Please select your home edition
Edition
Maritimo 2023 M600 LEADERBOARD

5.5 Metre Swiss Open at Cercle de la voile de Grandson - Overall

by Robert Deaves 19 Aug 2023 04:14 UTC 17-20 August 2023

Caracole wins in Grandson sunshine

Caracole (SUI 214, Bernard HAISSLY, Daniel STAMPFLI, Nicolas BERTHOUD) has won the 2023 5.5 Metre Swiss Open at Cercle de la voile de Grandson, on Lac de Neuchâtel, Switzerland, after an amazingly consistent performance that left them two points ahead of Day 1 leaders Aspire (POL 17, Mateusz KUSZNIEREWICZ, Przemyslaw GACEK, Edward WRIGHT). However, Artemis (NOR 57, Kristian NERGAARD, Trond SOLLI-SÆTHER, Anders PEDERSEN) made the best of the day to move up to third overall.

In soaring temperatures, light winds and under sunny skies, it was a great day for sailing with the race wins going to Caracole, Artemis and Shaolin (SUI 226, Philippe DURR, Hans von WERDT, Andreas KINDLIMANN). 14 5.5 Metres from six nations were taking part.

After a difficult first day, Artemis came out of the first start at the boat end and dominated the right to lead round the top. However, Caracole sailed a better second upwind to take the lead and cross first while Aspire moved up to second on the final downwind.

Artemis again led at the top in the second race, but this time lead all the way round to win from New Moon III (BAH 25, Mark HOLOWESKO, Christoph BURGER, Peter VLASOV) and Ku-Ring-Gai III (AUS 66, John BACON, Terry WETTON, James MAYJOR). Aspire looked like they had picked up some week and had speed problems and dropped through the fleet.

It all came down to the final race, but again Aspire struggled to keep up, dropping to eighth, while Caracole crossed in fourth to take the title. Ku-Ring-Gai III rounded first and held the lead to the gate, but then Shaolin moved in front and extended for the win from Artemis and Ku-Ring-Gai III.

For the crew on Caracole, renowned for their light wind speed, between them they have amassed over 20 Swiss titles between them.

On the last race, Haissly said, "I'm not sure we had a plan. We just tried to go to the right place with the maximum speed. It's just sailing nicely around the course and with good spirit, good fun and enjoying the moment and not doing calculations. For us it's a pleasure."

Berthoud, "The wind is so shifty here that when there is a big gain on the left side you want to follow it. But on the right, Nergaard went all the way to the right and made a big gain The right was right that time."

Stampfli, "It's just a question of having fun, and sailing smoothly with as few problems as possible."

Nergaard said, "Today was much better than yesterday. I felt we were a little more attacking, had better starts and were more confident about everything we did. We tried some lighter jibs and adjustments on the rig and that helped. That's why it's important to be here to get some time in the boat and test some equipment. It's nice to win of course of but more it's more about learning.

"We're very happy to come here and happy to see there is wind on the lake given the high pressure and temperature we have here.

"A lot of the guys are here because it's one of the few regattas before the worlds in Sardinia in about a month, and we are quite excited about that."

Racing continues Saturday and Sunday with the Joran Cup.

Swiss Open Results:

1 Caracole (SUI 214, Bernard HAISSLY, Daniel STAMPFLI, Nicolas BERTHOUD) 10pts
2 Aspire (POL 17, Mateusz KUSZNIEREWICZ, Przemyslaw GACEK, Edward WRIGHT) 12pts
3 Artemis (NOR 57, Kristian NERGAARD, Trond SOLLI-SÆTHER, Anders PEDERSEN) 16pts
4 New Moon III (BAH 25, Mark HOLOWESKO, Christoph BURGER, Peter VLASOV) 18pts
5 Ku-Ring-Gai III (AUS 66, John BACON, Terry WETTON, James MAYJOR) 18pts

Related Articles

Scandinavian Gold Cup at Sopot, Poland Day 1
A slow start with very little wind The Scandinavian Gold Cup opened Thursday in Sopot, Poland, with seven 5.5 Metres competing for this historic and iconic trophy that dates back to 1922. Unfortunately, there was not enough wind to even complete one race. Posted on 5 Jun
5.5 Metre titles head to Poland for the first time
Scandinavian Gold Cup and World Championship to be held back to back Over the next 12 days the International 5.5 Metre Class heads to Sopot in Poland for the Scandinavian Gold Cup and World Championship. It is the first time the class has held any of its major events in Poland. Posted on 3 Jun
5.5 Metre German Open in Warnemunde overall
Bent Christian Wilhelmsen's Otto takes the win Bent Christian Wilhelmsen's Otto (NOR 68, Lasse Berthelsen, Sam Haines, Kyle Gundersen) has won the 2025 5.5 Metre German Open in Warnemunde after only one final race was possible on Saturday in very light winds. Posted on 1 Jun
5.5 Metre German Open in Warnemunde day 2
Otto takes command on the second day Otto (NOR 68, Lasse Berthelsen, Sam Haines, Kyle Gundersen) storm into the lead at the 2025 5.5 Metre German Open in Warnemunde after three wins from four races on Friday in winds from 8-15 knots. Posted on 30 May
5.5 Metre German Open in Warnemunde day 1
Race wins go Beta Crucis and New Moon III New Moon III (BAH 25, Christoph Burger, Kim Chabani, Peter Vlasov) is the early leader after two races in great conditions at the 2025 5.5 Metre German Open in Warnemunde. Posted on 30 May
2025 edition of fivepointfive magazine published
5.5 Metre Class now off to Poland for the first time The 2025 edition of fivepointfive Magazine was launched during the recent Alpen Cup at Riva and is now available to read online and download. Posted on 20 May
5.5 Metre Enoshima Trophy 2025 overall
The final two races were both dramatically won by Rabicano. Rabicano (Arancia Malaspina) has won the 2025 Enoshima Trophy for 5.5 Metres in La Spezia, Italy, after the final day of racing on Sunday. Manuela V (Guido Tommasi) is second with Grifone (Benedetta Di Salle) third. Posted on 11 May
5.5 Metre Enoshima Trophy 2025 Day 2
Rabicano and Manuela V neck and neck Rabicano (Arancia Malaspina) has maintained the lead at the Enoshima Trophy for 5.5 Metres after two more races in brilliant sunshine and a light to moderate wind on Saturday at La Spezia, Italy, but by the narrowest of margins. Posted on 10 May
5.5 Metre Enoshima Trophy 2025 Day 1
Rabicano leads after opening day in La Spezia Harking back to the days when the 5.5 Metre was an Olympic class, each year the Enoshima Trophy is sailed in boats that are still in the same configuration and conform to the rules applicable during the Olympic era. Posted on 9 May
5.5m Alpen Cup at Fraglia Vela Riva overall
The Jean Genie wins the title for a record fourth time The Jean Genie (GBR 43, Peter Morton, Andrew Palfrey, Ruairidh Scott) only needed one more race to secure a record fourth Alpen Cup for Peter Morton, and took a third place in race 7 to win with a race to spare. Posted on 4 May
Palm Beach Motor YachtsMaritimo 2023 S600 FOOTER