In today’s final rounds the Swedish team won the World University Match Racing Championships 2-1 against Italy, whilst Great Britain beat France 2-1 to take bronze. The competitors had to cope with difficult conditions – steep waves left over from Friday evening and light winds – that threw many standard match racing techniques out the window.
GBR made hard work of their playoff match by letting themselves get needlessly overtaken late in the first race against France, but from then on stamped their authority on the tie, particularly in the decider, where they survived an impromptu dip in the Adriatic by bowman Rob Hoey (Boy Hero) at the first windward mark.
A fuller report of the championships will follow…
Ail Hall