2015 Garda Optimist Meeting - Challenging moments on Day 2
by Fraglia Vela Riva on 4 Apr 2015
2015 Garda Optimist Meeting Elena Giolai
It was another beautiful day of sunshine and wind on Lake Garda Trentino for the 868 Optimists taking part in the 33rd edition of The Garda Optimist Meeting, organised by Fraglia Vela Riva, which has a participation of 863 helmsmen from 29 different nations. It is a great festival of sailing but has come with some challenging moments in the racing due to the conditions during the first few days.
The younger cadets, who had been recalled yesterday for the strong gusts, today found ideal conditions starting at nine this morning with wind from the north at ten knots and calm waters. They were, therefore, able to finish the first two races scheduled for their category, even though many ran out of time in the second race due to a drop in the wind, distancing them from the first arrivals.
Maxime Thommen of Switzerland leads the pack with two firsts, followed by Dimitra Vartholomaiou of Greece (seven - one), six points behind. Tied on points is the first girl from host club Fraglia Vela Riva Agata Scalmazzi (five -three), followed by Calabrian Mauro Ruperto (LNI Crotone) in fourth place. Davide Nuccorini (CV Roma) is fifth. Last year's winner Francesco Novelli (FV Malcesine) is lying in sixth place after a sixth and fourth partials.
The juniors took to the water in the early afternoon in conditions which were slightly less intense compared to the first day, especially in today's first race where winds reached only 14-16 knots with few waves. The following races, however, saw the wind pick up to 18-20 knots with high waves. The discard was introduced in the fourth race for the worst race. Riccardo Sepe (CV Roma) started the day in a positive way by winning both the fourth and the fifth races.
The overall standings after five races ( the sixth has yet to be processed) has the Italian Sepe in the lead, followed by Uffe Tomasgaard of Norway two points behind. In third place is Spodsberg of Denmark who performed well today with first and second partials. Chiereghini of Italy is fifth. The first of the girls is Giorgia Cingolani of Fraglia Vela Riva. She is in seventh place overall, followed by Gaia Bergonzini (FV Malcesine) just one point behind.
Taking into account the six races completed up to now, the juniors will have only one race tomorrow which will decide the “gold fleet” for the final heat of the best 136 of the 863 registered. This will be held on Sunday, the final day.
On the first day a crew from Rai 1's Linea Blu filmed for an episode which will be broadcast on Saturday, 11th April at 2 pm. Presenter Fabio Gallo collected interviews and comments from the young participants as well as technical information provided by the directors of Fraglia Vela Riva.
The event will also be broadcast on live streaming tomorrow and Sunday, with technical commentary from journalist Andrea Falcon. This great initiative will bring Lake Garda and the Guinness World Record breaking Optimist regatta comfortably to your pc and tablet.
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