O'Pen Bic World Championships - Full day of action

by Miami Yacht Club on 5 Aug 2013 At the World O’Pen Cup, the magical Lake Garda turned on the sunshine and the wind again today for a full day of racing action of four races for the U16 category and three races for the U13 category. With wind conditions ever so stable at about 15-20 knots, the sailors got their first taste of real racing on the same inner-outer loop course as the practice race. The fleet has a very international flavor to it, and it is great to see all 12 participating nations sailing on the water together.

In the U16 category the racing is very tight and a couple of general recalls (and even a black flag) and tight racing on the first buoys showed the high level of racing. It will be wide open as to who finishes on the podium, as while the local Italians have got off to a fast start with Federico Zampiccoli (ITA) and Guido Gallinaro (ITA) in first and second place respectively, they are closely followed by Paula Igual-Garcia (ESP) and Koji Kiuchi (JPN) who should get faster as they adapt to sailing on the lake. Team Bermuda are also in the top 10 with Mike and Ceci Wollmann (BER) in sixth and seventh place, and Jana Germani (SLO) is also doing very well in her first World O'pen Cup.

In the U13 category Kristen Wadley (AUS) is continuing the strong form that she showed at the Italian National Championships and is leading the racing after day one. However Andrea Spagnoli (ITA) from the hosting Fraglia Vela Riva club and the rest of the Italian team are making for some very good racing at the top of the fleet. It certainly won't simply be plain sailing for Kristen! Nukui Lisa (JPN), Konrad Jasiewicz (POL), Jaime Benthem (ESP) and Juan Cruz Nores (USA) round out the top 10.

Tomorrow the plan is for some slalom racing. It will be great to see the planing speed of the O'pen BIC in these ideal sailing conditions on Lake Garda. Fraglia Vela Event website