The 55th edition of the Semaine Olympique Française (SOF) concluded in Hyères, France, amidst unexpected challenges on April 27, 2024. The final day of the Medal Races was met with strong east winds, prompting the race committee to make the difficult decision to cancel the finals. As a result, Friday’s rankings were deemed official, determining the winners of this prestigious event.
The picturesque setting of Hyères harbor and the Golden Isles witnessed a dramatic transformation on the final day of the SOF. Despite a heavy day of rain earlier in the week, the sun made a welcome return. However, it was the wind that commanded attention, with gusts reaching 30 to 40 knots by late morning. The once serene water surface of the harbor turned turbulent, presenting a formidable challenge for the competing sailors. Safety concerns prevailed, leading to the cancellation of the finals. According to regulations, races cannot proceed in winds exceeding 25 knots.
Among the standout performances of the event was the success of the Devoti Sailing team in the women’s single dinghy (ILCA 6) category. American sailor Charlotte Rose emerged as the victor, outperforming her Dutch and Norwegian counterparts, Marit Bouwmeester and Flem Hoest, respectively. Reflecting on her unexpected triumph, Rose expressed satisfaction with her performance despite the challenging conditions.
“I didn’t expect to win here in Hyères, so I’m really satisfied with the work I delivered. The conditions were a bit tricky because we could only start racing on Tuesday. It took everything we had, and I’m proud of what I did,” remarked Charlotte Rose.
In the Men’s single-handed dinghy (ILCA 7), in the top 10, there are Pavlos Kontides thot got a 4th place, Hermann Tomasgaard that got an 8th place and Jonàtan Vadnai that got a 10th place.
“I am very pleased with my fourth place, especially towards the end of the week after the second day of racing. I dropped to 20th overall and managed to climb to fourth, which is nice and especially yesterday in the challenging conditions,” commented Pavlos Kontides.
Despite the cancellation of the final day’s races, the 55th edition of the Semaine Olympique Française will be remembered for its spirited competition and the perseverance demonstrated by the participating sailors. As the event draws to a close, attention now turns to future competitions, where these talented athletes will continue to showcase their skills on the world stage.