Albeau and Ghibaudo winners - ISWC Fuerteventura

by Markus Schwendtner on 28 Jul 2008 Another good day of sailing was completed today in Fuerteventura, with the same winners as yesterday: Antoine Albeau in the mens and Valerie Ghibaudo in the womens fleet. Those two are now clearly leading the overall ranking with the perfect score of 1.4 points. Also successful today Tomas Malina, setting a new Czech national record at 33.99 knots, subject to WSSRC ratification.

In hardcore conditions, the 63 competitors were sent out for their first leg at 13:00 hours local time, probably missing a good hour of sailing before. But the race committee decided to give the riders a chance to eat before sending them out on a long day, as the conditions seemed to improve minute by minute.

The first runs showed the potential of the day, with 37-38 knots runs already in the very beginning. Antoine Albeau (FRA, Starboard), Patrik Diethelm (ITA, F2, North) and Bjorn Dunkerbeck (SUI, T1/Proof, North) were setting the best speeds at that time.

The top 10 ranking was constantly changing then, with almost every run of the top sailors. To the end of the leg, it was Patrik Diethelm causing the first extension of the day, and the speeds went up to 39 knots at that time, still with Albeau in the lead.

Another extension was caused by Cyril Moussilmani (FRA, Fanatic, North) then, with a spectacular run bringing him into 5th position.

The race went on thrilling, with Diethelm taking the lead from Antoine in the last few minutes and a top speed of almost 40 knots, but only minutes later Albeau fought back with another 40 knots run, defending the lead till the end.

Overall ranking after 2 rounds:

Men:
Albeau 1.4 points
Diethelm 4 points
Dunkerbeck 6 points
Maynard 8 points
Moussilmani 11 points

Women:
Ghibaudo 1.4 points
Jaggi 4 points
Davis 8 points

Racing continues tomorrow at 10:00 with the next skippers meeting and the first possible start at 11:00

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