No wind, no racing, on Day 2 of Nissan 470 Euros

by Event Media on 14 Jun 2006 Report from the event website in Balatonfüred, Hungary.

Day 2
Today there were no races at the Open Nissan Cup 470 European Championships in Balatonfüred. The usual weak, East wind of the hot summer days did not promise any goodies for the organizers, who decided at 9 am to prevent the competitors from getting a sunstroke and mounted the shore-postpone flag. By 11 am the lake became still and lacking anything better to do they watched the history of football world cups, broadcasted by Eurosport, on the screen equipped in the beer tent.

Approximately this is what is worth to mention about the events of today, well, and the fact that the postpone signal was repeated by 2:30 pm. As there was no competition, obviously the rank set on Monday remained unchanged. There was however a drawing for the Wednesday races for men and women.

The White group of the men became rather strong, the two best Hungarian Sallai-Olosz (43) and D'Albini-Szépfy (72). They ill have to fight, in this company of 37 boats, several strong opponents: the leading pair in the current competition, the Italian Enrico Fonda and Marco Guerra; the leaders of the world rank, the also Italian unit (Gabrio Zandona-Andrea Trani) and also the world champion Australian couple (Nathan Wilmot-Malcolm Page).

(Reminder: The competition is based on the new rules introduced this year; until Saturday the preliminary races take place, where, due to the high number of participants, the competitors are drawn into groups every day of the competition. This is how everyone can compete against almost everyone in the -- originally planned -- ten races of the event. By the end of the preliminary races there will be an elite group, the first 10 units having the least fault points, who will fight each other in the definitive final race (Called: The Medallion) on Sunday. This takes place on a separate field near the lakeshore so that more people can see it. The other competitors also compete on Sunday; in different groups on a separate field they will decide about the remaining rank positions.

Obviously we can only expect a competition on Wednesday in case if the weather will be merciful to the participants who are visibly impatiently waiting on the lakeshore. They did not come to our country to take sunbaths but for sailing. Without wind, sailing can only be imitated, even by any magician.