Medal Results RS-X Class - World Sailing Games

by Ailsa Angus on 21 May 2006 The weather reports summed up the final day of racing for entire RS:X fleet, one forecast predicted 28 knots, another 15 knots while the final forecast predicated 1 to 2 knots – they were all correct!

The men’s and women’s gold fleet left the beach in promising conditions, planing to the start boat. The first men’s race started in an average breeze of 12 to 15 knots with the majority of competitors starting on starboard tack. Both Richard Stauffacher (SUI) and Riccardo Belli Dellisca (ITA) were scored OCS and the Race Committee advised them at the first top mark to ensure that they did not sail the whole course unnecessarily.

French sailor Julien Bontemps again showed the rest of the fleet that he is in a class of his own to take the first race with a large lead. Brazilian sailor Ricardo Santos took second place followed by Nimrod Mashiah (ISR) and Maksym Oberemko (UKR).

During the start sequence for the women’s fleet a gust of over 20 knots hit the fleet forcing the young Polish sailor Iga Peryna to drop her sail turning into a domino effect with 6 others dropping their sails within 1 minute to the start. Israeli sailor Lee Korzits had a large lead on the fleet at the bottom mark but was unable to maintain this and finished in third place. Ukraine sailor Olga Maslivets took first place followed by Chinese sailor Qiu Bin Chen.

The second start for the men was clean in 15 knots dropping off to 10 knots half way throiugh the race. Julien Bontemps again dominated the race to lead from start to finish with New Zealander Tom Ashley taking second and Nimrod Mashiah (ISR) his second 3rd place finish of the day.

In the women’s second race the breeze built to 28 knots during a rain squall, Israeli sailor Lee Korzits, a true heavy wind sailor, had a lead of over 1 minute on second place Olga Maslivets to ensure that she has a place in the Medal Race after not being able to compete in 2 races due to equipment problems. Italian favourite Flavia Tartaglini took third palce followed by Greek sailor Antonia Frey.

With the both Gold fleets racing finished for the day the sailors returned to the shore to allow the men’s Silver fleet to race. Unfortunately for them the final weather forecast came true with no breeze resulting in a delayed start until the breeze built enough for them to race.

This was the final day of racing for the entire fleet with only the top 10 in the men’s and women’s Gold Fleet going forward to the Medal Race to be held tomorrow, the competitors are as follows:

Men’s Medal Race
FRA Julien Bontemps (17 points) / UKR Maksym Oberemoko (25 points) / NZL Tom Ashley (25 points) / BRA Ricardo Santos (42 points) / FRA Huguet Nicolas (45 points) / FRA Samuel Launay (56 points) / GRE Byron Kokkalanis (59 points) / ISR Nimrod Mashiah (66 points) / ESP Ivan Pastor (68 points) GRE Ioannis Chrysochon (73 points).

Women’s Medal Race
CHN Qiu Bin Chen (18 points) / UKR Olga Maslivets (29 points) / ESP Blanca Manchon (42 points) / ITA Flavia Tartaglini (48 points) / FRA Charline Picon (48 points) / GRE Antonia Frey (48 points) / NOR Jannicke Staalstrom (53 points) / ISR Lee Korzits (55 points) / CHN Wei Ming Liu (55 points) / HKG Wai Man Chan (55 points).

The Race Committee, volunteers from the Yacht Club Breitenbrunn and Paula / Richard Kern who run the Kantine Restaurant have been outstanding hosts and have looked after the RS:X sailors and NeilPryde crew unbelievably, if ever you are in Austria it is definitely worthwhile a visit to this outstanding yacht club.