Results / RS100 Eurocup St Raphael - 25/09/2010

Right on cue the mistral eased sufficiently and the sun shone for a glorious first day of the RS100 Eurocup at St Raphael on the France's stunning Cote D'Azure. 21 competitors from 8 countries had made the trip and were truly rewarded with some great opening competition in idyllic conditions: Both 10.2m and 8.4m rigs were again racing together, both for overall honours and also individual fleet trophies. After the close racing at the Nationals all were eager to see whether the even matching of the rigs would continue. 

At the top mark in race 1, Sam Vaughan (GBR) lead from Marc Figueras (ESP), with Nico Honor (FRA) and Nick Peters (GBR) a close third. These 4 stayed clear downwind, with Vaughan still leading, and Peters slipping round ahead of Honor and Figueras. These 4 were again nose to tail at the top mark, but downwind Peters slipped away to take the gun ahead of Honor and Vaughan. 

Pre -event favourite Mark Harrison (GBR) struggled to break through the tight fleet and had to settle for what he hopes will be a discard... and with clear signal of intent, Harrison lead around race 2 from start to finish: Peters (GBR) looked safe for 2nd until the final half of the last run saw the fleet close up, and some frantic gybing to the finish ended in Vaughan getting a well deserved 2nd from Honor (FRA), and Peters slipped to 4th, narrowly holding off  Vince Hayter  (GBR).

So in the opening day's 8-14 knots the 8.4s of Honor (70kg) and Harrison (78kg) looked a match for the 10.2s of Peters, Vaughan and Figueras, the heaviest of these three admitting to being "around 100kg!".  Clearly the Bits have had the chance of more competition, and look more practiced but creditable performances from Marc Figuears (ESP), Lars Holm (DEN) and Michiel Geerling (NED) signal tough international competition ahead.