| RIVA DEL GARDA, ITALY-(19-8-2005) This afternoon Thomas and Mathieu Rahier from France won the closest ever 420 Junior European championships, from British team Richard Mason and Dan Shieber, and Irish team Kenny Rumball and David Moran. Hannah Mills and Peggy Webster finished 7th overall to become ladies champions. The first Italian team of Stefano Cherin and Matteo Velcogna finished fourteenth overall, just in front of the recently crowner 420 world champion Da Silva, from Portugal.
Mason convincingly won the first race, sailed in classic Garda conditions: sun and wind. By finishing second in this race, Rumball were tied on ponts for first place overall, with Mason holding the lead on count back. The French team’s 15th place dropped them from an overnight lead to third place overall, 12 points behind.
Rahier survived the pressure to pull off a terrific start in the second race of the day: the finale of the championship. But an X flag was flying… who was OCS? Certainly not Mason and Rumball who had poor starts from which neither recovered: both had to discard their last result and watch the drama ahead unfold.
At the last windward mark, Rahier held 2nd place to the German Maximillian Dohse. The coaches on the race course calculated that this would give him the championship by one point. However the Israeli, Guy Abadi, squeezed past close to the final leeward mark. With a short raching leg to the finish, this result would give Mason the championship on count back from Rumball!
A poor spinnaker gybe allowed Rahier back into second place and a provisional championship win. The French held their breaths until the OSC list was posted ashore. In fact they had a clear start, while both German and Israeli teams were judged premature starters. Rahier had won the last race, and the 420 Junior European championships by 2 points!
The Silver fleet was won by female Swiss team Gabella and Simon, from the Greek brothers Carelis. In third was another Greek crew of Harris and Leonidas. Best Italian finishers were another female team of Alessandra Ferlich and Marina Piculin.
Three countries separated by two points after 12 final races! Thanks to the fantastic organisation of the Fraglia della Vela Riva it has truly been a regatta to remember.
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