F16 Europeans: Day 1, Viper Team dominates

Race Update – F16 Euro Challenge – Day 1
Date: 19 July 2010 Location: AVAL-CDV Centro Vela Alto Lario – Gravedona, Lake Como, Italy
Race 1.
Race one of the F16 Euro Challenge on Lake Como got underway in the building southerly breeze which started off in 8knots and steadily build to 14knots by the end of the first lap.
The fleet came out of the start and headed for the eastern shore except one lone Italian boat (local) that went hard right and led the fleet easily around the first mark. This set the trend for the rest of the day with more pressure on the western shore.
The battle in the front was between Sojasun – Carolijn Brouwer and Liz Wardley with superior down wind speed and Froukje Feenstra and Darren Bundock. Both boats cleared from the rest of the fleet as the breeze increased in a intense battle with less than a boat length separating the two at each mark rounding. Brouwer/Wardley gained the upper hand claiming buoy room on the last mark to the finish.
Race 2.
The breeze had set in at a constant 15knots with the fight for the right hand side saw the young guns come to the fore with the battle between the youngest team, Jason Waterhouse/Lisa Darmanin and Thijs Visser/Diemer Feenstra. Froukje Fenstra chasing 3rd. Waterhouse showed great upwind speed to breakaway leaving the battle for second in the Feenstra family until Froukje and Bundy capcised just meters from the finish.
Race 3.
Race 3 saw the Sicouri sisters led to the first mark after great tactics timing the layline to perfection and squeezing around in first only to have problems to hoist the spinnaker and handing over the lead to Thijs Visser but it was Jason Waterhouse that was on the charge after being 5th around the first mark to take the lead on the final downwind to the finish.
Jason Waterhouse AUS “We are really enjoying the boat and are adapting quickly, it just smokes downwind in the flat water. Glamour sailing conditions”

Froukje Feenstra NED “I was so pleased after the first race to battle it out all the way to the finish with Carolijn and Liz, it was so close.” I am now getting called the capcise kid after two capcises today. The first one right on the finish but I really wanted to beat my brother for second.
Darren Bundock AUS “ I had so much fun out there today, Just perfect sailing conditions with the building southerly breeze and very close racing. I am amazed at how hard these kids are pushing the boats and getting the most out of the them.”
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More pics and complete results soon…