(Grevelingenmeer, Belgium)- Last weekend the Benelux J/80 sailors were
greeted by unseasonably warm, sunny weather like their British
counterparts across La Manche (the Channel). In the the bright weather
was some "bright sailing" by Team JALAPENO, sailed by Erik Scheeren.
"Hot weather, hot boat", they played a dominant role all weekend. The
first race marked the JALAPENO boys "thankful" streak as well-- after a
failed start in race one, they chose the "other side" of the field and
the race course, this decision ultimately resulted in a spectacular
first place in race 1!
The
mild weather and shifty breezes resulted in position changes every race
for the compact fleet. Amazingly, the mild weather also resulted in
conservative starts, no recalls, an unusual scenario for the J/80
fleet! One team got their boat well underway while others were looking
for the right settings. Plus, while the wind strength was building
gradually all day, one also had to be looking for wind streaks and stay
in them. This was especially important for finding the right course for
downwind speed to the finish line. Saturday saw a lot of good racing!
At the end of the day, Laura Vroon's JOI DE VIVRE stayed close and took
a first place in race 4, but it was not hard enough to beat TEAM
JALAPENO, who were hotter than hot!On Sunday, the Grevelingenmeer was just like the rest of the Netherlands (or for that matter, the rest of Europe), with a dense fog shrouding the entire lake. After the racing was postponed twice, it was decided not to sail anymore race. This made for a slightly anticlimactic finish for the regatta, but despite the limited number of races, there was no dissatisfaction with the results-- it was quite clear to most all of the contestants that the superior performance of TEAM JALAPENO on Saturday made them a worthy 2011 Benelux Open Champion! And, speaking of being "thankful", we must give "Thanks" to Tom-Erik "Chief" of the lake and Grevelingencup organization. For more J/80 Benelux Open Championship sailing information
