Victory for Giovanni Bonzio in Contender Euros

'euro2 - 2008 International Contender European Championships' Dianthe Chirino &copy

The 2008 International Contender European Championship finished with only three points separating the top three overall. In the end Giovanni Bonzio from Italy was crowned European Champion, with current World Champion Marcus Hamilton finishing in silver and ex World Champion Andrea Bonezzi taking the bronze.

The regatta was held from the 31 May through to 7 June at the PuntAla Camping Resort in Tuscany, who catered for the 92 competitors from all over the world: including Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Holland, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the UK.

The qualifying series was sailed in four flights with Simon Mussell going well in the better breeze, along with Andrea Bonezzi, Marcus Hamilton, Christoph Homeier, Ben Holden and Soren Andreasen. The breeze then dropped for the remaining qualifying races and saw some different sailors move to the front. Sailors of note included Matt Aston, Peter Dives, Keith Paul, Gernot Goetz, Jan Kuhlman, Giovanni Bonzio and Luca Polenta.

At the end of this series Gold and Silver fleets were generated with Andrea Bonezzi leading the regatta with the final two days racing left to crown the new champion!

2008 International Contender European Championship podium - Dianthe Chirino &copy

The final series racing kicked off on Thursday in light conditions with eventually only one race being sailed. This was won by Martin Muerner followed by Marcus Hamilton with Stuart Jones in third. The final days sailing saw Gernot Goetz win what turned out to be the final race of the series, followed by Versari with Bonzio in third, which was enough for Bonzio to lift the title.

Gear wise, Bonezzi hulls took up the majority of the top 10 places with a couple of Bob Hoare fibreglass Hulls (now built by Chris Somner) in the mix. Various masts were used within the fleet with Avant Garde appearing the most popular at the top. Wavelength sails took 70% of the top ten places with Elvstrom/Sobstad as the next most popular.

Contenders on Tour

The International Contender fleet now heads onto the 2008 World Championships in Canada in August. Then to Denmark in 2009 for the World Championships followed by Brisbane, Australia in 2010 and Weymouth in the UK in 2011 at the 2012 Olympic venue. The next European Championships will be held in La Rochelle, France in 2010.

Contender - Final Overall Leading Results:

1st ITA 47 Giovanni Bonzio 21pts Bonezzi hull, Avant Garde mast, Elvstrom/Sobstad sail
2nd AUS 2323 Marcus Hamilton 22pts Bonezzi hull, CST mast, Wavelength sail
3rd ITA 11 Andrea Bonezzi 24pts Bonezzi hull, Avant Garde mast, Wavelength sail
4th GBR 2421 Gary Langdown 31pts Bonezzi hull, Avant Garde mast, Wavelength sail
5th DEN 44 Soren Andreasen 34pts Bonezzi hull, Avant Garde mast, Elvstrom/Sobstad sail
6th GBR 701 Stuart Jones 39pts Bob Hoare hull, Wavelength mast, Evolution sail
7th GBR 702 Matt Aston 41pts Bob Hoare hull, Avant Garde mast, Wavelength sail
8th ITA 99 Marco Versari 42pts Bonezzi hull, Avant Garde mast, Wavelength sail
9th GBR 720 Graham Scott 43pts Bonezzi hull, Wavelength mast, Wavelength sail
10th GER 551 Christoph Homeier 62pts Bonezzi hull, CST mast, Wavelength sail

Other British results:

Gold Fleet
14th GBR02 Simon Mussell
15th GBR589 Keith Paul
20th GBR707 Peter Dives
22nd GBR718 Duncan Ellis
23rd GBR2404 Roger Gates
25th GBR2314 Roger White
26th GBR2383 David Davies
28th GBR2315 Ben Holden
32nd GBR2406 Ed Presley
33rd AUS2263 Richard Batten
34th GBR1771 Alan Mollatt

Silver Fleet
11th GBR696 Tony White
14th GBR694 Chris Boshier
16th GBR2407 Richard Buttner
17th GBR2427 Mark Jackson
25th GBR681 Jim Mackonochie
27th GBR579 Jerry Hone

The International Contender Association would like to thank PuntAla Camping Resort for running the event so smoothly, Opel auto-motive (F.lli Vivarelli - Grosseto official dealer) and Latte Maremma for sponsoring the championship.

We would also like to thank the Comitato Circoli Velici Costa Etrusca, who gathered all the sailing clubs belonging to the Etruscan Coast and finally the Comune di Castiglione della Pescaia who are the local municipality for supporting the regatta.