New York Canoe Club Challenge Cup 2024

Lubecker Yacht Club, Travemünde, Germany

First Day (Day Four of the Worlds).

The challengers for the NYCCCC were a German team of light airs specialists, and this was the first time a German team had competed in the cup. The format, as used in recent years was two teams of three boats, with the first finisher winning the race for his team. The German team comprised Peter Ullman, Ole Junge and Simon Beers and the British team comprised Dan Skinner, Alistair Warren and Chris Hampe.

In race 1 Ullmann (GER) initially extended away to a huge lead but Hampe (GBR) with his Turner built T-foil rudder working in overdrive sailed high and fast in big angles and closed rapidly on the final downwind and engaged in a gybing duel at the bottom mark. A slip on a gybe lost Hampe (GBR)'s overlap and mark room and Peter Ullmann (GER) extended away to win the race for his team.

The second race saw the Brits sail Ullmann (GER) to the back only for Ole Junge (GER) to break into a lead. Downwind Hampe engaged again and had a slight lead at the bottom mark. In a rare event for canoe sailing the two boats engaged in a tacking duel and the advantage swung between the two boats. Junge (GER) took the initial advantage, but the duel allowed the chasing British boats to close up. At the final beat to the finish Alistair Warren (GBR) pressured and then passed Junge (GER) just before the finish.

As the boats returned downwind back to the starting area the wind died away and racing was abandoned for the day with the teams level.

Second Day (Day Five of the Worlds).

There was a stronger breeze for the last race the next morning. The British plan was for Chris Hampe to start the early aggression by targeting Peter Ullman (GER), and for Dan Skinner (GBR) to shadow Ole Junge (GER) in the pre-start. With less than two minutes to the gun Ullman (GER) made a bad tack and fouled Hampe (GBR) and the two boats became entangled and then capsized.

Meanwhile Skinner (GBR) had slowed Junge (GER) enough that Alistair Warren (GBR) was released off the start line into a clear lead ahead of the remaining German Simon Beers. Junge (GER) would pull back into third but Warren (GBR) was unstoppable. He extended his lead on every leg to secure the victory for the British team.