Laser World Championship - Black flag for fleets on day 1

by Deike Mary Flemming on 5 May 2012 At the 2012 Laser World Championship, the first race of the qualification regatta got underway on Friday 4 May at 13:00. Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots caused two starts under the black flag for both the blue and the red fleet.

The second start was delayed and the course was redesigned due to wind shifts to a westerly direction. The second race was started at wind speeds of five to ten knots at 16:00. There was a total recall of all three fleets, which meant three times for setting the black flag.

With two first places in the first two race in these world championship, Tom Slingsby from Australia is currently first in the standings. He leads by two points before Tonci Stipanovic from Croatia, who finished first and third place before Rutger Schaardenburg Berg from the Netherlands with six points from second and fourth.

Paul Goodison (GBR), the gold medalist of the Olympic Games in 2008, received two yellow flags during the first race and was therefore regarded as 'Did Not Finish'. In the second race, he finished second in his group, which gave him the 95th place in standings.

Germany's Olympic hopeful Simon Ersegelte Grotelüschen had 25th place in the first run and an excellent second place in the red fleet.

For full results, click here.
Laser World Championship website