The Royal Danish Yacht Club has for many years focused on lifting all the talents from the Optimist class into the 29er class. In 2015 the club launched a Talent Center in Rungsted, that supports the sailors in all possible ways - all from equipment, high level of coaching and a solid sailing environment.
We checked in with some of the local sailors from the RDYC to get to know their background and to make them reveal some tips about the waters outside the coast of Rungsted.
Meet some local 29er sailors
The ruling 29er European Champions, Jens-Christian and Jens-Philip Dehn-Toftehøj – more known as JC and JP - are from the RDYC Talent Center in Rungsted. The brothers look forward to greeting all their sailing friends from near and far to their home waters and reflect on 2021 vs. 2022: “Last year we really had a peak year in our sailing career with the European Championship Gold and the World Championship Bronze. We really put a lot of effort into our 29er sailing during the pandemic – and we could because we are brothers, so it fitted the regulations.” If the team is realistic or just downplaying their chances for a good result at the Europeans 2022 is hard to say, but the team speaks with great respect about their competitors and know it will not be a walk in the park getting that trophy for the second year in a row. “This year we have mostly “hygge”-sailed* because we had to focus on our studies,” says the team.
JC is currently graduating from high school and JP is studying for his masters at the University of Copenhagen. “We don’t expect so much for the Europeans this year, because we haven’t put as much preparation into it as last year. Of course, we can lean on the experience we already have in the boat and as soon as we go for the start on the first day our competitive level will make us want to perform. That’s in our DNA.”
Local tips and tricks
What sailors from abroad must expect in Rungsted is everything wind and weather wise - classical Scandinavian summer. “It depends where the wind comes from and how warm it is. We can have sea breeze if it’s warm and on the other side it can be quite shifty and puffy if the wind comes from west, which is good to know. Generally, we have relatively flat water”, says Johanne Joos, helmswoman of her team.
Author and expert
We have an author among us in the 29er fleet. Jens-Philip Dehn-Toftehøj has written the book ‘The 29er Manual’, where he shares tips and tricks about sailing the 29er. On the questions about local tips, JP again speaks with great respect of his competitors knowledge and skills “I don’t believe we have a huge home water advantage on Øresund – the waters outside Copenhagen. The level of the fleet is so high, so I am sure many will master it. My biggest tip is to read the book I wrote some years ago and all sailors are welcome to come and talk with me and my brother about tips – everything from trim, technique and tactics. We are happy to help”, says JP.
Link book: https://www.sailcenter.com/en/brands/sailcenter/the-29er-manual-isbn978-87-970267-2-4.html
*HYGGE: definitely a word you need to know when coming to Denmark. Translation: cozyness on the highest level!
27 June 2022