Belgian Europe Nationals at Royal North Sea Yacht Club

by Graham Hutchings 21 Sep 2020 19:56 NZST 12-13 September 2020

Belgian Europe Nationals at Ostend © Pit de Jonge / www.shiptoshore.be

Another splendid weekend of sailing was offered by the Royal North Sea Yacht Club at Ostend, Belgium, for the Open Belgian Championship for the Europe class on the weekend of 12-13 September 2021.

Numbers were down on last year due to the current travel restrictions, and sadly a number of Brits who were intending to come across the channel for some quality racing were unable to visit this year. It was left to token Brit, and Brussels resident, Graham Hutchings to fly the flag for Britain this time.

Belgian Europe Nationals at Ostend - photo © Pit de Jonge / www.shiptoshore.be

Despite the number of no-shows there was still a good turnout of sixty sailors from 6 nations who were greeted on Saturday morning by a good South-Westerly force 4 with wind against tide creating a good steep swell for driving through upwind and surfing downwind. The impeccable (as ever) race team set an excellent trapezoid course with outer loop and leeward gate. The big boys of the fleet revelled in the brisk conditions and the four races held back-to-back made for exhausted sailors coming to shore in the sheltered waters inside the harbour wall at the end of the day.

Joachim D'Hondt was in first place overnight posting a 1 / 2 / 6 / 2 scoreline, but the first few places were close with all to play for going into the next day.

Belgian Europe Nationals at Ostend - photo © Pit de Jonge / www.shiptoshore.be

Sunday dawned with milder conditions and calmer seas. The force 3 increased slightly for the second race before calming down again for the final race of the day. Reigning champion Stijn Van Hoye applied his turbo option and posted 1 / 2 / 1 for the day to take first place once again (12 points) from Toon Van Caneghem in second (21 points) and Joachim D'Hondt in third (22 points).

Belgian Europe Nationals at Ostend - photo © Pit de Jonge / www.shiptoshore.be

First woman, sailing extremely quickly despite the full-on conditions, was Elien Sahin finishing in 13th (78 points). First master was Pieter Van Laer in 10th place. Special mention should also go to class coach Nicolas D'Hondt finishing in 9th place, who comes out of sailing hibernation every year for the nationals to see if he can still fit under the boom, and remains as quick as ever.

Belgian Europe Nationals at Ostend - photo © Pit de Jonge / www.shiptoshore.be

The Europe class in Belgium is as strong as ever and this year's championship showed the health of the class in continental Europe. Sixteen women sailed, the age range was from 14 to 59 years with 30 sailors aged 18 or under, and the sailors' weights varied from 50 to 80+ kg. With the ability of the hull to carry various weights, and optimised mast flexibility and sail shape to suit various sailors, the Europe remains an excellent option for youth sailors, women and small to medium sized males of all abilities. The class is looking forward to the Worlds in Sweden in 2021, the Masters and European Youth Championships in Barcelona in August, and another visit to Ostend for a weekend of sun, waves and breeze in September 2021 - come and join the fun!

