Laser European and Worlds – Two races sailed in light and shifty winds

by Tine Vinther on 21 Jul 2015 2015 Laser European and World Championships – Day 3 at the Laser and Laser Radial Europeans was governed by shifty winds of 30 degrees or more and rain followed by periods of light wind if any at all.

Both the Lasers and the Laser Radials completed the two scheduled races for today even though the second race was repeatedly postponed due to shifting wind.

At 11am the sailors took to the sea. Nearly 300 boats were launched in one hour and everyone was ready for the first race scheduled for 1pm which was executed without any severe delays.

The Laser Radials were challenged by the shifty wind, however, one of the favorite medalist candidates, Danish Sarah Gunni finished her two races for the day with flying colours as she took two first places.

Gunni is chased by Spanish Alicia Cebran Martinez De Lagos who finished two and first thus sharing first place with Gunni in the second race.

Dutch battle in the Laser Standard Fleet

In the Laser Standard Fleets the day was governed by the Dutch. Rutger Van Schaarder and Nicholas Heiner are battling fiercely for the Laser seat for the Olympics in Rio in 2016 and their results at the Europeans will be decisive.

Before going on the water today Rutger made an update on his Facebook stating that now was time to make things right - and so he did! With a first and ninth place in today’s two first qualifying races, Rutger takes home sixth place in today’s preliminary total results.

Sailing Aarhus caught Rutger just after coming ashore. See what he had to say about today’s first two qualifying races here.

Nicholas Heiner, however, who was elected Sailor of the year in the Netherlands last year did not seem too scared of Rutger’s facebook promises earlier today. Heiner landed a fifth and first place earned him a first place in today’s final preliminary results.

On second place we find yet another Dutchman, Niels Broekhuizen, who performed well in both races with two third places.

Conclusively, the scene for an exciting European Championship for the Laser Standards has been set, not only for the Dutch but for several sailors as many of them are battling for the same thing as the Dutch sailors; namely a seat in the Olympics in Rio next Year.

Tomorrow's two qualifying races are scheduled to begin at 1pm.

Preliminary Results:

Laser Radial Women Top Three

1. Sarah Gunni Toftedal (DEN)
2. Alicia Cebrian Martinez De Lagos (ESP)
3. Tuula Tenkanen (FIN)

Laser Radial Men Top Three

1. Zan Luka Zelko (SLO)
2. Dominik Perkovi (CRO)
3. Matthias Van De Loock (BEL)

Laser Standard Top Three

1. Nicholas Heiner (NED)
2. Niels Broekhuizen (NED)
3. Toni Stipanovi (CRO)