Light airs prevail for first day Volvo Youth Worlds
by Event Media on 15 Jul 2007
2007 ISAF Youth Worlds - Day 1 onEdition
http://www.onEdition.com
Britain’s hot shot Hobie Cat crew of Richard and Andrew Glover, took the first two races in their class, and, with a fourth in race three, they now lead their class as racing got underway today at the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship on Lake Ontario, Kingston, Canada in 8 – 10 knots of southwesterly breeze.
'We couldn't have had a better start to the regatta but there's a whole event to go so we're just keeping our heads down for now,' said Andrew Glover.
'At the start today we were really nervous and that's to be expected and it's a good thing, said brother Richard, adding: 'A lot of people think about us as a brother relationship but as soon as we're on the water, it turns into a sailing relationship and it works really well.'
The two brothers are at the head of Hobie Cat table, but they can’t relax, the Danish crew of Emil Landry and Jacob Dannefer are nipping at their heels, just four points behind.
Pre-race Hobie Cat favourites Jason Waterhouse and Michael McCormick from Australia are right up there in fourth place, while Stefano Gentili and Deligi Uberti are two points ahead in third and putting the pressure on.
Over 220 athletes sailing seven fleets of dinghies and windsurfers are competing at this championship. Three races were scheduled for all classes, but, after race one was sailed in a breeze which had promised great action, the wind dropped and became increasingly unstable.
In the boys 38-boat Laser fleet, the largest fleet of all, the competition is tense. Just two races were completed, although a third race was started but abandoned as the wind died.
At the end of day one, pre-race favourite, Korea’s Jeemin Ha leads the fleet, but with the slimmest of margins: Germany’s Philipp Buhl is just one point behind, and in third is favoured Pavlos Kontides (CYP).
Thirty-four Laser Radials were on the start line for the girls single-handed class, where the racing is equally exciting. Anur Nural Elia from Malaysia lies in first place with Victoria Chan (Singapore) and Anne Haeger (USA) both on 10 points, just one point behind
In the now flat and fluky conditions only two races were completed for the two windsurfer fleets due to the non-planing conditions. Winner of both races in the girls class was the 2006 gold medalist, Laura Linares (ITA), who went into this regatta as favourite. Brazil’s Patricia Dacosta Freitas lies second, with Poland’s Nina Szyhczyk in third. Germany’s Moana Delle was also in contention in race one but retired after the finish, to score what she will hope will be a discard score of 16 points.
Predicted strong challengers Tatsiana Khaladzinski from Belarus, who was among the top finishers in Weymouth last year, and Hong Kong’s Hei Man Chan (5th last year) both finished down the fleet in 7th and 11th places respectively.
In the boys windsurfer fleet Pierre Le Coq from France (2nd in 2005 and 3rd in 2006) posted two thirds and a second, which were only good enough to give him second overall. He was beaten by the unknown Israeli sailor, Ron Asulin who had two seconds and a fourth. Alejandro Rivera Rodriguez (ESP), started well by winning race one, but was only 10th in race two and 11th in race three, which puts him in third place.
Class favourites in the boys 29er fleet, New Zealand’s Paul Snow-Hangen and Blair Tuke, had a great start to their championship with a bullet in race one, and a second place in race two, but a disappointing 10th place in the third race. 'We struggled up the last beat,' the crew explained and this put them behind the Danish crew of Henrik Sagaard and Soren Kristensen who finished second, third and then won the third race. The Argentine crew of German Billoch and Pedro Kocourek had a consistent day to finish in third.
Henrik Sagaar was pleased with their performance: 'It was great today - we had good start and finished in the top three so we can't be anything other than satisfied. We just kept our heads down. You can't race out here without being down at some point. At the top marks we often rounded on 10th or something but we pulled it back on the down wind.'
The girls 29er fleet has been one of the most interesting fleets to watch today with lots of changes at the front of the fleet. Emily Dellenbaugh and Bianca Provancha from the USA initially made an excellent showing in the first race taking the gun with race favourites, Hannah Nattrass and Michelle Muller (AUS) safely behind them in second.
Race two was not so promising for the USA and the Brazilian crew of Ana Jungen and Kahena Kunze sneaked in to take first place. By race three it was all change again with the Dutch crew of Anniemiek Bekkering and Jeske Kisters winning the third race.
At the end of the day two fifth places and a second was good enough for the German crew of Karin and Tina Marchart to take pole position with the Americans a point behind them in second place. Britain’s team of Sophie Weguelin and Sophie Ainsworth are in third.
Bianca Provancha (USA) said: 'We're very pleased. Our goal was to be conservative and we wanted to be consistent. A ninth isn't great but it happens and you just have to deal with it.'
Finishing the day in sixth place, the Brazilian crew are happy. Anna Jungen summed up the day on the water: 'I think the best thing about today is that we realised that it isn't such a monster to win a race at the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF Worlds. We know that we can win - it makes us feel now that the dream can be real!'
Three more races are scheduled for tomorrow.
Provisional Results
Hobie Cat (mixed)
1st Richard and Andrew Glover (GBR) 6 points
2nd Emil Landry/Jacob Dannefer (DEN) 10 points
3rd Stefano Gentil/Delgi Uberti (ITA) 12 points
Laser (boys)
1st Jeemin Ha (KOR) 8 points
2nd Philipp Buhl (GER) 9 points
3rd Pavlos Kontides (CYP) 10 points
Laser Radial (girls)
1st Anuar Nural Elia (MAS) 9 points
2nd Victoria Chan (SIN) 10 points
3rd Anne Haeger (USA) 10 points
Windsurfer (girls)
1st Laura Linares (ITA) 2 points
2nd Patricia Dacosta Freitas (BRA) 7 points
3rd Ninia Szyhczyk (POL) 7 points
Windsurfer (boys)
1st Ron Asulin (ISR) 4 points
2nd Pierre Le Coq (FRA) 6 points
3rd Alejandro Rivera Rodriguez (ESP) 11 points
29er (boys)
1st Henrik Sagaard/Soren Kristensen (DEN) 6 points
2nd Paul Snow-Hangen/Blair Tuke (NZL) 13 points
3rd German Billoch/Pedro Kocourek (ARG) 14 points
29er (girls)
1st Karin and Tina Marchart/GER 12 points
2nd Emily Dellenbaugh/Bianca Provancha (USA) 13 points
3rd Sophie Weguelin/Sophie Ainsworth (GBR) 15 points
For full results, click here: http://youthworlds2007.org/results.shtml
If you want to link to this article then please use this URL: www.sail-world.com/35706