Three boats are now through to the final stage of the Scandinavian Gold Cup in Sopot, Poland. Aspire (POL 17, Przemysław Gacek, Mateusz Kusznierewicz, Kilian Weise), Marie-Françoise XXII (SUI 233, Jürg Menzi, Jürgen Eiermann, Christof Wilke) and Artemis (NOR 57, Kristian Nergaard, Johan Barne Trond, Solli-Sæther) have each won one race each. Each needs two more race wins to take victory.
Meanwhile Ku-Ring-Gai III (AUS 66, John Bacon, Edward Wright, Joost Houweling) leads the President’s Cup.
The conditions on Friday were challenging with a diverse range of conditions from 3-16 knots, rain, sunshine, lots of cloud, a shifting wind and finally a torrential rainstorm. The Scandinavian Gold Cup boats were on the water for eight hours while the President’s Cup fleet opted to head home after two of their scheduled three races.
Scandinavian Gold Cup
Aspire dominated the first race, in 8-10 knots, leading from the left after a big shift soon after the start. The boats that went right – and the wind was forecast to swing right all day – were hung out to dry and never caught up. After an increase in wind for the next race The Jean Genie (GBR 43, Peter Morton, Andrew Palfrey, Ruairidh Scott) led at the top, but as the wind dropped downwind Marie-Françoise XXII just squeezed in at the gate and held the lead upwind and down to the finish.
The third race of the opening series was then won by Artemis, after a first attempt was abandoned near the gate after a wind shift while Aspire was leading. An approaching storm sucked all the wind away, but it came back on the restart for the windiest conditions of the day. The right shift finally showed its head and Artemis and Aspire hooked into it and rounded first. Artemis held on for the win after a tricky second upwind and the fleet just made it ashore before the skies opened to give Sopot a soaking.
So, after three races there are three winners and all progress to the final series, while all the rest are eliminated and can now sail the remaining day of the President’s Cup.
While Jürg Menzi and Kristian Nergaard are no strangers to the Scandinavian Gold Cup, it is the first time the Polish team have made the top three.
Przemysław Gacek said, “First, it’s great to host everyone in Poland. The day was very long. We expected the wind to be more shifty today. It wasn’t, but the strength was changing very quickly.
“It is a very competitive fleet, everyone is training for the worlds next week. And congratulations to Jürg Menzi and Kristian Nergaard for getting to the final. We are super happy to be there as well as it’s the first time ever for us, but there is still a lot of work to do.”
President’s Cup
Ku-Ring-Gai III (AUS 66, John Bacon, Edward Wright, Joost Houweling) and Girls on Film (GBR 41 Louise Morton, Charlie Cumbley, Sam Haines) took a win apiece in the President’s Cup, with Ku-Ring-Gai III holding a two-point lead going into the final day.
On Saturday, all boats can sail the last day of the President’s Cup. Then the World Championship begins on Monday after the opening ceremony Sunday night at the Sheraton Hotel overlooking Sopot Marina.
Results: https://5.5worlds.org/file-share/348a758e-792b-497e-819c-7c82d76144ed
Gallery Day 2 https://www.flickr.com/photos/fivepointfivemetre/albums/72177720326691413/
The 2025 Scandinavian Gold Cup and 5.5 Metre World Championship are being held in Sopot, Poland from 5-13 June
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