| CADIZ, SPAIN-(7-3-2003) The III International Carnival Race started in the Bay of Cadiz (Spain) today, Friday 7th March. The racing will end on Sunday and the event will allow the organisers (Deporte Andaluz and the Mundo Vela Consortium) to perfect the different systems for the 2003 ISAF Sailing Worlds, which will be held here next September.
Despite winds of twelve knots being forecast, the sailors woke up to only a light breeze and there was fears that racing would have to be postponed until Saturday. However, at 14.15 hours, after a wait of over two hours, racing gradually began to start in the different race areas. Winds of between 5 and 7 knots kicked in from the west. The first class to start was the 49ers, who managed to complete four races today. The high standard of crews entered has meant that there is very little difference between the top posts. The British crew, made up by Chris Draper and Simon Hiscocks, leads the provisional results. The current world champions are in seventh place as the skipper, Iker Martínez, is still recovering from a knee injury.
The Yngling class, in which the current world champions, Spain’s Azón/Tutzó and García are competing, completed two races. Yet again, there was very little difference between the top three crews and Spain’s other crew, skippered by Mar Castañedo, is in first place.
The Finn class was competing in the same race area as the Ynglings, and the overnight leader is Britain’s Andrew Simpson, who is just two points ahead of his team mate, Ben Ainslie and Slovakia’s Gaspar Vilicec.
The Swedish teams dominated the Laser class, mainly thanks to the good starts of Rasmus Mygren and Daniel Birgmark, who are in 1st and 2nd place respectively. Belgium’s Philippe Bergmans’s is closely behind in third place.
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