About The Europe

Design

Designer: Alois Roland

Location: Belgium

Year: 1960

Design Type: One Design

Sailor Weight: 55-85kg

Hull Weight: 45kg

Hull Length: 3.35m

Hull Width: 1.38m

Mast Length: 4.90m

Mainsail Area: 7.00sq.m

The Europe is a World Sailing recognised, single-handed dinghy - comfortable to hike upwind, a pleasure to sail downwind, and a blast on a reach, with strong fleets throughout continental Europe. The versatile rig, with masts and sails able to be selected to suit the sailor’s height and weight, enable fair competition and ease of handling in all conditions, providing close racing for a diverse range of sailors. In the UK we are fortunate to see sailors ranging from U18 to 70+, and 55 - 85 kg, with both male and female sailors competing on an equal playing field!

History

In 1963, the Fédération Française de Voile called for submissions to create a one-design variant of the development Moth class. Alois Roland from Belgium submitted his design, based on Pierre Marique's Europa Moth design and won the submission. He called his boat the Europe. Very quickly, the French and Belgian federations recognized this one-design and Alois Roland began construction.

Over the years the class gained traction throughout Europe, with large fleets of both male and female sailors. In 1992 , the class debuted at it's first Olympic games, with women from 24 nations competing. The class raced in the Olympics in 1996, 2000 and 2004, paving the way for an entire generation of female sailors, including two-time gold medallist from Great Britain, Shirley Robertson, as well as two-time World Sailor of the Year, Carolijn Brouwer (NED) and many more!

Despite it's deselection as an Olympic class, the Europe is still used in many European and Scandinavian countries as a youth pathway class, with many young sailors transitioning from Optimists directly into the Europe. Particularly great examples of this post-Olympic Europe pathway can be seen in Denmark, with the Gold and Silver medallists at the 2009 Europe World Championships both going on to compete in subsequent Olympic Games, in the Laser Radial and Nacra 17 classes respectively.

In the UK, the class fell into decline following the Europe's final Olympic appearance at Athens 2004. Whilst a dedicated and passionate group of sailors continued class activities, event attendances remained low and interest in the class waned. In 2016, activity began to increase on the UK Europe Sailors Facebook group as a handful of new sailor's joined the class - with a core contingent of parent and teenage duos purchasing boats. With new sailors reaching out for advice and guidance online, momentum gathered and seventeen boats attended the 2017 UK National Championships at Highcliffe, sparking further interest and encouraging many dormant Europe owners to re-engage with the class; attendance growing to 30 boats at the 2019 UK National Championships.

Whilst lockdown posed many challenges, the UK Europe Sailors community thrived as sailors took to social media to share their lockdown refurbishment projects, memories of their time in the class, and wishful plans for post-lockdown activity! Activity on the water in 2020 was limited, however by the following year, the class saw an unprecedented fifty boats competing at WPNSA for the 2021 UK National Championships - with plenty of older, refurbished boats racing alongside many Olympic-era boats emerging from garages and boat parks around the country. Attendance has remained steady since then, and the class has been strengthened further as Steve Cockerill began to import Winner hulls from Spain, whilst Simon Cox at Synergy Marine has worked with David Hollom to design, devlop and begin production on the first British-built Europe hulls for many years!

"A history of the UK Europe Class in the year 2000"

Author: Unknown

Published: 2000

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Although the Europe Class itself was born internationally in 1963, it was not until 1976, that the first boat was seen in the UK. It was John Harrison and family that saw a demonstration of a Europe at the 1975 Optimist Worlds in Denmark, and together with Peter Taylor, a Finn builder who was looking to extend his range of boats, started the interest of bringing Europes to the UK. The Harrison's bought two old boats which arrived in the UK in 1976, and met the IECU President in November of that year to agree the formation of a UK Class Association. Peter Taylor was also granted a licence to build new boats in the UK.

The first class AGM was held on the 5th March 1977 at Frensham Pond SC, at which stage John Harrison became the first Class Secretary and Treasurer. The inaugural Nationals took place that year with a total of 6 boats - 3 of them sailed by the Harrison family. In 1979 Rondar's obtained a builders licence, and this led to an increased production of UK boats, so by 1980 there were over 100 boats already registered. Unfortunately other than the measurement certificates we do not have any further records of what happened to the Class until 1986. By then further UK builders had expanded to include, Beasley, Dorado, Claridge, Falat, Reg White, Gerry Ledger & Don O'Donnell. The UK Class at this time was dominated by the men, and a team including Steve Cockerill and Clive Everest, sailing Roland composites with aluminium masts and Batt sails, were dispatched to the 1986 Worlds in Helsinki.

In 1987 a Junior Travellers Trophy was introduced to encourage younger members to join the open meeting circuit - what ever did happen to this? Also that year the first combined Mens and Ladies Worlds were held on the same week at the same venue - how times have changed since! 1988 was the 25th anniversary of the International Class, and also heralded some major changes. The Class was selected for the Youth Worlds, and became a Youth Class supported by the RYA in the UK. The Worlds were limited to a total entry of 300, and the first Veterans' Cup was held in Czechoslovakia. After some major campaigning by IECU the class was selected as the Olympic Womens Singlehander, for the 1992 Games.

The RYA created the first squad of potential Olympians in 1989, and the use of carbon masts became the norm abroad. That year's Worlds in Sweden was the first for someone called Shirley Robertson who finished 57th! In the UK subscriptions remained at £5, and the conduct of some sailors at the Nationals bought a rebuff from the Chairman. The first Youth Europeans were held in West Germany. As part of the drive to support the UK Class, the Committee decided to purchase a Searider Rib, and money was raised by raffles, a sponsored bike ride, and provision of a loan from the Sports Council. This facility proved very well although eventually being sold in 1995.

The Barcelona Olympics of 1992 saw the first outing of the Europe, and a rapidly improving Robertson finished 9th. John Harrison finally decided to step down after 17 years as the Class Secretary and stalwart in 1994. Sue Moss took over the reigns.

The 1995 Olympic Trials at Weymouth, saw a major incident with the introduction of a 'swing test' and the failure of all but one boat to pass. Those that failed had lead taped to their bows! The '96 Atlanta Olympics bought heartache for Shirley by finishing 4th, and the RYA announced its first Olympic Development Squad, coached by Jayne Singleton.

A bid by the UK to host the 1999 Europeans was made in 1997, and that year also saw Sue Moss standing down and Robert Laurie becoming Class Secretary. In 1998 a full UK Men's team competed at the Worlds for the first time in many years, and the introduction of a new rule to halt the development of wing masts came about. At home the 'nightmare' Salcombe Nationals occurred, but an increase in the membership reverses the slow decline of previous years.

The '99 Europeans held at Hayling Island dominated the UK Class Association, 218 competitors was the largest gathering of Europes ever seen in the UK. Shirley Roberston topped this with a sliver medal.

The first Worlds of the new Millenium were held in January with the boys in Brazil. The UK Class Association puts in a bid for a Lottery Grant to purchase a Rib to assist with training. The year is then rounded off with an Olympic Gold for Shirley at the Sydney Games.

"Sailing a Europe "