29er World Championships 2014 - Finals start tomorrow

by 29er World Championships on 31 Jul 2014 29er World Championships 2014 - Another windy day on the Kingston waters to wrap up the third and last day of the qualification series. After a stormy start to the day, the rain cleared and the breeze filled in from the South-South West with a steady 10-12 knots.

All the sailors were excited to get racing today, with both fleets starting the day with general recalls. The black flag was raised on both courses and pushed sailors behind the line allowing both fleets to start qualifying race nine.

Blue Fleet’s first race was led and won by NZL 2269 Micah Wilkinson and Jack Rogers, followed by Jacob Clasen-Luke Willim (GER) and New Zealand sailors James Wilson-Oscar Gunn. Blue fleet’s final race of the day and of the qualifying series began with an all clear start.

Kurt Hansen and Harry Morton (AUS) were in the lead at the first mark with Jacob Rosenberg-Rhodes Garner (USA) followed in second and Jim Colley-Shaun Connor (AUS) in third. By the second mark rounding, both Australian boats were in the lead. Hansen and Morton continued on to win qualifying race 10 by almost 300 meters, with their teammates Colley-Connor coming in second.

Yellow fleet began the day with Britian’s Mimi El-Khazindar and Ben Batten first to the windward mark, and the regatta leaders Brice Yrieix and Loic Ficher-Guillou (FRA) on their tail. Yrieix and Ficher-Gillou passed the British team on the downwind leg and continued on to win yellow fleet’s qualifying race nine. The second and final race of the day was led by Tilly James and Robbie Robinson (GBR) at the first windward mark. By the final weather mark local Canadians Rachel Spinelli and Ian Woodbury had the lead with El-Khazindar-Batten close behind. Spinelli and Woodbury went on to win the last race of the qualifying series making it the first race won by a Canadian.

Provisional results have Brice Yrieix and Loic Ficher-Gillou (FRA) in first followed by Kurt Hansen and Harry Morton (AUS) and third Micah Wilkinson and Jack Rogers (NZL). For the finals, the Gold Fleet are the top 25 with the remaining equally divided into Silver and Bronze Fleets.

The finals begin tomorrow and run for the following three days. The award ceremonies will be on Saturday August 2nd at Portsmouth Olympic Event website