Laser Worlds braces for Typhoon ShanShan
by Sail-World on 16 Sep 2006
Sailing big waves at Jeju, Korea in the 2006 Laser Worlds SW
Sail-World's sources in Jeju, Korea, tell us that racing in the Laser World Championships started today after a three hour delay.
The first race was started but cancelled halfway through when the wind died.
The competitors then spent five hours packing all the boats into containers and onto trucks to take them to a safe location.
An official notice has been issued advising that all racing for Sunday 17th has been transferred to Monday 18th September. The harbour is closed.
The future of the regatta will be determined once the extent of the typhoon is known, however ShanShan is expected to pass by the regatta venue at Jeju, Korea, rather than through it.
With no racing completed yesterday, Tom Slingsby (AUS) remains at the head of the fleet on a perfect four points from four races. His Australian team mate Michael Blackburn (AUS) lies second overall, with 2005 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Champion Giles Scott (GBR) third. Top placed New Zealander Andrew Murdoch is in sixth place overall with four races sailed.
From the Laser International site:
Another early start for racing on the fourth day of the Jeju Laser Worlds looked as if it might give a good days racing in a forecast 12 to 18 knot north easterly wind.
At 0800 a 10 knot northerly wind afloat looked promising. Before the race committee set the course the wind had backed to the north west but pressure remained at 10 knots with a large westerly ground. After the course was set to the new wind hopes were high until just before the start when the wind backed a further 25 degrees and the start was postponed.
The course was re-set twice before the first fleet was finally started only to have the race abandoned as the wind dropped to 3 knots and backed to the west direction halfway down the first down wind leg.
With the second fleet unable to start a further two hour wait saw no improvement in conditions so the fleet was sent ashore to help move 130 boats from the beach as a precaution against a storm surge from the predicated close passing of typhoon ShanShan tomorrow afternoon (Sunday).
With all the Lasers off the beach and the race organisation and coaches ribs and committee boat craned out there will be no racing on Sunday.
A decision on Mondays racing will be made at 1500 hours local time, the latest time when all Lasers can be returned to the beach in time for racing to start on Monday when the fleets will be split into gold and silver groups.
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