UKR 8 Wins 3rd Winter Series….in Portugal.

The Commodore of the Club Naval de Cascais presents winner’s Evgeny Bratslavets and his crew their wine prizes, flanked by club representative & current Portuguese National Champion, Fransico de Lacerda. It was a a three day regatta that eventually was decided in just one day, although that one final day offered three very competitive and fair races….

Yes, fellow sailors, Cascais was not at it’s best last weekend as two of the three days were lost due to lack of wind and extreme fog. However, the third and final day went a long way towards cheering up the 39 International Team’s that continue to base their boats in Cascais as the 2013 Europeans beckon next April. The three races took place in an Easterly wind of around 10 kts just off the coast of Estoril in reasonably flat water & sunshine 🙂

Showing good awareness Mon 2 Jens Rathsack made good use of the left-hind side on the first beat and also picked the best side on the two downwind legs to win the race.  Jens Christensen helming DEN 406 also had a good race, to cross the finishing line in 2nd place but was one of 4 boats who were OCS. In race two, DEN 392 Soren Pehrsson made good use of the favourable tide out on the right side of the course, which in the end helped him to victory. Then in race three, RUS 76 Dmitri Samokin also played the right-hand side on the first beat and although he was beaten to the first mark by GBR 720 Graham Bailey, Dmitri used some good lanes downwind to clinch the victory.

However, in a three race series with no discard’s (4 races are required to allow a discard), consistency is the name of the game, so despite many top names like Marcus Weiser, Jens Christensen, Pieter Heerema and Jose’ Matoso managing two excellent races, three good ones were needed to win the series. This is exactly what UKR 8 Evgeny Bratslavets did recording 2, 4, 6.  Winning by a clear margin from Dmitry 2nd and Jose’ 3rd…

Also having three good races putting them equal 4th with 4 boats on 29 pts (finishing 7th overall on countback)  and deservedly winning the “Corinthian Trophy” was the “Bear” helmed very well by Jan Bakker and crewed by his son’s Dominic and Olivier.

         Proud Father Jan Bakker at prize Giving with his son’s Dominic and Olivier.

And so my friends this brings the end to a wonderful year of Dragon Racing. We all now look forward to X-Mas and seeing in the New Year.  But don’t think the Dragon’s are out of sight for long…  as we have the Ski – Vol in Antibes Jan 19th-21st and the 4th Cascais winter series immediately after back in Portugal 25th – 27th Jan. With Cannes and Cascais offering superb winter regatta’s, the Dragon Class is very much alive and kicking it’s way into a busy 2013…..   Ho Ho Ho…….

Higher, Faster, Longer………..    Stavros.           “Merry Christmas” to you all…