

GUIDELINES FOR THE ORGANISATION OF THE FINN WORLD MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP


available to assist competitors in launching and recovery. A system must be in place for the storage of the launching trolleys that will ensure competitors can easily locate their trolleys and recover their boats after sailing. Bow numbers corresponding to boat parking spaces and or individual tally numbers will be made available to the competitors.

3.8 FrEsH WaTErWhen sailing on salt water the OA will provide sufficient fresh water hose pipes in the boat park so competitors can rinse their boats each day after sailing.

4.0 soCIaLs

4.1 oPENING ParTyAfter the Opening Ceremony the OA will provide sufficient snacks and drinks for all competitors and their escorts.

4.2 dINNErDuring the week (preferably on the Wednesday) there will be a formal Finn sailors party evening with a dinner. This dinner will be free of charge for the competitors. Wives or others accompanying will pay at the information desk on arrival and will receive a ticket.

4.3 aFTEr saIL ParTIEsOther after the race parties and social events, e.g. beer and snacks, free or at low cost may be organised at the discretion of the OA.

4.4 LadIEs ProGraMMEThe OA will organise a programme for the ladies not sailing. The cost of this programme will be as reasonable as possible.

5.0 CErEMoNIEs

5.1 oPENING CErEMoNyThe opening ceremony will take place on Sunday evening with short speeches from the OA’s President, the Master’s President and local officials (i.e. the Mayor of the hosting city) as a welcome to the sailors. The host country’s national anthem will be played. This will be followed by a snack buffet and drinks for all competitors and their escorts. Speeches will be as much as possible in the English language.

5.2 PrIZEGIVING aNd CLosING CErEMoNyThe prize giving ceremony will be held on the Friday, after the last races. It will be done by the Master’s President together with the President of the OA.

The national anthem will be played for the overall winner and the winners of each age category.

The prize giving will immediately be followed by a closing ceremony, with a small party, with drinks and snacks for competitors and their escorts. The host country’s national

anthem will also be played at the beginning of the Closing Ceremony.

5.3 GIFTsThe OA will provide locals gifts for the Measurer and the members of the Jury. The Finn Class will provide gifts for each Legend and the Race Officer.

6.0 sCHEdULE

6.1 arrIVaLThe OA should be prepared to receive competitors from the Wednesday before the start of the event.

6.2 aNNUaL MasTErs MEETINGDuring the week (preferably on the Wednesday morning at 10.00 AM) there will be an Annual Masters Meeting (AMM) for all competitors. The timing will be discussed with the organising committee to ensure it is included in the schedule of racing. The committee will provide a suitable room big enough to hold all the competitors for this meeting. Resources available in the venue must include a screen and microphone. A projector will be supplied by the Masters President. 6.3 dEParTUrEThe OA must be prepared for a staggered departure of competitors after the Championships with competitors leaving from Friday through to Sunday.

7. saFETy

7.1 MEdICaL assIsTaNCEThe OA will organise medical assistance and will have contact with a medical doctor.

7.2 rEsCUE/PaTroL boaTsThere shall be sufficient patrol boats in order to secure the competitors safety. There shall be at least 1 patrol boat for 15 competitors. Each designated patrol boat shall have 2 qualified people on board, of which 1 shall be able to jump into the water for assistance, when necessary.

A number of plungers with a red handle, or similar equipment, shall be carried by the safety boats and stuck to the bottom of any upturned Finn, to indicate that the helm is safe or ashore.

7.3 sIGN oUT / sIGN IN sysTEMWhen sailing at sea or on a wide lake a sign out / sign in system is recommended for each racing day. This will be included in the Sailing Instructions, together with the penalty for not having signed in or out. This will normally be a nominal monetary penalty payable to a local charity.

8. rEsULTsSeven result lists will be printed for use in the prize giving ceremony:• Overall results.• Results for the Masters. Aged 40-49 years.• Results for Grand Masters. Aged 50-59 years.

• Results for the Grand Grand Masters. Aged 60-69 years.• Results for the Legends. Aged over 70 years.• Results for the Ladies. No age categories.• Results for the Classic Boat Category

9. doCUMENTs

9.1 doCUMENTs ProVIdEd by THE MasTEr’s PrEsIdENTOnce written by the OA the Notice of Race (NoR) shall not be changed without approval of the Masters President.

Once written by the OA the Sailing Instructions (SIs) shall not be changed without approval of the Masters President. The NOR and SIs must be approved by the Masters President before publishing.

9.2 doCUMENTs To bE ProVIdEd by THE oa aFTEr THE CHaMPIoNsHIPThe following shall be given to the Masters President immediately after the Championship.• A complete list of entries from the website, including no-show entries (without notification), including addresses, tel. numbers and e-mail addresses.• Overall results.• Results for the Masters.• Results for the Grand Masters.• Results for the Grand Grand Masters.• Results for the Legends.• Results for the Classic Boats.

10. daTa ProTECTIoNAt no time may the contact information for competitors be passed to a third party for their use. This would be a breach of data protection.

11. aCCEPTaNCE oF THEsE GUIdELINEsThe Finn World Masters President and the Association will assume that the OA undertakes to cover all the requests and matters in the guidelines and that an email accepting the offer to run a championships, following a vote from the AMM from the OA will act as confirmation that the guidelines will be met.

FWM8/8/14

finn masters magazine & yearbook 2016

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