AT LAST THE LEGENDS ARE RECOGNISED!

At the recent Masters World Championships in Athens the Legends (over 75s) in the Standard rig (ILCA 7) were recognised with their own division and results for the first time. This was a breakthrough after the International class association reneged on a deal to recognise us at the previous year’s event in Formia, Italy.

In 2022, when the Worlds were in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, I was the first and only competitor over 75 to compete in Standard rig, having to sail with the “young blokes” in the Great Grand Masters division, but they gave me a plaque in recognition of my participation. A year later the Worlds were at the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, Thailand, and there were two of us, with my French/American friend Jacques Kerrest and I had a great tussle, again within the GGM fleet. Jacques got the better of me, but we were both in the top half of the fleet and he was awarded a plaque.

Moving on the Adelaide in 2024 and I was again the only Legend, but again I was acknowledged at the prize giving. More importantly the class organisation said that if we had five entries the following year we would get our own division.

After many international phone calls and e-mails six of us Legends turned up in Formia, but they refused to recognise us and there was no acknowledgement at the presentations, so we all chipped in and bought a trophy to give to South Africa’s Alan Keen who had won, and I was second.

So it was a huge relief when we arrived in Athens in June this year to find that we had at last been given our own division, though we started with the GGMs, our results were separate.

I started the regatta well in difficult conditions, with a string of four second places and I was feeling I’d mastered the testing conditions. On the first day we had two races in a very shifty and patchy offshore breeze. Both races were just like snakes and ladders, one minute you were looking famous, the next the whole fleet seemed to be in front of you.

After that the sea breeze came in each day, but never with any real conviction, and the sea was always sloppy with no pattern to it. Throughout my run of second places I was getting closer to the American who was winning and confidence was building. Then it all went wrong and I had a run of three fourth places, before it all came together and I won race eight.

It was second and third places from then on, to end up third overall in the final results.

So what did I learn? I definitely need more big fleet experience. The racing was incredibly close and a misjudged lay line or a bad mark rounding would cost multiple places. Finding a clear lane both upwind and down wind is critical. I also know I have to work on my downwind speed and technique.

Although I was the oldest competitor I felt I had good boat speed upwind and was picking shifts well but I did find the sloppy waves hard to deal with. The race I won was the only time the breeze got above ten knots and I was able to hike properly.

Next up is the September European Championship in La Baule, France, on the Atlantic coast, so I’m hoping for good winds and decent waves.