The 2001 Cadet European Championship was held at Lake Lipno in the Czech Republic between the 21-29 July. One hundred and thirty seven boats from eleven countries took part in the event, thirty-seven boats from the UK. The entries were split at random 50:50 into a black and white fleet for the qualifying races.
Monday morning saw the fleets launched onto the lake for a practice race at 9.30am. This was concluded in the morning in winds of barely Force 1. The boats were then kept on the water for the start of the first qualifying race waiting for the wind. This finally got underway at 4pm again in a shifty Force 1. The shifts all week proved to be inconsistent with boats going one way and gaining the first leg losing out on the same tactics the following leg.
Race one in the black fleet saw Pippa Wilson and Charlie Hatfield first, followed by two Polish boats. Ian Watson and Ed Thomas were fourth with Matt Summers and William Rushden sixth and Guy Brearey and Chris Proffitt seventh. Victory in the white fleet went to Simon Lambert and David Brewer followed by a Hungarian and Polish boat. Laura Wade and Robert Graves were fourth, Samuel and Sophie Pearson sixth with Julia Cornah and Oren Richards tenth. Much to the disbelief of the waiting parents the second race was then started at 6.30pm the boats having been on the water for nine hours. Pippa Wilson again triumphed in the black fleet in winds now up to Force 2. David Ellis and James Wall were second, Ian Watson fourth just pipped by a Belgium boat. Fourth British boat was Simon Wheeler and Katrina Brewer in fourteenth.
The white fleet saw a clean sweep for the British boats taking the first six places with Samuel Pearson first, Julia Cornah second, Simon Lambert third and James Hughes and Anna Graves fourth.
Tuesday saw the boats launched with a shifty wind of Force 1-2. The committee struggled to lay a course and finally got the fleet away after one postponement and an abandoned start. The black fleet saw Pippa Wilson make it three wins in a row. Next British boat was David Putt and Thomas Belgrano in fourth, with Ian Watson ninth and Simon Wheeler twelfth. Victory in the white fleet went to the Poles with Laura Wade second, James Hughes third and Sophie Harrison and Jenny Sudell fourth. Joe Runnacles and Jamie Mayhew were fifth. The wind then vanished and sailing was abandoned for the day.
Wednesday saw wind Force 2 for the final qualifier. In the black fleet David Putt came home first after a tremendous battle with boats from Hungary, Spain, Belgium, Poland and Holland. Matt Summers being the second British boat in ninth place. The white fleet saw James Hughes first, Julia Cornah second and Sophie Harrison fourth. At the end of qualification the U.K. had 22 boats going forward into the Championship ‘Gold fleet’ out of 69 boats.
The boats were re-launched and the first championship race finally got underway in the late afternoon in a Force 1-2. The race developed with Pippa Wilson breaking clear with two Polish boats. Rafal Becker coming first, Wilson second and Michael Wysocki third. Ian Watson then beat another Pole for fourth and James Hughes was sixth.
Thursday saw the lay day cancelled to try and catch up on the racing. The first start was postponed due to lack of wind for two hours before finally getting underway in shifty 8 to 10 knot winds. Jim Haverhals having finished ninth in the first race won with Polish boats filling the next three places. Pippa Wilson was fifth. Matt Summers seventh and Thomas Mackey and James Harley ninth.
The third race was then started back to back and saw considerable changes both in the last beat and in the protest room afterwards. At the last leeward mark Pippa Wilson led, followed by Jim Haverhals second and Samuel Pearson third. Julia Cornah crossed the line first with Simon Lambert second. Pippa Wilson was third, followed by Samuel Pearson and Sophie Harrison. Jim Haverhals was sixth.
The fourth