French Access Championships
Read below Richards report on the event The 2008 French National Championships French Open Friday 27 June, Sat 28 June, Sun 29 June
Berck Sailing Club
Northern France If you did not go to the French Nationals read below and watch the video and be inspired. Ron Richard Smallwood writes: Bonjour intrepid Access sailors and helpers who went to France last weekend.
Please see the message of thanks below from the President of the French Access Class Association. If you haven't seen it already, the video is well worth a look. I think we are all on it somewhere and it certainly illustrates the very windy conditions. The 2009 event in Nantes is likely to be in mid-June. Ron Sawford and I are already discussing trying to keep the TT events and UK Nationals away from the French Nationals date when it is finalised!! You will all be informed.
Au revoir,
Richard
Marie-Claude writes: Cher Richard, Look the video on thank to english sailors who have been at Conchil- le-temple ! best regards Marie-Claude Contact: Richard Smallwood
Tel: 01252 628343
Email: richnang@btinternet.com
French Access Championships
27 to 29 June 2008 – Berck (53 miles South of Calais)Click here for details on the 2008 Racing Programme
Report by Richard Smallwood, Vice Chairman ACA( UK ), following visit to Berck on 14 March.
The French Access National Championships will be an “Open” event held at Berck, N France at the end of a French national week of activities for the disabled. Berck is a special centre in France for all matters to do with disabled people and has several teaching hospitals and organisations specialising in the care of the disabled (which the French call “ Handicapé”). The whole week is being supported financially by the French national and regional authorities, and there will be extra events associated with the week and the championships. The students of the organisations mentioned above will have broken up for the holidays and will be assisting with the event. I expect to be there to assist, but UK competitors should obviously consider whether they would like other personal assistants to accompany them.
Overseas Access sailors have been specifically invited to participate in a regional tour by specially adapted bus on Thursday, 26 June, followed by three days of racing on 27 - 29 June. There will be classes for 2.3 (single & double), 303 (single & double) and Libertys. It seems there will not be many Libertys as the class has not caught on in France .
Anyone considering participation will need to decide whether they wish to travel to France on Wednesday, 25 June, in order to join in the tour or to travel on Thursday, 26 June, to just do the racing. The championships will finish on Sunday, 29th, in time for travel back to UK that evening or competitors may choose to stay and travel back on Monday or later. Berck is a beach holiday resort with the usual seaside attractions, including sand yachting!
The racing will be under IACA class rules, although I got the impression that these would not be rigorously applied. I will be happy to discuss the differences from ACA(UK) rules with any UK competitors who wish to ensure their boats comply with IACA class rules. Sail numbers will need to be modified, if necessary, to include the National letters GBR and a sail number at least 175mm high. I believe Steve Sawford will be able to supply these on request.
Travel to France . The French organisers can arrange concessionary rates for the Shuttle (car-carrying train through the Channel Tunnel). Details will be worked out when the extent of UK interest has been determined. A booking on a P&O Ferry for a car and trailer without concessions would cost about £170.00 return, so any concession rates achieved should be much less than that! If anyone strongly prefers the ferry to the tunnel, I will try to get a concessionary rate from P&O. There is an autoroute (motorway) from Calais to near Berck.
Accommodation. There is the possibility of free, or very cheap, accommodation in a school for the disabled nearby. I think this may be of the dormitory type. We found that all the hotels in Berck had special disabled-friendly rooms, and the organisers have arranged a special rate of €40 (£30.00) per person per night for half-board at a very nice sea-front hotel in Berck. I visited this, saw an adapted room, and can recommend it. The same rate is available to those not requiring a special room and is excellent considering that it includes an evening meal. The motel we stayed at in Berck charged €31 (£24.00) for a room that slept 3 plus €5 (£4.00) per person for a simple breakfast. I will be happy to discuss accommodation options but note that it is all on a first-come, first-served basis so an early decision is recommended so that a reservation can be made.
Any ACA(UK) members seriously considering participation should contact me as soon as possible for more details, and be prepared to make a firm decision about their travel and accommodation requirements fairly soon. My telephone number is 01252 628343 and email address richnang@btinternet.com .
