EST573 "4ENERGIA" helmed by Jaak Jõgi wins the Nordic Championship title 2012
The Estonians dominated the Nordic Championship 2012 taking gold, silver, bronze and 5th. This year´s Nordics were a three day event sailed outside Helsinki. Race harbor HSK Lauttasaari (same as Jacob Creek Europeans in 2003). An excellent turnout of 20 boats from two nations - 14 from Finland and 6 from Estonia.
The first two days were sailed in excellent conditions. A SW sea breeze with a velocity of 4-6 m/s. But during the last day A LOT OF RAIN with winds from SE 6-9 m/s. Estonian Jaak Jõgi and crew with EST573 "ENERGIA" mastered the championship in great style right from the beginning. To everyone´s suprised "4ENERGIA" kept their pace to the very end. During the three days Jõgi & crew took race finishes of 2,2,1,5,2,8,(11),2 giving a total of 22 points. "A great event and a really packed up fleet. Couldn´t be better. Every race was a challenge. We started sailing with this crew this spring so we didn´t have anything to loose. This gives us good confidence to the Worlds at Lake Garda just 1½ months from now", told Jaak Jõgi.
Silver to always consistent double Olympic silver medalist (470 class) Estonian Tõnu Tõniste & crew with EST790 "Lenny" after a great battle against "Zuxu". Tõniste lost the gold with only 1 point taking 4,1,4,1,4,6,3,(9). This gave them a total of 23 points.
Bronze "Zuxu" EST791 helmed by Peter Saraskin. Saraskin has been dominating the first two Finnish Estonian ranking events so dropping out of their great pace was a little suprise. Especially coming to the last day they had a chance for gold but taking a series of 1,4,2,2,3,9,(10),7 gave them 28 points. This almost dropped them out of the medal fight.
The best Finnish boat was Sami Ekblad & crew with FIN529 ”Kukko”. Ekblad like Tõniste are always teams to watch out especially coming to the last day. Again a great finish to a great regatta just 1 points from bronze with 29 points (3,5,3,4,7,5,5,4). Next Finnish Estonian ranking event Suomen two weeks from now in Tallinn Estonia. Then four Finnish teams and aix Estonian teams will head down to Lake Garda Italy for the Melges24 World Championship.
Top five boats:
1. EST 573, 4ENERGIA, Jaak Jõgi 2,2,1,5,2,8,(11),2 = 22 points
2. EST 790, LENNY, Tõnu Tõniste 4,1,4,1,4,6,3,(9) = 23 points
3. EST 791, Zuxu, Peter Saraskin 1,4,2,2,3,9,(10),7 = 28 points
4. FIN 529, Kukko, Sami Ekblad 3,5,3,4,(7),5,5,4 = 29 points
5. EST 826, Freddy, Ants Haavel (13),8,9,3,5,1,8,1 = 35 points
20 boats competing
Photo gallery at http://segling.tekkore.net/Melges24nordic/ All pictures by Tekkovery Channel Ltd / Juha Heiskanen
