A frustrating, nail-biting three and half hours on the barely ruffled waters of Lake Garda, Italy gave way to a measure of relief when the final race of the Finn European Championship was abandoned on Saturday morning, leaving RYA/Team GBR’s Andrew Simpson European title runner-up and his younger, 19 year old compatriot Chris Brittle as European Junior Finn champion.

” I was pretty nervous as the wind was going to be very light and I tend to excel when the breeze is a bit stronger and my fitness comes into play. I can hike out harder and get past people, but it was not looking like that would be the case in the final race, so I was pretty relieved when the guns sounded and we were sent in.” Said Brittle. By finishing 10th overall Brittle now steps up a rung on the Lottery funding ladder.

Ian Simpon who finished second overall explained: “It is always a shame not to get out and race for the title, but it was a good feeling to go home knowing that the second place was secure. I have been top five at most of the regattas this season so I knew I could do well, but it is also easy at a venue like this when there is a big fleet to have a few bad races and suddenly you are way back.”

Underlining the time and effort the 2004 hosts are putting into landing a clutch of sailing medals in Athens, Greece’s Emilios Papathanisiou won the European title overall. He is one of only two or three top Finn sailors who have continued in the class after the last Games.

Now all of the leading RYA/Team GBR Finn sailors will continue their preparations and development for the Finn World Championships in Boston in September, which is expected to be more of a light wind venue.

Overall Results (including one discard

1st E. Papathanisiou (GRE) 32.0pts

2nd Simpson 38pts

3rd Rohart 46pts

4th K. Kuret (CRO) 52pts

5th P. Rambeau (FRA)

Other selected RYA/Team GBR

10th Brittle 101pts

20th Cumbley 147pts

28th Dixon 185

32nnd Mellor 202pts

35th Clingan 223pts