Exeter’s Ben Cornish finished as the fourth European sailor at the 2016 Finn European Championships, Barcelona, Spain which drew to a close on Saturday 12th March.
Cornish, who won his first major Finn race last week, concluded his six-day Open Regatta – which permits off-content entries – in fifth overall.
The event was won by Pieter-Jan Postma (NED) who held it together in a tight medal race, Zsombor Berecz (HUN) took home the silver, and Milan Vujasinovic (CRO) won the bronze.
The 24 year-old met won his first two Finn races at a major championship but was a little disappointed not to clinch his first podium position after a difficult Medal Race.
“It was a successful week as a whole, I wanted to be somewhere in the top 10 and I’m punching towards the front of the fleet so I am pleased with that.
“The Medal Race was really close, everyone went into the race with something to gain, so I was really fighting the whole way round. There was only so much I could control with the guys above me and I just wanted to go out and try and win the race, as it turns out I didn’t, but there wasn’t really a plan to go out and attack anyone.
“I made a progression on last year’s results from Croatia so I have got to be pleased with that,” concluded Cornish.
Cornish is now training in Rio with Giles Scott.
Ed Wright concluded his event in 15th, meanwhile Podium Potential sailors Peter McCoy and Hector Simpson finished 43rd and 52nd respectively.
Back in the UK, British Sailing Team members attended the first RYA Olympic Classes Spring Series event at Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy.
On Saturday morning, sailors were greeted to no wind, followed by a bank of fog in the afternoon and the decision was taken to cancel racing for the day. Returning to the Academy on Sunday morning, the wind was up and sun was shining, perfect racing conditions.
2.4mR World Champion, Megan Pascoe, won all of the 2.4mR races to claim victory over Carol Dugdale in second and Morgan Bugler in third.
This Spring Series event is one of the first tests of the year for many who transitioned into Olympic Class in September 2015, Martin Wrigley and James Taylor, took the opportunity with a score line of firsts to win the 470 Men’s class. Sarah Norbury and Katie Dabson beat Jemima Lawson and Lily Summers to the Women’s 470 title.
Samuel Curtis and Benjamin Clegg won all but one of their races in the 49er class to top the leader board. In the 49erFX James Grummett and Daniel Budden won on tiebreak from Oliver Aldridge and Jamie Hobson.
With 18 sailors in the RS:X 8.5M class it was the biggest on the water, Andy Brown won the event beating, Youth Worlds silver medallist, Emma Wilson by just one point.
In the Men’s RS:X Emma’s brother Dan Wilson was snapping at the heels of Tom Squires but couldn’t quite catch him, Squires won the event with a clean sweep of firsts.
At the Laser Standard and Radial Qualifier, Mount Batten, Plymouth, brothers Henry and Jack Wetherell were first and second respectively while Lorenzo Chiavarini rounded out the top three. British Sailing Team sailors completed the top six with Elliot Hanson 4th, Michael Beckett 5th and Nick Thompson 6th.
Ali Young won the Laser Radial fleet.
Finn European Results
Spring Series Results
Laser Standard and Radial Qualifier Results
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