| GDYNIA, POLAND-(8-6-2005) A Total 78 Men & Mixed and 43 Women crews being split into 3 groups (Men & Mixed) and 2 groups (Women) categories,took to the starting lines under great conditions for sailing with a steady NW wind averaging 16-18 knots throughout the day,with waves of (050-1.00 meter) on the first day here in Gdynia Poland.
Both Men & Women completed three races,despite small technical problems driven by weather conditions, successful races conducted in general. In the course Bravo (Women),White group Race 1, ISAF World Sailing rank leader FRA Ingrid Petitjean made a good start to the Championship by winning the first race closely followed by AUS Elise Rechichi and GBR Pippa Wilson. The big surprise of this race was to see ISR Nicke Kornecki,one of the favorites of this Championship coming nearly at the end of the fleet.
In the Blue group,a fantastic match occured between the Olympic Gold medallist NOR Siren Sundby and SWE Therese Torgersson troughout the race but especially on the last leg Siren made a big jump at the last few hundreds meters to win the first race in her group followed by POL Katarzyna Tylinska and AUS Lauren Jeffries.
In the Alpha course,(for Men & Mixed),in all groups races have been leaded by Class top sailors,namely ARG Conte (white group),POR Alvaro Marinho ( Blue Group) and Olympic Silver medallist GBR Nick Rogers winning the first races. In the second race of the day in Bravo course, FRA Ingrid Petitjean & NED Marcellien de Koning were the stars of the day with their incredible speed and tactics.Special attention has to be given to Marcellien who repeated her victory in the third race of the day having approx three hundreds meters to the second team.
In the Alpha course,we see FRA Pierre Leboucher and ITA Gabrio Zandona leading in the white,experienced POR team Alvaro Marinho,NED Coster brothers leading their fleets in all groups.
Another interesting aspect of the Championships was that,we have seen larger junior teams participation in this senior event.Germany,France,Israel and Poland merited special thanks for their support.
Because of the wind conditions,the International Jury has just watched the game,but preparing to hear the five protests lodged at the end of the day.
The programme is to run tomorrow,(if conditions allow) two races in these qualification groups.
|
