Saxton and Mason triumph on a wet and windy day 2 at Largs 

Saxton and Mason in pole after day 2 of 470 Europeans

Great Britain’s Ben Saxton and Richard Mason stand in top spot on the leader board at the 470 European Championships after a sodden but, for them, successful second day’s racing at Largs.  

Yesterday it rained, today (29 June) things turned torrential and lasted longer, but the wind at least improved to a more amenable 15 knots south easterly.    

Conditions seemed to suit the Skandia Team GBR pair who were seventh and first in the day’s races, a combination which propelled them to top spot overall in the qualifying event.  



“The wind was from a more steady direction today, less shifty, though saying that the first race it wound right on the first beat and we managed to go left,” said 22 year old Saxton with a wry smile.  

“We had a nice comeback, flying past boats to get a seventh which was cool.  The only thing that would have made us do better was another lap.  

“In our second race we came first so we were happy.  We started simple, sailed with the fleet and got faster, and it worked.  I enjoyed it - it’s always nice to win.”  

Second placed in the men’s, bouncing back up from fourth spot yesterday, are reigning European Champions from Croatia, Sime Fantela and Igor Marenic.  

“It was another wild day with heavy rain and many changes in the wind,” said Marenic, after eleventh and second places in today’s event.   

“With the first race we were not happy, and even in the second we could have done better.  We were leading but we could not see the mark because of the rain. But the conditions are the same for everybody.  

“We are second overall, but the championship has just begun; there are nine more races to go, a lot of course.”  

Meanwhile day one’s leaders, Great Britain’s David Kohler and Philip Sparks, have moved down to fifth after finishing twentieth and ninth today.   

In the women’s event two British pairs remain inside the top 10; Sophie Weguelin and Sophie Ainsworth are third overall on the table beneath Germany’s Annika Bochmann and Elisabeth Panuschka.  

Slovenians Tina Mrak and Teja Cerne produced an unblemished run with a first in both races today, overtaking the two Sophies and Germany’s Annika Bochmann and Elisabeth Panuschka, to become the new overall leaders.  Great Britain’s Joanna Freeman and Katie Tomsett lie sixth overall. 

The 470 Europeans is hosted by the Royal Yachting Association at Largs Sailing Club, and is supported by UK Sport, EventScotland, North Ayrshire Council, the Scottish Sailing Institute, sportscotland, the International 470 Class Association and RYA Scotland.

Racing continues until Wednesday 4 July.  Full results and regatta information is available at www.470europeans2012.com