Richards Report British Triumph at the French Access Class National Championships The 2008 French Championships for the Access Class were held on a lake near Berck, some 50 miles south of Calais, from 27 to 29 June. The closeness to Channel ports led to significant interest from British Access sailors, and 12 boats were entered from Rutland, Frensham Pond, Sussex and Papercourt Sailing Clubs. All the British boats had a Sailability (disabled) sailor aboard but the championship was also open to non-disabled sailors. Racing was for the single sail Access 2.3 dinghies, with separate single handed and double handed classes, and a similar arrangement for the two-sail Access 303 class. The French Access Class Association also invited participation by the larger Access Liberty class, for which the sole entrant was Simon Harle from Rutland in his electrically-assisted boat. He therefore sailed with the 303 solo group. Although the British entrants all brought and sailed their own boats, entrants from Spain and Australia needed to borrow boats so racing was initially arranged in five groups with some 303 boats being used in three different groups both single and double crewed. This was an unusual arrangement for the British contingent, and it took some time for them to appreciate exactly how it would work. When racing was due to commence on Friday afternoon winds were around 25 knots, the limit of what is allowed for Access Class events. As a result only 4 races were held, two for the 303 solo, one for the all-French 2.3 doubles and then one for the largest fleet, the 2.3 solos, which had 7 British competitors. Each race was just two laps of windward/leeward and took 12 to 15 minutes, rather shorter than the UK Access Class norm of 45 minutes. The wind increased for the 2.3 solo fleet, and Chris Emmet of Rutland was tipped out of his 2.3 but promptly rescued. Other boats returned to the jetty full of water and the Race Officer wisely abandoned this race and cancelled racing for the rest of the day. The final drama of the day was a protest by a British 303 solo competitor against a French sailor for barging at the leeward mark. This was upheld but, rather than creating an international incident, was concluded with a friendly handshake! Saturday morning again heralded strong winds and the start of racing was postponed until after lunch. With a slight easing of the wind, racing commenced with the 303 double class. As there were 8 entries (one British) and only 5 boats available, they were divided into two separate groups for their first pairs of back-to-back races. At the end of the day group 1 was headed by a Spanish crew with Andy Sheath and Kate Lintott from Frensham Pond leading group 2 with two wins. The 2.3 solos managed 3 races back-to-back with Clare Andrew of Rutland winning two of them and Barry Coates of Australia the other. Alex Hovden of Papercourt provided the drama in this class as his steering system broke when lying third approaching the finish of the first race and he drifted over the line in fifth place. It was all hands to the pumps to repair this and get Alex out for the third race which was just achieved. With no discards yet, Clare and Barry were tied on points at the end of the second day. The 303 solos also held 3 more races, and David Harris of Frensham Pond was leading the fleet by two points overnight.
The third and last day gave the best conditions with sunshine and moderately strong winds. In the 2.3 solos Clare won one race but Barry Coates of Australia won the other and, when discards were considered, just pipped Clare overall. Janet Lee of Sussex Yacht Club was third, and UK and Australian sailors filled the next 7 places.
David Harris held onto his lead in the 303 solo class with Paul Holzherr, also of Frensham Pond, winning a race to claim second place overall. In the 303 doubles the groups from day 2 were split into Gold and Silver fleets for their second pair of races. In the Gold fleet Andy Sheath and Kate Lintott were just beaten by an expert Spanish crew and had to settle for second place overall. The international nature of this event was illustrated by the fact that the four classes were won by different nationalities, 2.3 solo Australia, 2.3 double France, 303 solo Great Britain and 303 double Spain.
Over the three days 26 races were held, and the arrangements afloat and ashore were excellent, despite the difficult conditions. The Saturday Regatta Dinner was enjoyed by all, with the UK team of sailors and helpers forming a choir, accompanied by Mac Stowe’s trumpet, to sing the French and British national anthems to the surprised and appreciative locals. This was followed by wheelchair dancing to an excellent band! All the UK competitors and helpers greatly enjoyed the experience with many saying they intended to return for the 2009 French event to be held in Nantes. Prizewinners Access 303 solo:
1st – David Harris, Frensham Pond Sailability
2nd – Paul Holzherr, Frensham Pond Sailability Access 2.3 solo:
1st – Barry Coates, Australia
2nd – Clare Andrew, Rutland Sailability
3rd – Janet Lee, Sussex Yacht Club Access 303 double:
2nd – Andy Sheath and Kate Lintott, Frensham Pond Sailability Access Liberty:
Special Prize – Simon Harle, Rutland Sailability Oldest Competitor:
Bill Mitchell, Rutland Sailability Click on these links to see the full results. Results sheet 1 Results sheet 2 Click on this link to see photos of the event Click this link to read Alex Hovden's report on the event
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