Kiteboard Course Racing Worlds - Challenging day 2

by Yacht Club Cagliari on 6 Oct 2012 The second day was challenging, but exciting for competitors at the Kiteboard Racing World Championship, underway until Sunday at the sixth stop of Poetto Beach. The Sirocco medium-intensity, short-wave that formed framed four new races and the new battle between the four fleets (three male and one female) who selected the 51 men for the gold fleet, including local rider Luca Marcis.

Last night, as per the Notice of Race, the different fleets had been stirred to ensure an equal competition. The Scirocco (south-east wind) blowing 15-18 knots, has provided more challanging conditions.

The race committee has come full circle, deciding to run four races in each group. These, added to the three on Thursday, have contributed to the total of seven and with this granting two discards for the elimination ladder.

Competitors have flocked to the race village early in the morning, for the skippers meeting and the choice of the wing - one of the three included - that best suits the conditions. Most of them opted for smaller kites than the first day, to better control the gusts coming. All the rounds have been run in safety, offering a real show to the public that packed the beach after lunch. Curious visitors and supporters, have being running around all day between the beach with laid kites and the competition village in the front area, entertained by the speaker.
In front of them a carpet of colorful kites.

Overall Male Ranking (first positions):

1° Johnny Heineken (USA), punti 5
2° Julien Kerneur (FRA), 6
3° Adam Koch (USA), 6

Overall Female Ranking (first position):

1° Erika Heineken (USA), punti 5
2° Steph Bridge (GB), 10
3° Caroline Adrien (FRA), 18

Johnny Heineken: 'I felt really comfortable with my 13 m. Ozone kite, and I've smoked all the packed. Tomorrow I have to start all over again in the Gold Fleet. I wish we could carry all the previous results, but I'm ready for it. Hope for same or more wind.'

Erika Heineken: 'What a day! I'm so happy of my results. I felt so home today, with condition very similar to San Francisco Bay. I was the only girl using a 9.0 kite, while the other were using 11 or 13, and I still managed to get first in each race. See ya tomorrow.'