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Savvy Navvy 2024

K6 Eurocup at Circolo Velico AVAL-CDV, Lake Como - Overall

by Peter Kirkby 1 Jul 2019 13:33 UTC

"The best weeks racing the class has probably had" seemed to be the consensus amongst the 20 boats who made the trip to Gravedona on Lake Como.

The sun shone, the breeze blew, the race management was spot on, the club super welcoming and there was a Laser cockpit full of cold beer thanks to legend Philip Waterfall when you came ashore each day. If you weren't sailing, the club even provided wine tasting and pasta making lessons. Life doesn't get much better!

Brothers Steve and Ross Birbeck won the week with a couple of races to spare. They had an uncanny ability to dig themselves out of trouble when not at the front of the pack, and almost always seemed to be able to pick the right side of the course for each leg. And the right side of the course never seemed to be what it was on the previous lap! This goes some way to explaining why nine of the 20 boats had first or second places in at least one of the races.

Special mention goes to John Adcroft and Steve Dewbury from Aldeburgh who we think became the first Aldeburgh boat to win a race in the Europeans, and led for the the whole of race six, going right up the first beat when everyone else went left. Steve didn't loose the grin for the rest of the week.

Those mentioned in despatches included:

  • Fraser Elms for being caught with a racing rules book at evening dinner;
  • Steve Drewbury and Hugh Duncan for both managing to end-up in the water;
  • Austrian brothers George and Gunter Blatnig as best dressed crew, not only on the water but also off with matching crew gear for every occasion;
  • Martin Wedge for managing to mistake the finishing marks as the leeward gate twice in the same day and causing Steve Drewbury's swim at the same time - should have gone to SpecSavers;
  • Dylan Wells and Harry Clarke for showing even young blokes can multitask, helping pull every boat out of the water and up the ramp, beer in hand!

Overall Results:

PosSail NoHelmCrewClubBoat NameR1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8R9R10Pts
1GBR 165Stephen BirbeckRoss BirbeckRoyal Torbay YCMildly Moist11211‑3131(DNC)11
2GBR 142Dave HallGraham HoyBlackwater SC 6‑7153‑8253126
3GBR 164Julian CookCaroline Aisher Hugo FitzjohnRoyal Torbay YCPing the Peas336‑764525‑934
4GBR 222Neil FulcherDylan Wells Harry ClarkeStone SCall the Gear54435734‑11‑1135
5GBR 166Fraser ElmsGeorgie Smith Heather ChipperfieldHayling Island SCTonic7‑127922‑1114537
6GBR 195Steve BalesJon Rigby Ued WebRuthland SC / RAFSAMalarky‑95‑14845468646
7GBR 172Mike TruemanStewart Pegam James BennettOxford SCRed Shark4108411‑146‑152348
8GBR 216Peter KirkbyRichard BarkerQueen Mary SCPippi‑16‑115296976751
9GBR 159Giles ChipperfieldFiachra EtchinghamLymington Town SC / Greystones SCBackstop8636‑13‑101087452
10AUT 146George BlatnigGünter BlatnigUnion YC WoertherseeSuperfly22‑15‑128981010857
11GBR 1159David GorringeAndy HeissigLymington Town SCLes fromage mangeant singes10811107‑1571115(RET)79
12GBR 208Martin WedgeMaurice CousinRoyal Torbay YCEric(RET)(RET)914151212912285
13GBR 109John AdcroftSteve DewberryAldeburgh YCOverdraft‑1716131114113‑1791289
14GBR 124Paul OwenAmy Owen Oliver OwenOxford SCHappy Feeet119‑18131011‑1616141094
15GBR 213Nick JonesAlex CooperAldeburgh YCgalloper141312‑171213‑18121313102
16GBR 122John TaborMartin GibsonOxford SC 1214101617161513(DNC)(DNC)113
17GBR 161Jeff van der BorghtDavid Guthrie Hugh DuncanLyme Regis SCDark & Stormy131717‑18161717(DNF)1614127
18GBR 08Phil WaterfallChris GomerSt Mawes SCVegetables don't scream15151615(RET)181414(DNC)DNC127
19GBR 104Richard AddisonRicky BuroAldeburgh YCCourageous1818(RET)191819(DNF)181715142

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