Andraz Gulic SLO leads Laser 4.7 Worlds finals

by Event media on 4 Jan 2008 Racing got off on time this morning at the laser 4.7 Worlds with the gold fleet starting at 11am. Overall leaders after the days racing were - 1 Andraz Gulic SLO 41pts - 2 Boris Bignoli ITA 43pts - 3 Filip Matika CRO 62pts with one day to go.

The gold fleet hit the ground running with an all clear on the first start of the day. The fleet spread out over the race area with no particular grouping either left or right on the first beat. However by the top mark there was definite split to the right, where a good shift benefited those on the right hand side.

The wind was up around 12 knots for the start of the silver fleet. The silver fleet was not as disciplined and the start was general recall however the start was not without drama as FRA 168033 tried a port start and missed timed it only to be shut down and having to tack in the starboard positioned boats that lead to a few capsizes and collisions by the pin end boat. The silver fleet went into the restart and got onto the race course with an all clear.

Gold fleet first bottom mark rounding there was still a definet spread with competitors not favoringeither side of the course. The leading group rounded the right hand side mark of the gate and headed off to the right hand side of the course, the leaders were GRE, PER and ITA.

There were two incidents on the mark rounding both happened mid fleet and involved both port and starboard marks of the gate. the Left hand mark was between IRA and CRO and the Right hand side involved a water call that pulled a number of competitors in with collisions.

At the bottom mark after the first down wind leg it was POR chased hard by a group of 5 competitors all female.

On the second upwind leg NZL who had rounded the bottom mark in the top 5 had worked his way into a good lead on the beat. The chasing pack consisted of ITA, BRA, SLO and TUR who still had a nice lead on the rest of the fleet.

In the silver fleet on the second beat there was a big left to right split in the fleet with the majority opting for the right. POR Tiago Morais had retained his lead but the gap between him and second place had closed by GRE and ITA. The right was the favoured side and those that went left lost out overall.

In the gold fleet at the finish it was first NZL Travis Dow, SLO 174363 Andraz Gulic also current regatta leader, and third TUR Utku Gonener.

By the end of the second beat POR had lost his lead to GRE, however was very close. The silver fleet had a group of 9 competitors who had a sizeable lead on the rest of the fleet. After rounding the mark again there was a definet right left split in the fleet, with the majority going to the right, POR 185021 Tiago Morais managed to retake the lead followed by TUR Melis Baykan (and first girl), BRA 167897 Bruno Nascimento and GRE Antonia Psoma, also second girl, being the top four.

Race 2 of final series

Gold fleet second race first start was delayed with the line reset the start sequence was initiated. The start resulted in a general recall. The majority of the fleet were trying to start by the committee end of the line, as the right hand side seemed to be the favored despite the port bias line. The Race Officer decided to reset the line and the line was lengthened and a little more port bias was added to encourage the fleet to use the line. The third start under a black flag with an all clear.

The silver fleet first start also resulted in a general recall with a group by the pin end of the boat. Winner of the first race of the day POR got his timing horribly wrong and was well OCS for the start. Luckily for him the start was recalled. The second start under the black flag got off with one competitor being called OCS and subsequently black flagged GBR Josh Irons 39th in the silver fleet.

The gold fleet where heading down the race course on there first down wind leg just as the silver fleet got under way. There was again a leading group in the front and at the mark it was ITA followed by RUS, SUI POL and SLO who rounded the mark in a tight bunch and headed up the beat on the right hand side.

By the third down wind leg of the gold fleet the leading group had changed to consist of two CRO, with a SLO and ITA who had a good lead on the rest of the fleet.

The wind had built across the race course and a few capsizes were beginning to occur on the down wind leg's.

The silver fleet at the top mark end of the second beat it was RSA 188005 Leo Davis who was way out in front with a good lead on the rest of the fleet followed by GRE Antonia Psoma who had a good lead on the remainder of the fleet.

Gold fleet at the finish it was CRO Filip Matika currently third overall who took the win followed by ISA, TUR, SLO and BRA who had a sizeable lead over the rest of the fleet. Regatta leader SLO Andraz Gulic finished the race in 25.

The silver fleet on the final beat saw a number of position changes with RSA 188005 slipping down the fleet to finish seventh and SUI Guilaume Girod taking the win followed by GRE Abtonia Psoma (first girl) and current silver fleet leader POR Tiago Morais in third.


Laser 4.7 Leader board after 9 races

Gold Fleet
1st Andraz Gulic SLO 174364 with 41 points
2nd Boris Bignoli ITA 178472 with 43 points
3rd Filip Matika CRO 187073 with 62 points

Silver Fleet
1st Tiago Morais POR 185021 166 points
2nd Guillaume Girod SUI 184730 with 166 points
3rd Giovanni Canazza ITA 172979 with 176 points on a tie breaker with ITA 185908 Kristina Giraldi

Tommorrow is the final day of the contest