Half a Laser Europeans; One whole city
Written by Nick Thompson | 09 July 2011
I have just finished the Laser Europeans in Helsinki, Finland, and can report back with mixed feelings.
The city was amazing (yes what they say about Finland is true) and to make the syrup sweeter the weather was fantastic. On the down side the racing was a little bit of a let down with 3 of the most important finals races missing due to lack of wind plus the race area was 4 miles away from the launch ramp.
As an off-water venue Helsinki is fantastic. The marina was a 2min cycle from the centre and my hotel was on the other side meaning that I was treated to a pleasant ride through the city before and after racing each day. In most cities this would seem a nightmare as you try to battle the seemingly endless stream of stressed workers and car horns; however in Helsinki they like to do things a little differently. During the summer months there is no darkness meaning everybody flocks to the parks to socialise and relax giving the city a cheerful vibe and allowing me to forget the stress of a light wind regatta.
I finished up 6th overall and although this is a little disappointing, it could very easily have been worse given the nature of light winds. The highlight of my regatta was a race in which I rounded the windward mark in 25th and fought back through to take the win.
Overall it was a great cultural experience and I would highly recommend it as a weekend getaway spot, just not for a racing competition.
From here I head home for a short stint of training in Weymouth, then on to Lake Garda, Italy, for the Devoti One World Championships. I am a little intimidated by the prospect of racing this boat as it is very different to my usual craft given it has an asymmetric kite. After this I will be helming a Laser SB3 racing in Cowes Week, UK, with fellow Skandia Team GBR teammates Giles Scott and Andrew Mills. It’s nice to be getting some variety to further my sailing; I just hope I can learn fast!