This is a diary account from Hannah Golton who is competing at the Laser 4.7 European championships and her father Brian
View the entry for Friday 7th, Saturday 8th, Sunday 9th , Tuesday 11th, Wednesday 12th, Thursday 12th and Friday 12th
Last day and again there was no wind but we couldn't go race later than 3 so we sat around for 5 hours on the water, and we nicked a Rib from our coach when he nicked one of our boats but he stole the keys so with 12 teenagers trying to paddle a rib it didn't really work! And somehow my tiller extension got bent when my friend let go of my boat when we were towing, uh oh!!
In the evening our national anthem got played as GBR won the under 16 boys. But I realised how boring our national anthem actually is!! I prefer the Spanish's! In the evening we had a nice expensive Mcdonalds and then I went around the hotel with some friends for a bit.
It has been such a good week, I have learnt so much and have met so many different people from random countries, like Greece, Spain, Italy, Germany etc. I'm so happy I've had this opportunity!
This was probably one of the best days weather wise and my worst results day!
We had to sit around on the beach for ages, as there was no wind, but I had pasta and just chatted which was cool.
Out there it was really nice weather and I learned what a difference the clouds make, apparently they're not just pretty shapes! I did get a second to last which I was so gutted with but it happens and this is my first ever international regatta!
We arrived at Helsinki sailing club to find 20knot winds with 25 knots in `squalls of torrential rain that last 15 minutes. Having got afloat the RO kept the fleet waiting for an hour while a squall hovered near the race course. The RO then started the race as the squall changed direction and approached the start line from the windward mark. This left carnage upt he first beat. The british girls sailed through this with all but one in the top 20. More carnage was to follow down the very deep reach, With waves approach 3metres. Hannah managed to capsize to windward ont his leg. After swimming round the boat the waves lifted the sail and the wind tossed the boat over again. Unfortunately the hull landed on her head!! She climbed on the turtle boat and was resting when the rescue boat took her off having heard she had been hit on the head. When the squall reached the committee boat the boys fleet was starting and teh RO abandoned the racing because visiability was so low they couldn’t see the pin end. With the girls race was also abandoned.
This was the best day of the week!! It was about 20 knots with 28 gusts coming down our course, 3-4metre waves and massive amount of rain and hailstones. But this is what sailing is about!! We started just as this hit and the race was abandoned as I reached the w/w mark which was a shame as I was coming 20th!! Then I death-rolled as I turned onto a reach but before that it was so unbelievably fast!! The waves were so big they picked up my boat and flipped it onto my head, ouch! Then I couldn't really think from the cold as well so they took me into the Rib and an Olympian sailed my boat in!! it was so wow! But those waves were so big and when you were in the middle you couldn't see anything.
Maria and I went cycling in Helsinki - a beautiful city, very clean and has a safe feel.On the water frustrating for all. At least Hannah was happy to overtake some people down wind but lost upwind. It is amazing the number of teams that have their radial sailors com peting just to get medals. Particularly from the former eastern European countries, Poland, Estonia, lithurainia??
Today, we spent 7 and a half hours on the water and only did one race. The wind was there, and then not, and then there, and then not!! It was very annoying. I ended up rafting up with some other people and chatting for a couple of hours which wasn't too bad. And we did talk to some German people which was funny. It also rained a lot and when there is no wind and you're just getting drenched it's really not the best day.
A very difficult day for all the british girls. Hannah Tilley the top girl got a black flag and was amongst 20 girls over 2 races to get black flagged.
The newcomers, including our Hannah, struggled with the light winds and a short sharp chop. The RYA coaches, including Marcus lynch who helped at the club last year, spent 1 ½ hours with the GBR team in a debrief.
Hannah wants to work out how to go down wind fast, she has lost over 50 places in the 2 races today on the downwind legs. According to Hannah the racing is very different at this level. All the sailors are aggressive at the start with the priority being over the line but not seen!!
Hannahs too tired to give her view tonight
More tomorrow
Again the parents sat around in glorious sunshine drinking beer, that we had sent in the container, and comparing notes on the cost of Finland. 6 euro for a beer, 7 euro for a MacDonald's, 20 euro for a meal in the hotel!
A short a sweet opening ceremony with raising of the 27 flags of the competing countries.
At the club at 9 o'clock washing my boat wasn't a great start to the morning but oh well. We had to launch through this mini gap and imagining the 250 boats that are here it wasn't exactly easy. This is when I found out that a practice race means just start at a minute to go and see where you end up but I guess I know for the future now!!
The opening ceremony wasn't exactly a ceremony just a load of talking (thankfully, in English) and then a flag raising which was pretty smooth.
Arrived in Helsinki to temps in mid 20's. After checking in at the hotel we arrived at the sailing club to find the container already being unloaded.
The Measurement process faced us. After some panic, taking apart the rudder and tiller and some other minor alterations, we passed - time for a protest against lasers not following class rules!! Even the Finnish measurement guru was confused by a bicycle inner tube being on the top section of one British mast. He initially rejected it then 10 minutes later can through the boat park to change his mind - Answers as for the use of the bicycle inner tube later in the week!
I was pretty happy when it was 26degrees when we landed but not so happy with the rain when I'd just changed into shorts and flip-flops! My friend was sick on the plane which I found quite funny but not many other people did.
I was glad to see my boat again (not that I didn't like the bennetts boat), and nobody dropped it taking it out of the container!!
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