Light winds and surprises at Hyeres

by SOF media on 23 Apr 2007 Light and shifty conditions provided for tactical racing for the first day of the Semaine Olympique Française in Hyères. The difficult conditions created some surprises in some classes where the usual favourites didn’t perform as expected.

In the Yngling class the favourite British teams helmed by Sarah Ayton and Shirley Robertson suffered from the tricky conditions and it is the newly formed team of the Rawlinson sisters and Sue Monson who created the surprise by winning today’s both races. After sailing with Sarah Ayton last year, Victoria Rawlinson, who had won the ISAF youth World’s with her sister Emma some years ago, started a new campaign at the helm of her boat last September. The new British team was fast to find its pace this year after placing 8th in the Rolex Miami OCR and 10th in the Princess Sofia regatta.

In the Tornado, the vice European Champions Pashalides/Trigonis are leading the Tornado fleet after sailing consistently with 7th and 4th finishes. Roman Hagara and Hans Peter Steinacher are in 10th place and here again it is the outsider team of Zajac/Czajka from Austria that overrides their country favourites to place 2nd overall. The Australian team of Bundock/Ashby is in third position.

In the 470 Men, two of the favourites are down the fleet after a disappointing first day. 2006 ISAF Games champions, the Australians Wilmot/Page are placing in 107th place and British team of Rogers/Glanfield, Rolex Liami OCR winners, are 86th after underperforming in the fisrt race and collecting penalties on the start line in the second. Today’s races were won by Piasecki/Zieminski, regatta leader, the French teams of Charbonnier/Bausset and Leboucher/Garos, 3rd in Palma. The Greeks, Panagiotis/Polichronid are 4th overall and won their group second race.

In the women division, the day was bright for Giulia Conti and Giovanna Micol. The Italians, 10th in the Princess Sofia regatta and in the ISAF World ranking have dominated the fleet by winning the first race and placing behind second race winners, the Chinese Wen Yemei and Yu Chunyan, 15th overall. Ingrid Petitjean and Nadège Douroux are in second place overall.

Only one race was completed in the Lasers split in 4 groups. The Croatians Tonci Stipanovic and Milan Vujasinovic won a race in 2 groups. Other victories were claimed by Athens Silver medallist, Andreas Geritzer (AUT) and Argentinian Julio Alsogaray.

Racing in the laser radial didn’t favour the class favourites. Jo Aleh (NZL) took the lead of the scoreboard with a bullet and a 4th. She is on equal points with Charlotte Blon (FRA). Katarzyna Pic is 3rd overall.

Dan Slater (NZL) is leading the Finns with a 3 points score (2-1) in front of Florian Raudaschl (AUT) (3-2) and current world Champion Jonas Hoegh-Christensen (DEN) who is placing third after winning the first race and scoring 5 points in the second.

Tight results in the RS:X women fleet with Bianca Manchon (ESP) and Bryony Shaw (GBR) sharing the top place on equal points. Only point behind is Lise Vidal (FRA) who also won the first race. The top 8 windsurfers are within 7 points of each others. The Hong Kong sailborders Ho Chi Ho and Chan King Yin are leading the Men’s division. Tom Hashley is also placed second on equal points with Tom Ashley from New-Zealand. Last year winner, Casper Bouman is in 58th position.

In the 49ers, European champions Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes won the first race and placed 4th in the second to lead the fleet. The British have just claimed the title in the Princess Sofia regatta and placed second in Miami. The Alonso brothers are in second place.

No surprise in the 2.4 where two races were successfully completed. Thierry Schmitter (NED) is leading in front of Jens Als Andersen (DEN) and Damien Seguin (FRA). Helena Lucas is placed 4th on equal points.

A unique race was disputed in the Sonar class which sailing in the SOF for the first time. The Israeli boats helmed by Avi Zur and Shimon Ben Yakov are taking the top two places.

35 races were completed today after a 2 hours postponement waiting for the sea breeze. The weather forecast is suggesting the same conditions and sailing should be tricky again.

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