| HYERES, FRANCE-(25-4-2005) With the Mistral increasing throughout the day, racing was at its most athletic on the water.
The 2.4 opened the ball today with 2 races sailed in flat water and increasing Mistral. Helena LUCAS from Great Britain is leading the fleet in style after scoring two bullets. Country fellows, Allan SMITH and Valerie MILLWARD are taking 2nd and 3 rd positions.
First day on the water as well for the Finn class who missed out on the breeze yesterday. Class favourite Emilios PAPATHANASIOU is continuing on his good form with a 1st and 3rd place today. Athens Silver medallist, Rafael TRUJILLO from Spain is not far behind after scoring a 2nd and a third. Today second race went to Jonas HOEGH-CHRISTENSEN from Denmark.
Johannes POLAR and Florian SPALTEHOLZ claimed the top of the rankings after todays races (1-2) in the Tornado class. The French pair of REVIL/ESPAGNON is in second position four points ahead of British WILSON/BULKELEY. Mitch and Taylor Booth mastered a 4th position in their first regatta together in the Tornado. Class favourites ECHEVARRI/PAZ won today second race after a DNF in the first. Class newcomers Carolijn BROUWER and Sebastien GODEFROID struggled in the first race to place 14 but managed a creditable 7th position in the second. “We took a bad start in the first race but we enjoyed the wind and the speed in the second. It is a great feeling, a bit out of control but we love it” declared a delighted Carolijn. “We were quite lucky too: we broke our rudder 5 minutes only after the finish!”
Three races were disputed in the Yngling who came back to the shore at 8PM. The British team helmed by Sarah AYTON improved from 3rd, 2nd and 1st to take the lead. Two newcomers on the boat since the Olympics are Annie LUSH and Lisa MCDONALD who is temporarily replacing Sarah Webb after an injury. The Americans BARKOW/HOWE/CAPOZZI are on equal points in second place.
First two races also for the 49er fleet that preferred today’s flat water to yesterday rolling waves. The Sibello brothers are well placed to defend their title after claiming both races. They will have to expect strong competition from the PANAGIOTIDIS brothers, Spanish DOMINGUEZ/DE BRICIO and Olympic Silver medallists LUKA/LEONCHUK from Ukraine, only a few points back.
Today was a first for the SOF with the Laser Radial racing here for the first time. Today’s winners include Suisse Corinne MEYER who collected 2 races after placing 4th. She is on equal points with winner of the 2002 ISAF Games in Marseille, Sophie DE TURCKHEIM. The French, who is enjoying the change from the Europe to the Laser Radial, scored a first, second and third. In third position is Lizzie VICKERS from England who won 2 races in her group (6-1-1).
In the Mistral class, Fabrice HASSEN and Olga MASLIVETS are comforting their lead The French is 9 points ahead of Polish Piotr MISZKA while Olga MASLIVETS added 2 more bullets to her faultless score.
French crew are dominating in the 470 class: The BONNAUD brother have climbed to the top place in front of the Italians ZANDONA/DELLA TORRE. Ingrid PETITJEAN and Nadege DOUROUX are still in control in the women division. The Israelis BUSKILA/KORNITZKI have managed a 3rd and 8th place today despite their boat filling with water due to repeating problems with the centreboard mylar.
The Mistral should provide some good but tough sailing on Tuesday with gusts predicted to reach 30 knots in the afternoon.
TIP! - A very spectacular sailing movie was published of racing at Hyères.
CLICK HERE
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