Dickson and Waddilove Move to Third at 49er Europeans
Robert Dickson and Sean Waddilove have moved up to third among the European crews after the opening day of Gold Fleet racing at the 49er European Championships in Eckernförde, Germany.
The Elimination Series got underway in light and unstable conditions, with sailors facing a tactical test as they searched for pressure across the racecourse and navigated constant wind shifts.
Starting the day sixth among the European crews, Dickson and Waddilove made an immediate impact with some much improved starts. The Irish Olympians recorded finishes of ninth, sixth and ninth to climb into third overall among the European entries heading into the penultimate day of racing.
49er Coach Benjamin Bildstein said, “It wasn’t easy sailing out there today. The conditions were really tricky, with plenty of shifts and pressure changes, but the guys worked hard and adapted well. We still have some work to do on our downwind sailing in the lighter airs and that’s an area we’ll focus on to convert those opportunities into better results. Overall though, it was a good day. We’ll regroup, look at where we can improve, and come back stronger tomorrow. It’s good to be at the fighting end of the fleet.”
The European standings are currently led by Britain's James Grummett and Rhos Hawes, with Poland's Michał Staniul and Jakub Sztorch in second. The championship also includes an open classification for non-European crews, where New Zealand's Seb Menzies and George Lee Rush surged to the top of the overall standings after a strong performance across today's three races.
In the women’s skiff Silver Fleet, young Irish sailors Erin McIlwaine (Royal St George Yacht Club/Newcastle Yacht Club) and Ellen Barbour (County Antrim Boat Club) made the most of the challenging conditions. They completed three races, recording finishes of eighth and sixth before placing 20th in the final race after a chaotic start left several boats turning back and created heavy traffic around the line.
49er FX Coach Matt McGovern said, “They did a great job with their starts today and sailed three really solid races. The first two races showed what they’re capable of when they get off the line well. It was unfortunate that the final race became a bit chaotic and they lost out through no fault of their own, but it was really encouraging to see them put together three strong starts.”
Development sailors Ben O’Shaughnessy (Royal Cork Yacht Club) and Ethan Spain (National Yacht Club) also enjoyed a positive day in Silver Fleet, with a third-place finish and a 10th among their best results. The regatta is providing invaluable experience for the young pairing as they build towards the highlight of their season, the 49er Junior World Championships in Medemblik, which begin next week.
Racing continues tomorrow with the final day of the Elimination Series, after which the top 10 crews in Gold Fleet will qualify for Sunday's Medal Series to compete for the European Championship titles.