| TREVEMUENDE, GERMANY-(27-7-2006) In perfect sailing conditions of sun and a steady 15 kts breeze, race 5 and 6 of the 470 Junior World Championship took place today at Travemuende, Germany. Racing started on the 24th of July and concludes on the 30th of July. After 6 races Sime FANTELA and Igor MARENIC (CRO) lead the event in very close competition with Levine EYAL and Amir YAM (ISR).
121 teams from 28 countries off 3 continents have travelled to Travemuende to compete for the Title of '470 Class Junior World Champion'. The fact numbers set a new record again in the International 470 Class.
Competion takes place on a high level, looking at the efforts of this event’s current leaders at the 470 European Championship in June this year, where the attention of more senior Olympic 470 sailors was drawn by these Junior sailors, giving them a hard time to reach the finals.
Four races were completed within the first two days of racing in light and shifty winds. Today, race 5 and 6 were on the schedule. Just like the days before, races were postponed because of a lack of wind. In the early afternoon when a sea breeze came up, racing finally got underway at 14:05.
And the sailors did not get disappointed. A steady 15 knots breeze came up, giving perfect sailing conditions to continue the Junior World Championship event with finally more wind than in the opening phase.
Today, a discard on the worst result would become active. Most top ranked teams after four races in the first few days had set a consistent serie of results, so today was going to be a day of close competition and a very narrow calculation of points.
And it was. Overnight leaders Levine EYAL and Amir YAM (ISR) finished in 6th position in today’s first race, with the result that Sime FANTELA and Igor MARENIC (CRO) catched up to equal points by winning the race in their Group.
Race 6, last race of today was to decide which of both teams would end the day on top of the leaderboard, still with the presence of Luke PATIENCE and Twiggy GRUBE (GBR) with enough chances to run away with the overall leadership.
At the starting procedure of today’s last race, the fleets of the different Groups seemed to be nervous. The Race Committee decided to hoist the feared Black Flag and eight teams suffered.
With some excellent sailing performance, both the Israel’s team Levine EYAL and Amir YAM and Croatia’s Sime FANTELA and Igor MARENIC won the race in their separate Groups. Both teams end up with 7 points. Based on the rules of results order, the Croatians take the overall lead after day 3 and six races.
“The sailing conditions were fantastic. After two days following the leader, we now take the lead and we will try our best to keep it” said Sime, helmsman of the leading team from Croatia.
The young sailors from Isreal losing the Championship leadership took their loss with a positive look foward. “We didn’t have a good start in the first race today and finally finished 6th. Nevertheless, we won race 6. We lost the lead, but we will try to keep Sime and Igor behind us tomorrow.” said Levine
The best German Junior 470 sailors on home waters are Christopher Lorenz and Friedrich Gebert, currently in a 10th overall position.
Racing resumes tomorrow at 11am.
Qualifiers conclude on the 29th of July
The finals (Medal Race) will take place at the 30th of July.
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