British sailors top the 2023 Nacra 15 European Super Series
by UK Nacra 15 Class Association 6 Nov 2023 22:45 NZDT
Sam Cox & Sophie Raven (GBR) sailing upwind on Day 2 of the Nacra 15 European Super Series event in Barcelona © Óscar Torveo / Barcelona International Sailing Centre
Six British Nacra 15s headed to Barcelona for the final event in the 2023 Nacra 15 European Super Series, with 42 boats entered from eight different countries. The wet and windy weather systems which have been dominating northern Europe recently made no exception to Barcelona, with strong winds forecast throughout the event.
Day 1 saw strong wind blowing off the land and a big sea state from the opposite direction. After a long postponement, the wind eased and the fleet headed afloat. By the upwind leg the wind had built to 30+kts and with plenty of capsizes throughout the fleet, the race was abandoned, offering some wild downwind rides for those who had made it round the windward mark!
One such team was Finn Caddy & Ella Harris who commented "There were boats upside down everywhere. We hoisted the kite and just tried to hold on until a RIB could catch up with us to tell us it had been abandoned!"
With spirits still high, Team GBR reconvened for an evening on 'the party boat' - accommodation to several sailors - an opportunity to relax and socialise ahead of a big Day 2 ahead.
The prevailing SW conditions returned for Day 2, sailors heading out onto a light and shifty race course. A notable mention goes to Thomas Peace & Emilia Laker, sailing in their first international event after just two weekends in the boat, who sailed some excellent starts and strong first beats in the lighter conditions!
Throughout the day the wind and sea state increased; teams pushing hard in 20+ kts and up to 3m swell. Sam Cox & Sophie Raven found the form they had proven across the season, racking up a third and second place in the final two races, with Tom Jones & Izzy Smith narrowly missing out on a top ten finish in Race 4 with equipment failure.
Day 3 saw an unwelcome return to the strong offshore breeze, and after a postponement onshore, the sailors headed out into what can only be described as 'survival conditions'. Racing was promptly abandoned, concluding the event. Full credit to the parent volunteers on the GBR support boat for ensuring all boats made it back safely, and to all the sailors who made sure to help their teammates and international competitors back ashore.
With a strong series of results, Sam & Sophie finished in third overall in the event, securing their position at the top of the overall rankings for the 2023 Nacra 15 European Super Series! The series took place over eight events throughout the year and four events to count, with events in the UK, France, The Netherlands, Italy, Hungary, Belgium, Switzerland and Spain!
Sam & Sophie finished on the podium at every event they attended, a strong season ahead of their trip to Brazil in December for the Youth Sailing World Championships as part of the British Youth Sailing Team. Special mention also to Albie Cutbill & Izzy Smith, finishing fifth overall in the series after a solid run of podium results earlier in the season.
It's great to see the Nacra 15 class growing both in the UK and internationally, with over 100 teams competing throughout the year. With another full calendar including the 2024 Nacra 15 European Championships in Cagliari, Italy and a return to Barcelona for the 2024 Nacra 15 World Championships, all complemented by the European Super Series events, we are set for another incredible year!
There has never been a better time to join the Nacra 15 class, with a growing UK fleet, new and used boats available and regular training opportunities aimed at all levels of experience. Take a look at our website to start your journey.