Vintage Yachting Games 2012 - a new look at "old" yachts

Progress does not stand still, the world is constantly being updated, new equipment is replacing outdated equipment. Sailing is no exception. New classes are becoming more widespread in our everyday life: kites and 49er, Melges 24 and SB 20, but next to them still on the water we meet "Dragons", "Solings" and "Tempests"... Maybe there will be someone who will say: anachronism, outdated, anyone, but not me!

Vintage Yachting Games 2012

July 7-14, 2012, Lake Como in Lombardy, 4 continents, 17 countries, 113 boats, 225 participants in 8 classes. Classes that have been the pride and dream of many generations of yachtsmen. Graceful "Dragons" and 5.5, impetuous "Dutch" and lightweight, maneuverable "Europe"... All these are yachts, which in different years served as the standard of excellence in sports devices, they embodied the reliability and the latest developments of their time. And suddenly, with one stroke of the pen, they were out of work. By official vote ISAF a red light was lit in front of them. How many of these boats just died on the outskirts of our yacht clubs? Some were given new life by building up the sides and converting them into cruising yachts. And many were simply broken or burned.

Six years ago, a Dutch yachtsman Ruudi den Outer with friends he planned to hold races for the former Olympic yacht classes. And they succeeded! The first games took place in 2008. Moreover, many eminent yachtsmen uncovered their favorites and gathered for the next regatta.

Many generations of yachtsmen can be found here: young people live side by side with experienced veterans. Among them is 89-year-old (!!!) Stuart H. Walker - a participant in the Olympic Games back in 1968. The champions of the world and the Olympic Games, the winners of the national championships and the championships of the continents, take the distance.

Our athletes did not remain indifferent either. Ukraine was represented by two crews: Braslavets, Leonchuk, Timokhov on "Dragon" and Yushko, Pichugin, Yarmolenko on Solinge... From Russia spoke at "Dragons" Senators, Muzychenko, Ivashintsev and the crew  Kuznetsov, Semirkhanov, Tereshkin; and two "Flying Dutchman": crews Novoderezhkin and Kryuchkov with Sizinev.

There were 56 races in each class, and each made changes to the leaderboard. Rather difficult water area, wind speed up to 12 meters per second made the races spectacular and interesting. All the participants tried to show all their skills and great dedication until the last race. It is doubly pleasant to see both Ukrainian crews on the first lines of the final protocol in their classes. Ukraine also took first place in the unofficial medal standings of the regatta! The crews of Senatorov and Kuznetsov were third and sixth, respectively, the Dutchmen were eleventh and twelfth.

The races ended, the covers were put on again and the boats went to their yacht clubs. In four years they will meet again, now in Weymouth. There will be more of them, by the decision of ISAF Zvezdny and Eliot were removed from the Olympic program, before that Tornado and Inling were removed.

Vintage Yachting Games 2012

Olympic yachting turns more and more into a race of extreme vehicles. I am very glad that there are still people in the world who do something not for the sake of advertising or finances, that regattas are held where young people can see how our fathers and grandfathers walked. It can learn from them that love and devotion to our yacht, which we are slowly losing.

I don't want to offend the yachtsman who rides the Moth or 49er, I appreciate their skill and technical background, I really like these classes. But, when you run your hand along the board of the "Dragon" or "Zvezdnik", when you operate these grandiose and great yachts, you begin to understand that the soul of yachting is in your hands. Let it be a little aged, albeit not modern, but alive and understanding you. There is no future without the past! But the language does not turn out to call these yachts the past! May they serve us for many years, and we will not stop loving them.

Text and photo: Sergey Shumilov

05.04.2012