Ballyholme Yacht Club's Liam Glynn, the one time leader of the Laser Radial Youth European Championships in Estonia, finished fourth overall in the 69–boat gold fleet yesterday. The championships, sailed in the Bay of Tallinn, was raced over eight races with one discard and a variety of sailing conditions. No racing was possible yesterday due to lack of wind.
In the gold fleet, Ireland's Conor Quinn was 65th and Peter Gilmore 69th, according to the official results HERE.
Earlier in the series, overall results for Ireland’s World Youth silver medallist Ewan McMahon indicated the Howth Yacht Club sailor was still competing in Tallinn when in fact he had been forced to withdraw due to illness. Ewan was hospitalised in Estonia last Thursday before returning home to Ireland on Saturday.
In the girls fleet, McMahon's club–mate Aoife Hopkins finished fourth on equal points with the bronze medallist, Carolina Albano. Official results HERE.
At the same time, another Irish Laser youth team is competing at the Laser U21 World Championships in Kiel, Germany.
The U19 Boys Top 10 at the Laser Radial Youth European Championship 2016, Tallinn, Estonia. Ballyholme's Liam Glynn is pictured extreme right. Photo Berit Hainoja/KJK
Final Race report by organisers:
Today was the last day of the 2016 Laser Radial Youth European Championships in Kalev Yacht Club for U17 and U19 age groups. Weather was tricky also on the last day. If, until so far, we had struggled with too much wind, then the situation today was the opposite and after a long wait no races were held, despite many attempts. European champions in youth U17 and U19 groups were based on the results announced yesterday evening. Both girls’ European champions are from Germany: Hannah Anderssohn in U19 and Laura Schewe in U17. Daniil Krutskikh from Russia is the new European champion both in boys’ U19 and U17 groups.
Laura Schewe from Germany, who was leading the U17 group from the very first day, was very pleased with her performance and the whole regatta. „I had to concentrate very hard not to let competitors pass me. I was sixth overall and my peers were also racing very well. Especially Valeriya Lomatchenko from Russia who finished eighth in overall. The race committee did a very good job and we could enjoy some fair and honest sailing. Tallinn is a beautiful city and we loved our time here,” commented Laura after the prize-giving ceremony. Girls’ silver in U17 belongs to Valeriya Lomatcenko and bronze went to Wiktoria Go Biowska from Poland.
U19 European champion Hannah Anderssohn, who finished first four times, third three times and sixth once, was also overjoyed: „Conditions were very complicated but all races were very fair as the race committee did a great job. I was in the lead yesterday and felt very optimistic about today as I had been sailing a stable series and I did not care about the second discard. I would like to thank my competitors for a great regatta – it was really nice here and I’m very pleased about winning.” Girls’ U19 silver went to Louise Cervera from France who was six points behind the winner. Carolina Albano from Italy, who had been leading the regatta for most of the time, lost her position on the last day of races due to an abandoned race because of a broken mast. She finished third, ten points behind the winner.
The only Estonian girl Maris Seersant from Tallinn Yacht Club finished 23rd being very content with her sailing: „I have not been sailing Laser Radial very long yet and therefore I’m quite happy about my even series and position in the middle of the fleet. As we had really strong winds most of the time, everyone dreamed of quieter days which never came. However, I’m very glad I could race such among such strong competition at a home regatta.”
The first three among U19 boys all finished within three points, whereas the second and third have an equal score. Daniil Krutskikh from Russia, who became Laser Radial U17 world champion a couple of weeks ago in Ireland, was quite unreachable for his competitors in Tallinn also. He finished first four times out of eight races, which meant that the rest, 9th, 22nd and 29th result, did not stop him from winning the title both in U19 and U17 groups. „The entire week we had to race in strong winds and big waves where is hard to handle the boat, but I have practiced these conditions a lot in Italy under my dad who is my coach – this gave me good chances here too. The competition in Ireland at the Worlds was stronger, unfortunately my main competitors from Spain and the Netherlands did not come to Tallinn – this is why I had more chances to take the title in U19 too. I really enjoyed the regatta here and I’m overjoyed about the results” commented the new European champion happily. Daniel Whiteley from England was three points behind him and finished second in U19.
Bronze went to Paolo Giargia from Italy who had the same amount of points. The only Estonian in the gold fleet was Tavo Annus who finished 41st overall.
The silver on U17 went to Milo Gill-Taylor from England and Wojciech Klimaszewski from Poland earned bronze.
The closing and prize-giving ceremony was held in Kalev Yacht Club marina. The best were greeted and awarded by PRO Viljar Sepp, a former Olympic medalist in 470 class Tõnu Tõniste, Kalev Yacht Club representatives and the Vice President of the Estonian Olympic Committee. Macrino Macri, Vice President of EurILCA, expressed his sincere gratitude to the organisers for an amazing regatta and superb teamwork. „The passion and soul you put into organising this event is enviable. Despite tricky weather we managed eight wonderful races and, in the name of EurILCA, I would like to thank Kalev Yacht Club for this great regatta!“
Regatta director Indrek Ilves commented after the regatta that successful major event is the best advertisement for both the Kalev Yacht Club and Estonia in general. “In addition to the nearly 200 thousand euros that the 350 guests of the regatta leave here, it is also an amazing opportunity for the young sailors to experience sailing in such a big and strong fleet. Every successful regatta makes it easier to get more major events to Estonia.”
