Results / RS300 Fat Face Eurocup Fraglia della Vela Riva - 24/07/2006

Riva del Garda was the venue for the first Face Face-sponsored RS300 Eurocup from 24-28 July. Pizza, Panini and Peroni, stunning scenery, great company and champagne sailing conditions left all competitors wanting more. Conditions for day 1 were a force 5 and temperatures in the mid 30s, weather which pretty much remained for the entire week. Steve Bolland, sailing �Rusty� from Bristol Corinthian pulled out an early lead in race 1 but a couple of dunkings (or was that three?) downwind saw both Greg Barton from Glossop and Gary Phare from Babbacombe overtake. Both, however, managed to grab defeat from the jaws of victory as they sailed the wrong course to the finish allowing a smiling Bolland to take the gun. Race 2 saw Bolland make no mistake, at least none that ended in a swim, winning from Barton and Cliff Shaw from Stokes Bay. Day 2 saw Bolland take two more bullets. He did not have it all his own way, however, with Phare initially leading race 4 until he overstood the first windward mark allowing Bolland to cream up the inside at the mark and into a lead which he never relinquished. Barton and Phare each took a 2nd place with Shaw putting in another 3rd. Barton and Shaw pulled clear in race 5 following a start line incident, (fully captured on camera!), that left Phare in the water and Bolland doing a 720. Bolland caught up at the end of the first lap but thereafter Barton and Shaw pulled well clear from a rapidly sinking Bolland, finishing in that order. Phare came home in a disgruntled 4th. Race 6 was canned as a spectacular thunderstorm swept the lake. After a close first lap in race 7 a more relaxed Phare, sailing the newly christened �Forking Bandanas�, blew the fleet away on lap 2 and did an horizon job, crossing the finish line to whoops of delight by sailor and race committee alike! Bolland pulled back to 2nd ahead of Shaw. Phare could not repeat his success in race 8 leaving Bolland to win from Barton and Shaw. And so to the final day. A slightly lighter wind in race 9 resulted in some close racing and some tactical upwind sailing. Shaw led at the first mark but was overhauled by Bolland on the long downwind leg. Bolland took a swim to cool off allowing Shaw and Barton to overtake. Bolland retook the lead on the next windward leg and kept the mast above the water on the final leg to the finish. Barton just pipped Shaw for 2nd place. Another thunderstorm resulted in the cancellation of the final race bringing an end to an excellent week�s racing and holidaying.