Detalji

Due to weather conditions, no wind, start of the first race for the Finn European Championship was postponed until further notice. Any changes will be posted on our web site.


Detalji

Anđelka Visković, Split's vice mayor proclaimed the Finn European Championship opened which has scheduled its first race for Tuesday May 11th.

Monday evening on plateau in front of JK Labud, the organizer of this prestigious competition, the opening ceremony was held where in attendance, other than numerous sailors, were and many other sport officials.

CITY DELEGATES

Other than Mrs. Visković, mayor Kerum's delegate, on behalf of the city, sponsor of the Finn EC, opening was attended by Ivo-Goran Munivrana, secretary for the Split Sports Federation, Mario Negotić head of sport for the city of Split, and Croatian Sailing Federation delegation: president Marin Lovrović, head coach Marko Mišura and other members.

Among numerous skippers competing in this competition, at the opening ceremony were present: the three favorites to win, Edward Wright, Rafal Szukiel, Marin Mišura, as well as Torsten Jamstam, Mikael Bandt, Milosz Wojewski, ... also Labud junior representatives: Josip Olujić and Nikola Barić, and entire jury team lead by chairman Robertz Ralph.

TINA RAISED THE FLAG

Ceremony started with the Croatian national anthem performed by klapa Šušur, while Tina Mihelić, Labud member and current European Laser Radial champion raised the national flag. All present were greeted by Mira Boban, club president who once again pointed out the detail which marks this competition:

-We are overjoyed that Split and our championship will be remembered by the record number of skippers and even weather seems to favor us.

Karlo Kuret, top Finn sailor himself, but here in double role as sailor and regatta director stated the following:

- Finn sailors are already concentrated on sailing and are looking forward to first race. It will be the beginning of great battle which will last six days and the outcome is hard to predict. I'm especially happy since Finn class has a great tradition in our club from the first Minski Fabris' European gold over to all his successors.

FINN FUTURE IRREFUTABLE

Especially happy to be back in Split was Hajdu Ballasz, president of the Finn class in the head sailing organization ISAF who stated:

- It is an honor to be back in this beautiful city, to have you once again as hosts to top competition and according to the forecast weather should be excellent for these great sailors. Looking over the entry list one can see the quality of these Finn sailors so the future of this royal class is irrefutable!

As we mentioned before championship was proclaimed open by the vice mayor of the city at the foot of Marjan, Anđelka Visković, who added:

MEDAL STAYS IN SPLIT

- City supports all the sport events that are organized by our clubs and as for sailing, other than great results, we are especially glad by the vision of this sport itself thanks to whom tourist season could be prolonged and with that the future of Croatia as nautical country. As for the European championship itself I’m hoping that the medal, at least one, stays in Split so I'm anxiously waiting for the Sunday when I will give out medals to the best. Hopefully that will be our Bambi, Ivan Kljaković-Gašpić, winner of the city of Split award for the past year, for his sailing and more than successful season.

Many others, not just the vice mayor, are hoping for the medal and prediction was also made by Karlo Kuret who stated that he is uncertain whether anthem of Croatia or Great Britain will be played at the prize giving!

 

Detalji

PRACTICE RACE

Practice race, during which 15 sailors were on water, was held today with15 knots of southern wind. But only four sailed as it was real regatta meaning only those four, lead by Karlo Kuret, started within time
They only sailed part of the regatta at the race area set in front of Žnjan, and it lasted about 30 minutes. As was expected no one finished the regatta since there was a lot of wind and this was just the practice race. However this was excellent practice for the Race committee and smoothing out the details so everything would be perfect for tomorrows first race in European championship for this royal class.


SKIPPERS MEETING

Tonko Petešić, IRO, held the skippers meeting where he went over the sailing instructions and talked about all the details awaiting us in the next couple of days.
For some it will be the next five days while the best, the top ten, will head out to the sea on the sixth day, Sunday May 11th, for the deciding medal race.

FIRST WITDRAW

Croatia had seven sailors who were on the preliminary entry list of the Finn European championship in senior and junior competition; however before the start of the first race we have one sailor who had to withdraw.
Unfortunately Marin Mrduljaš, veteran in this class, won’t be able to participate due to arm injury.
We hope that this Labud member will get better by the start of the Finn World Masters Championship which is also organized by the YC Labud from May 23th till 28.

Detalji
EDWARD WRIGHT, Great Britain:
–     I'm happy to be back in Split and as for the prediction for the championship as long there is wind it should be good. Local sailors have some advantage since they know the area but there are a lot of great sailors here.
–    I have been practicing with British team who are also in great shape so it remains to be seen at the race...

