Saturday was the final day of fleet racing to decide who will contest the Volvo 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 European Medal Races on Sunday.
Just ten crews from each of the three gold fleets get to contest the Medal Races that decide the 2019 European Champions for these three Olympic classes.
In this pre-Olympic year the triple championship has brought the world’s best Olympic 49er skiff and Nacra multihull sailors to the 2012 London Olympic sailing venue based at WPNSA on Portland, UK.
Over 200 boats have been racing this past week and Saturday was the final chance to make the top ten, which for some nations is the cut-off for their Tokyo 2020 selection criteria.
So some will see the end of their Olympic hopes, for others the medal races on Sunday will be the point where ‘Actions speak louder than words’.
For the British Sailing Team members their are two targets this weekend . . . To win a European title and to lock-in selection for Team GB at Tokyo 2020, and that Olympic slot could be the more important thing on their mind as they go afloat today.
For Saturday’s results see below . . .
Women 49erFX Races Friday:
Race 16 – 1st DEN Anne-Julie Schutt and Iben Nielsby, 2nd POL Aleksandra Melzacka and Kinga Loboda, 3rd SWE Vilma Bobeck and Malin Tengstrom.
Race 17 – 1st DEN Ida Nielsen and Marie Olsen, 2nd FIN 14 Noora Ruskola and Mikaela Wulff, 3rd SWE Vilma Bobeck and Malin Tengstrom.
49erFX Fleet racing complete and Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze have a 19 point overall lead ahead of Sunday’s medal race. Second are Holland’s Annemiek Bekkering and Annette Duetz, third Vilma Bobeck and Malin Tengstrom of Sweden.
Brits Charlotte Dobson and Saskia Tidey were 27 and 13 to drop to 7th overall but still in the Medal Race.
Sophie Weguelin and Sophie Ainsworth had a 7 and 10 and are 14th overall and will miss the Medal Race.
Men 49er Races Friday:
Race 17 – 1st GER Erik Heil and Thomas Ploessel, 2nd DEN Stephensen Lubeck and Nikolaj Buhl, 3rd NZL Pete Burling and Blair Tuke.
Brits Dylan Fletcher and Stuart Bithell were 7th. James Peters and Fynn Sterritt 9th.
Race 18 – 1st GBR James Peters and Fynn Sterritt, 2nd NZL Josh Porebski and Trent Rippey, 3rd AUS Will and Sam Phillips.
Brits Dylan Fletcher and Stuart Bithell were 12th. Jack Hawkins and Chris Thomas 9th.
Race 19 – 1st AUS Will and Sam Phillips, 2nd Fischer Tim and Fabian Graf, 3rd Benjamin Bildstein and David Hussl.
Brits James Peters and Fynn Sterritt 11th. Dylan Fletcher and Stuart Bithell were 14th.
Overall Pete Burling and Blair Tuke lead by 17 points from Dylan Fletcher and Stuart Bithell, with third Diego Botin and Iago Marra of Spain, with one more fleet race Sunday before the Medal Race.
Nacra 17 Races Friday:
Race 16 – 1st GBR Ben Saxton and Nicola Boniface, 2nd NZL Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders, 3rd ITA Vittorio Bissaro and Maelle Frascari.
Brits John Gimson and Anna Burnet were 8th.
Race 17 – 1st ARG Mateo Majdani and Eugenia Bosco, 2nd GBR Ben Saxton and Nicola Boniface, 3rd FRA Quentin Delpierre and Manon Audinet.
Overall Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti of Italy lead by 4 points from Ben Saxton and Nicola Boniface, with John Gimson and Anna Burnet third going into Sunday’s Medal race.