Björn Dunkerbeck (SUI, Proof, North Sails) and Valerie Ghibaudo (FRA, Loft Sails) are the European Champions of Speed Windsurfing 2008!In a thrilling final gold fleet race number 6 Björn Dunkerbeck defeated Antoine Albeau, who was leading the competition until that final race. Both were tight in points. Antoine Albeau had the top speed of the season (43.68 knots) and set a new spot record in Karpathos as well as well.
Cyril Moussilmani saved his third place with his fifth third position out of six races, clearly ahead of former world record holder Finian Maynard, who finished in fourth. In fifth place Chris Lockwood from Australia followed.
In the womens fleet French top speedsailor Valerie Ghibaudo dominated all six races with six victories. In second position Anja Kruse followed with five second places. Third place went to Elke Schill from the hosting Pro Center. Only three ladies were competing. Karin Jaggi did not participate in the European Championships after winning the Speed world title in Fuerteventura early in August.
A short diary of the event:
Day 1: The event started with the first split fleet race in speed sailing history, to get a proper seeding for the upcoming silver and gold fleet races.
Antoine Albeau dominated group A, Peter Volwater in second ahead of Cyril Moussilmani and Chris Lockwood. Group B kicked off with the long expected duell between Bjorn Dunkerbeck and Finian Maynard. Björn showed with some fantastic runs over 41 knots the potential of that strip. Surprisingly Ben van der Steen came in second, followed by Torsten Luig in third and Finian in fourth.
Day 2: winds of 8 Beaufort in the Devils bay, gusting up to force 10, brought problems for almost all of the silver fleet competitors. The gold fleet was setting new standards in competition of speed sailing in Karpathos. Antoine and Bjorn Dunkerbeck were both pushing for higher and higher speeds, followed by Cyril Moussilmani in third and Finian Maynard in fourth. After a short break, the Silver fleet was sent out, and it was a hard time for the mainly amateur sailors. In winds of up to 10 Beaufort almost all of them had problems to go up to the starting zone. With the top 7 sailors advancing to the next gold fleet race then the next round was started half an hour later, with again Antoine Albeau in first and Bjorn Dunkerbeck in second. Third this time Finian Maynard, and Chris Lockwood in fourth.
After a longer lunch break, the day went into the fourth round for the first discard of the competition, and this time it was Bjorn Dunkerbeck who was faster than anybody else. Albeau this time only in second, and Moussilmani in third.
Day 3: the riders had a break; the wind never reached suitable strenght.
Day 4: no wind for racing
Day 5: One more round was completed in relatively light winds, leaving the decision about the title open to the final two days of the competition. The speeds were extremly good in the light conditions, proved by topspeeds of over 40 knots by Bjorn Dunkerbeck. Also Antoine Albeau in second and Cyril Moussilmani came close to 40 knots, then Chris Lockwood and Finian Maynard.
Bjorn Dunkerbeck could win the last two rounds and Antoine Albeau, who dominated the beginning of the event, were tight in points now, and due to the better top speed Antoine still in the lead.
Day 6: the wind was completely off.
Day 7 (final day): The wind started light, with the wind strength suitable but with a too square direction. At 11:00 the conditions were ok. From the very beginning it was a tough battle between Dunkerbeck and Albeau, both with speeds in the high 39 knots, but then Björn came up with three 40 knots runs, while Albeau could not get that speed on the final leg.
The final ranking for the 2008 Karpathos European Championship:
1. Bjorn Dunkerbeck (SUI, Topspeed: 42.92 knots)
2. Antoine Albeau (FRA, 43.68)
3. Cyril Moussilmani (FRA, 42.30)
4. Finian Maynard (IRL, 41.88)
5. Ben van der Steen (NED, 40.76)
Chris Lockwood, originally in fifth position, is not counted towards the european championship, but for the overall ranking.
1. Valerie Ghibaudo (FRA,36,91 knots)
2. Anja Kruse (GER,30,67)
3. Elke Schill (Ger, 28,90)
>>> FULL RESULT
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