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Pts
1	BEL 978	Stijn van HOYE		2	1	5	UFD	1	2	1	12
2	BEL 984	Toon van CANEGHEM	vvw lokeren	3	6	1	4	‑7	4	3	21
3	BEL 9	Joachim D'HONDT	BRYC	1	2	6	2	10	1	‑16	22
4	BEL 960	Mattijs van HOOREWEGHE		4	3	3	7	11	3	‑27	31
5	ESP 726	Dimitri SIMONS		‑24	14	7	5	2	5	7	40
6	BEL 970	Jari de CRAECKER		8	12	2	‑14	5	14	8	49
7	FRA 5674	Cyril RICHARD		12	7	8	11	‑14	12	4	54
8	BEL 1004	Karel de SMET	NWV	9	9	4	6	‑15	13	15	56
9	BEL 959	Nicolas D'HONDT	BRYC	6	4	13	1	28	11	‑43	63
10	BEL 900	Pieter van LAER	RCNV	16	10	12	3	‑22	6	18	65
11	BEL 17	Jorre VETS	NWV	17	20	10	15	12	‑24	2	76
12	GER 119	Simon HUELLENKREMER	STSC	‑21	18	11	12	16	16	5	78
13	BEL 989	Elien SAHIN	VVW I‑O	18	16	15	17	6	‑30	6	78
14	BEL 986	Graham HUTCHINGS	Royal Belgian Sailing Club	13	‑29	20	16	9	9	13	80
15	GER 1685	Sophie MENKE	SCC	15	15	19	9	3	‑29	25	86
16	BEL 1001	Matis DOYEN	BRYC	19	19	BFD	10	4	22	20	94
17	BEL 891	Frederik BOONE	OSM	10	11	‑31	24	26	8	17	96
18	FRA 5609	Olivier LALANCE	CVBS	7	5	14	UFD	39	23	10	98
19	BEL 12	Maïté COLOMBIE	VVW I‑O	22	24	21	8	13	‑33	12	100
20	GER 1656	Niklas DAHM	SCD	14	‑28	17	26	17	19	9	102
21	BEL 1000	Fanny D'HONDT	VVW I‑O	28	‑37	22	18	18	10	11	107
22	BEL 8	Bart DECOUTERE	Sailing Venues	5	8	26	35	‑42	15	36	125
23	BEL 944	Bram van HECKE	VVW GA	20	21	16	13	33	27	‑46	130
24	BEL 1005	Charlotte POLLIE	ZSCBROE	‑31	25	30	22	23	25	21	146
25	FRA 5654	Poillot CHRISTOPHER		25	27	35	25	‑45	20	19	151
26	BEL 1006	Caelan DEMAZIERE	VVW I‑O	11	13	39	UFD	57	7	26	153
27	BEL 964	Tanguy DANIS	KYCN	23	26	25	19	32	‑48	37	162
28	BEL 94	Kiara VERMEERSCH	VVW I‑O	35	‑45	28	23	25	40	14	165
29	BEL 987	Maxime STEELANDT	ADP	29	31	18	21	30	‑44	39	168
30	BEL 1003	Jérôme TEUGHELS	WVD	30	17	24	31	44	28	‑50	174
31	BEL 1012	Maxim BOONE	RBSC	‑38	23	36	34	20	31	35	179
32	BEL 965	Sofie LASURE	KLYC	32	35	‑42	28	35	21	28	179
33	BEL 953	Mauro DECLERCK	BISC	‑51	32	38	30	8	43	32	183
34	BEL 1011	Martijn SCHELKENS	NWV	26	30	9	UFD	55	32	31	183
35	GER 1774	Leon Maximilian PETERS	YCBAYERLEV	37	38	23	20	‑46	42	24	184
36	BEL 981	Kobe de CLERCQ	WWSK	33	34	45	27	31	18	‑47	188
37	LUX 7	Axel HOLDERBEKE	Yacht Club Luxembourg	‑42	39	33	38	24	38	29	201
38	GER 1458	Bennet WUCHERPFENNIG	SVH	27	22	27	UFD	56	17	53	202
39	BEL 983	Corto YERLES	CVD	46	33	44	29	27	26	‑52	205
40	BEL 949	Ward MAES		34	40	29	UFD	34	36	33	206
41	BEL 977	Camille JACOMET	KYCN	‑43	42	34	41	38	35	23	213
42	BEL 973	Warre van HECKE	NWV	40	41	43	40	29	34	‑44	227
43	BEL 929	Mira VANROOSE	VVW GA	48	50	37	UFD	19	41	38	233
44	BEL 1015	Matisse van ACKER	NWV	36	36	40	33	51	47	‑57	243
45	ITA 26	Alice da COL	STSM	54	‑56	49	46	36	37	22	244
46	BEL 1009	Arthur TEUGHELS	WVD	45	46	46	45	21	DNF	45	248
47	GER 126	Erik WOHLERS	SVH	41	52	47	32	‑54	45	34	251
48	BEL 982	Louise PINTELON	VVW I‑O	DNF	58	32	37	48	49	30	254
49	BEL 988	Ellen van KETS	ZSCBROE	‑55	47	51	36	40	46	48	268
50	BEL 874	Emma STOOP	VVW Galgenweel	44	43	41	UFD	37	54	49	268
51	GER 1778	Lotta DAHM	SCD	50	‑54	48	42	49	52	41	282
52	ITA 55	Alberto da COL	STSM	DNF	DNF	52	39	43	39	51	289
53	BEL 1014	Luana DEMAZIERE	VVW I‑O	53	51	‑56	43	41	50	54	292
54	BEL 1016	Noah GRANDJEAN	VVW I‑O	47	48	57	44	52	51	‑58	299
55	BEL 911	Simon MOYAERT	VVW I‑O	52	49	50	47	‑58	53	55	306
56	BEL 1007	Marie PINTELON	VVW I‑O	57	57	54	48	‑59	56	42	314
57	NED 726	Silke van LAETHEM	NWV	49	53	55	UFD	47	55	56	315
58	BEL 1013	Victor CAMBIER	SNEH	39	44	53	UFD	DNF	DNF	DNF	331
59	BEL 743	Alex DUJARDIN	Zeil‑en surfclub gavermeer	56	55	58	49	DPI	DPI	DPI	336
60	BEL 963	Amadeo de LANGHE	TWINS	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	53	57	40	345
61	GER 1050	Lennart BRÖKER	SVH Seglervereinigung Hüde	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	390
61	GER 28	Mathis VORNDRAN	SVH	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	390