Peter Peet, from The Netherlands, has won the 2023 Finn European Masters at Campione del Garda, Italy, after a nervous last day with a long wait for wind and then two more challenging races in light and shifty winds. Britain’s John Greenwood took second with Simon Bovay, from Switzerland, moving back up to third.
The racing did not get any easier on the final day on Lake Garda, with a very late and light Ora coming in for two hot and tricky races. The first race was probably the lightest of the week and produced a very mixed bag of results. Both Peet and Greenwood were very deep, but both had the same discard, so nothing changed at the front. Sweden’s Peter Overup started at the boat, tacked to the cliffs and was never headed. He took the win from Slovakia’s Peter Mosny and Turkey’s Sinan Sumer.
The final race turned into a one-way track with a big left shift and pin end bias. Those down the pin laid the top mark after a short hitch with France’s Laurent Hay leading round and extending to take the last race win of the week from Peet and Hungary’s Tibor Pallay.
Peet,“I’m really happy that I’ve won the regatta especially with this light weather which is not my favourite. This morning I did a really bad race and the afternoon I got a second place, and overall I won so I’m really happy with that.”
Greenwood, “Another tough day on the water. Everybody was trying their best and we had two winds. Sometimes the wind came in, sometimes it didn’t so everybody had a lot of racing. I think the lesson learnt today is just keep with the wind and keep the head out of the boat. I was lucky, in the first race not so good in the second race better so I hang on second overall.”
Bovay, “I finished third and I’m very happy. Today was very tricky conditions and it was not easy. The winds always change but it was an incredible week. The level was very high. I’m so happy now to be in this place.”
Garda is famous for its winds and this week was perhaps exceptional due to the high temperatures around and the strong morning northerly that delayed the afternoon Ora, and kept it mainly light and unstable. This turned the week into a high scoring series with most of the fleet getting a turn near the front, and the back. Consistency has never been so important, with 35 boats getting top 10 places in at least one race.
Univela Sailing at Campione, were great hosts, with most sailors remaining on site for the duration creating a very special Finn environment during the day and in the evenings. It is a beautiful venue with stunning light changes and a great restaurant and bar service that left the sailors wanting for nothing.
Finn Masters events are becoming bucket list regattas at bucket list venues. Next year the World Masters heads back to Puntala in Italy while the European Masters will be in Cannes, France, in October. Start planning.
Final results after 8 races
1 NED 148 GrM Peter Peet 51
2 GBR 5 GGM John Greenwood 63
3 SUI 59 Mst Simon Bovay 68
4 ITA 115 Mst Roberto Strappati 77
5 SWE 32 GrM Olof Lundqvist 81
6 HUN 5 Mst Tibor Pallay 96
7 AUS 22 GrM Paul Mckenzie 96
8 ITA 788 GGM Roberto Benamati 103
9 SWE 72 GrM Peter Overup 103
10 FRA 111 Mst Valerian Lebrun 125
Ladies Prize: Maria Kuiper, NED
Super Legend Prize: Joop Wuijts, NED
Legends
1 Hans Fatzer, SUI
2 Bruno Catalan, ITA
3 Chris Frijdal, NED
Great Grand Masters
1 John Greenwood, GBR
2 Roberto Benamati, ITA
3 Otto Strandvig, DEN
Grand Masters
1 Peter Peet, NED
2 Olof Lundqvist, SWE
3 Paul Mckenzie, AUS
Masters
1 Simon Bovay, SUI
2 Roberto Strappati, ITA
3 Tibor Pallay, HUN
Final results here: https://www.campioneunivela.it/regate/2023/campionato-europeo-finn-master/finn/
Full Gallery here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/finnclassphotos/albums/72177720311062128
Robert Deaves