MARIN MIŠURA, Croatia, SC Split:
–    I have been doing well in training all winter long which was confirmed by the gold medal in Hyeres, at the World Cup regatta. I'm not preoccupied with winning the medal at this European Championship, all that matters to me is that I sail well and see how much I have learned from the work I did with my new coach. For the past year I have been training with Nenad Viali, so this regatta is the test to find out how well I have mastered his instructions.

Detalji
Since early morning it was busy in the club located in Uvala Baluni.
Dinghies were getting ready, all the sailing equipment was being checked, everything had to be covered and protected from the looming rain that in the end bathed everything.
Luckily it wasn't crowded at the registration where things went smoothly thanks to female trio: Bruna Mandić, Miranda Jakelić and Ana Višić. Last one of them was also busy helping the measuring committee so everyone signed up for the measurement on Saturday would finish on time.

Detalji
Labud's hangar was busy place Saturday morning where even the slight crowding occurred during the measuring.
As the rain washed the boats, weighing of the hulls was postponed until they could dry but everything else was strictly checked.
Chief measurer Jyri Saraskin was pleased with the rhythm of the measuring process but, like everyone else in measuring committee, was little surprised when several Russian sailors handed in already filled out measurement booklets just waiting for official signature?!
Sailors have hoped to help the measuring committee, knowing that record number of sailors has entered, so they tried their best to speed up the measuring process...

Detalji
Interesting could be the word used to describe the answers sailors gave during the press conference on the eve of Finn European Championship.
Ivan Kljaković-Gašpić known as Bambi, to whom the title of a favorite was added right away stated:
- Regatta has to start first and then we can talk about favorites, winning first or second places. We all start from zero and then the concentration, weather conditions and getting over the mistakes is what everything depends on. I will try my best and we will see if there is reason for those prognosis.
While they were giving statements the conference was also joined by the Michael Maier, Czech sailor who is at the sailing top for years now and also a great friend to all Croatian Finn sailors especially to Karlo Kuret.
Maier joked with skippers but Karlo answered with:
- Lately I haven't trained a lot, I was more occupied with the organization of the regatta for which the main part was done by the Mario Stipinović, member of Labud – Karlo praised his club members and threw back at Maier:
- Still I have to be at least better than him!
Personal skirmish is going to be fought and between two former Laser helmsmen, Mate Arapov member of Split's Mornar who now is skipper in Star class but couldn't resist the opportunity to sail at this prestigious competition in Finn class.
Other former Laser sailor is Vasilij Žbogar from Slovenia who in his medal collection, among others, has two Olympic medals – silver and a bronze and since he just started sailing in Finn class this season at European Championship is not expecting some „ crazy „ result just:
- I need to be faster than Mate! I know this area. I was often here for training in Laser with Mate as my sparring partner.
Good place, in junior competition, also expects the 21 year old Labud member Josip Olujić:
- I'm in good shape, I have been training under guidance of Minski Fabris and I'm ready for the regatta.
- From all the guys I still expect good results, their quality is not questioned which is confirmed by the medals they have been winning – support for Croatian Finn sailors expressed and our legendary skipper Minski Fabris, who was European champion in 1978.
And who would be more proud if the club masts waved Croatian flag than first lady of the club – Mira Boban:
- We are proud in the first place for earning ISAF's trust to allow us  to organize this championship and we are hopeful that the title of European Champion will stay with Bambi. We would also like to thank the city of Split, Split Dalmatia County as well as our sponsors for the support in organizing this competition at the highest level.

Detalji
History of the Yacht Club Labud has been written for 85 years now. It was founded by the Split's high schoolers who chose ing. Žarko Dešković to be the first club president.
From the city club founders have, with years of hard work, created European club with its city character that has, besides its member’s participation in numerous regattas, organized many prestigious regattas. First Olympic competitor from the club's members has been Karlo Baumann who competed in the 1936.Olympic games held in Berlin.
At the same time Labud can boast with the organization of, on this side of Adriatic, now legendary Mrduja regatta that will this September mark its 79th start for more than 320 sailboats from all over Adriatic.
October is reserved for the regatta from Split to Vis and back at the 66th Vis regatta that always attracts the world known skippers and top crews.
As for the Olympic classes, other than Labud's organization of  „great“ competitions, it is this club at the Uvala Baluni that is worldwide known for its organization of the Split Olympic Sailing Week a regatta held in March. This regatta, previously named Grand Adriatic award, became mandatory for the Europe's best sailors to attend.
And last but not least- at the helm of Labud is a woman.
Mira Boban is the only woman president of the sail club in this area.