Winners crowned at the Dutch Youth Regatta 2017

By Valentijn van Duijvendijk Dutch Youth Regatta

The Dutch Youth Regatta concluded after four days of racing. On the final day it was still all to play for in most of the 9 youth classes. Not only for the title Open Dutch Champion but also for the several countries to qualify for the championship later this year.

THE BEST OF 390 OPTIMIST SAILORS

During the first two days the main goal for the sailors in the Optimist and Splash class is to qualify themselves for the highest group possible as they are racing in split fleets. The biggest fleet, the 390 Optimists battling in 5 separate groups and the top 75 proceeds into the Gold fleet. In this class it’s a constant battle between brother and sister Schultheis from Malta, Daniel Cante from Slovenia and Peter Foley from the USA for that top spot. It’s Richard Schultheis that wins this battle.

HIGH PERFORMANCE CLASSES

The new High Performance course has a different schedule as the other courses: shorter, but more races which results in a total of 17 races that will decide the winner in the fastest classes in the event. With a massive lead the French Théo Revil & Gautier Guevel taking the win in the 29er class, followed by Benjamin Jaffrezic & Léo Chauvel. The Danish team Natacha Violet Saouma-Pedersen & Jens-Philip Dehn-Toftehøj are preventing that’s a clean sweep for the French.

It’s much closer at the top for the new Nacra 15 class where the top 3 is only seperated by 2 points. In the end it is German team Silas Mühle & Romy Mackenbrock in front of the Swiss team of Max Wallenberg & Amanda Björk-Anastassov. This not only means the win, but also leading the German qualification for the World Sailing Youth World Championship in Sanya later this year. The final spot on the podium is for the Dutch Bjarne Bouwer & Eliott Savelon .

FOUR DUTCH BLUE PENNANTS LEAVING THE COUNTRY

Even though it’s an international event, the sailors are fighting for the blue pennant of the Dutch sailing federation, meaning the Open Dutch Champion. Four of them will take a trip across the country borders. The biggest trip will be the Laser Radial won by Junrui Lu from Singapore.

ROBERT VAN NOTTEN MEMORIAL TROPHY

For the second time Gaby van Notten awarded the Robert van Notten Memorial Trophy. In honour and memory of Robert van Notten and his passion for developing Dutch youth sailing, this trophy is awarded to the best Dutch sailor in the Optimist class. This year that is Finn Kats.