Byte CII World Championship - Hungary and The Netherlands lead + Video

by Elena Giolai on 26 Apr 2014 At the Byte CII World Championships, today was a carbon copy of yesterday as far as weather was concerned with sunshine and the classic southerly wind blowing at 12-14 knots, dropping to 10 knots in the last race thus providing the conditions to complete another four races.

This brings that event to a total of nine races out of 13 so far with the conclusion on Sunday, 27th April. The regatta committee at the organising club of Fraglia Vela Riva, tried to bring forward the programme as they saw the weather worsening in an effort to give all the competing nations vying for a place in the Youth Olympics to race the maximum number of races with regular wind conditions. The effort of the Jury, Committee, water and land staff is certainly to be applauded as they started the day as scheduled at 13.00 and finished around 17.00 with four well-fought out races. The top of the rankings in both men's and women's categories show no change. The leaders remain the same but by an ever widening margin. Vadnai of Hungary proceeds practically unchallenged as he looks set to win his second consecutive world title. He has an incredible 25 point lead. In second place is Houtman of The Netherlands with Nordquist of Sweden third. Varbaro (LNI Follonica), is fifth overall while the sailor from Fraglia Vela Riva, who had climbed in the rankings, dropped back to seventh position after coming in twelfth in the last race.

It looks pretty good for Italy in both the men's and women's categories for qualification for the Youth Olympics as the men are lying third, excluding Hungary and Croatia who have already qualified and first in the women's excluding The Netherlands.

In the African nations, competing for a place at the Youth Olympics, the race is tight with Algeria dropping back behind South Africa and Egypt in both categories (only two places are available).

In the women's category Van Aanholt of The Netherlands holds a commanding lead with a 15 point advantage over Italian Carolina Albano (CV Muggia), who in Friday's third race, climbed into second position which was confirmed in the ninth race with 2-5-1-7 partials. Tying on points is Akkerman of The Netherlands a country which has already qualified for the Youth Olympics.