Please select your home edition
Edition
Maritimo 2023 S-Series LEADERBOARD

Devoti D-One Gold Cup 2024 at Yacht Club Imperia, Italy

by D-One Class Association 12 Jun 12:42 UTC 6-9 June 2024
Devoti D-One Gold Cup 2024 © Yacht Club Imperia

The D-One has always specialised in a very international travelling circuit to pleasant locations around Europe, so was hit hard in the Covid era. It was great to see it bounce back with a wonderful championship at Imperia, on the Italian Riviera east of San Remo.

We started the preceding weekend with a round of the Italian Coppa d'Italia. In very light winds the speed of the lake sailors was clear, with Frank Suchanek (GER) narrowly beating Enrico Ciferri (ITA) and Jorg Deimling (AUT). Many of the sailors then enjoyed a romping 20knot practice on the Monday, wondering what was to come next.

For the Gold Cup itself the fleet extended to seven nations, with good contingents from AUT, GBR and SUI as well as the host nation. We missed some of our usual competitors who were down the road at the amazing Finn Masters championship, but the hospitality from the Yacht Club Imperia was perfect, and the town itself a great mix of superyacht marina and historic medieval city.

The first race day was, however, a little trying, with a very light wind swinging through 180degrees, a large swell across what wind there was and an unusual current setting in the opposite direction. No-one minded much when the race was finally abandoned as the time limit approached, but we had noted the speed of Suchanek and Thomas Dohnal (AUT) in these conditions. Special notice must go to Alessandro Gasparini (ITA) who led by miles at the first mark before contriving to capsize in 3 knots of wind.

The next day looked like a re-run, and indeed after some hours the fleet was sent back to shore, but minutes later a perfect 8-10knot breeze arrived. In full hiking conditions (for some) the combination of swell and chop changed the pacesetters, and Giles Chipperfield (GBR) showed great downwind speed to win all three races, followed closely by Deimling and Ciferri. Some cricket scores were seen in the fleet as recovering from a bad start or tactical mishap was very hard in the down speed conditions.

Saturday had everything: starting in 10kts and finishing in over 20, with big rolling waves. The larger sailors (the fleet ranged from 65kg to some admitting to 120kg), had a field day on the immense upwind legs, with Patrick Rufenacht (SUI), Michael Mutti (SUI) and local hero Tommaso Buzzi showing very well at the first marks, but downwind technique in the wind and waves saw Chipperfield and Marek Bachtik (CZE) take the wins from Deimling and Suchanek.

Unfortunately, the big winds were the forerunner of a proper storm on Sunday, so the Gold Cup ended there, with just a convivial Sunday of coffee and prosecco to complete a most enjoyable event. Thank you to Yacht Club Imperia for immaculate race management, to Alberto Francheschi for organisation on behalf of the Italian class, and to all our friends for travelling such long distances again to enjoy good racing.

Next up is the Silver Cup within Travemunde Woche and the UK D-One Nationals in Plymouth. The Gold Cup in 2025 will be at the Neusiedlersee near Vienna, hosted by the ever-growing Austrian fleet, with the customary warm-up events in Italy and Austria to make the travelling worthwhile. We look forward again to sailing with our friends from all over Europe.

Overall Results:

PosNatSail NoHelmClubR1R2R3R4R5R6Pts
1GBR904Giles ChipperfieldLymington Town SC11111‑35
2CZE4Marek BachtikYC CERE‑163832117
3AUT3Jörg DeimlingSCA26‑723720
4GER47Frank SuchanekSegelklub Bayer Uerdingen‑1123410423
5ITA315Enrico CiferriCircolo Vele Vernazzolesi4528‑13928
6ITA111Alessandro GaspariniGDV LNI Berlluno‑107954833
7ITA102Tommaso BuzziYacht Club Imperia884‑97633
8AUT60Alexander MastnakSegelclub Altmünster510668‑1135
9AUT303Thomas DohnalUycns39‑131111236
10SUI7Patrick RuefenachtYC Bielersees7412‑1491042
11GBR8Nick Crickmore 6‑1357121242
12SUI27Michael MuttiRCO91111125‑1348
13GBR1101Nick FavellGYGSC.WOBYC‑141414106549
14AUT12Franz Mautner MarkhofUycns1512101315‑1665
15FRA902Emmanuel AbordCNAV1315161514(ret)73
16GBR21Vanessa Weedon‑JonesGWSC12‑191716161576
17AUT21Gerald Hurban 19181917(dns)1487
18ITA149Alberto FranceschiGDV LNI Rapallo1816181817(ret)87
19SUI101Andreas von ArxZürcher Segelclub171715(dns)dnsdns89

Related Articles

D-One UK National Championship in Plymouth
Nick Craig collects a string of bullets The D1 Nationals were held jointly with the 4000s and ISOs at the Royal Western Yacht Club in Plymouth from 28th-30th June. Many boats arrived on the Thursday and set up in bright summer conditions although still a little cold. Posted on 9 Jul
4000, ISO and D1 Nationals to be held in Plymouth
Three day event to be held in June for the classes The 4000 Class will be joined by National Championships for both the D1 and ISO Class Dinghies to compete over a three-day event. Posted on 5 Mar
Great North Asymmetric Challenge preview
Enter now for this ever-growing September event Bassenthwaite Sailing Club's Great North Asymmetric Challenge (known as the GNAC) will be held on the 16th and 17th September. For those who like a gybe this is a firm favourite in the northern sailing calendar. This years event is sponsored by Trident. Posted on 19 Aug 2023
Battle of the Hikers preview
No trapeze? Get to Rutland this May! The very popular Battle of the Hikers will take place on the 27th and 28th May 2023. 30+ boats are expected. The Graduates were the biggest class last time. Nick Craig sailing his OK was the overall winner. Posted on 18 Mar 2023
Multi-class open at Oxford preview
April event for Contender, D-One and K6 has new sponsor Oxford Sailing Club has partnered with Sailing Chandlery to sponsor the Club's multi class open meeting on 1 and 2 April this year. Posted on 3 Feb 2023
Finn and D One Open at Warsash
Thirty-five boats sailed in absolutely perfect conditions What a wonderful time of the year the Autumn is for dinghy sailing! Thirty-five boats sailed in absolutely perfect conditions at Warsash Sailing Club for the British Finn and D-One Open event. Posted on 11 Oct 2022
11th Great North Asymmetric Challenge
74 boats ignored the forecast and headed to Costa del Bass 74 boats ignored the forecast and headed to Costa del Bass for the Great North Asymmetric Challenge. This popular event attracts the who's who of asymmetric sailing in the North, with this year's entries over double what they were pre-Covid. Posted on 20 Sep 2022
D-One Nationals at the Lymington Dinghy Regatta
Joining many, many other dinghies over the weekend The D-One fleet joined many, many other dinghies over the weekend to enjoy the combined hospitality of Royal Lymington Yacht Club and Lymington Town Sailing Club for their annual dinghy regatta. Posted on 15 Jul 2022
2022 D-One Gold Cup at Lake Como
The class specialises in great championships in beautiful European locations The D-One has always specialised in great championships in beautiful European locations, so, after two years of very little international sailing, D-One sailors from all over Europe are delighted to have finished a fantastic Gold Cup on Lake Como. Posted on 7 Jun 2022
2022 D-One Gold Cup to be held at Lake Como
The beautiful Italian lake is the venue the event in May The D-One class has always been notable for a European regatta circuit in fantastic locations, and after two years of very little international sailing, the D-One community is looking very enthusiastic for the upcoming Gold Cup. Posted on 24 Apr 2022
Maritimo 2023 M600 FOOTERSavvy Navvy 2024