European Laser Standard and Laser Radial Championships 2010 Day 1

by European Championships media on 7 Jun 2010
European Laser Standard and Laser Radial Championships and Trophy 2010, Estonia, Northern Europe day 1 report.

Tallinn Bay welcomed Laser Standard and Laser Radial athletes on their first day of European Championships and Trophy racing with good weather conditions – southern wind at 4-7 m/s with partly cloudy sky.

Laser Standard sailors sailed in three fleets. Milan Vujasinovic (CRO) won the first race in Yellow fleet while Yuval Botzer (ISR) enjoyed victory in the second race. In the Blue group, Malo Leseigneur (FRA) and Tom Slingsby (AUS) were winners of the respective races. In the Red fleet, which struggled with three general recalls and 12 athletes received black flag disqualifications in the second race, Rutger Schaardenburg (NED) did a clean job, winning both races and taking the overall leader position in Laser Standard.

After two races:
1. Rutger Schaardenburg (NED) 2,0 (1; 1)
2. Paul Goodison (GBR) 4,0 (2; 2)
3. Tom Slingsby (AUS) 5,0 (4;1)

The first day of regatta was full of emotions for two-time ISAF youth champion Pavlos Kontides (CYP), who was also racing in the happening Red fleet. 'Last year I finished third in the Europeans, so I am a contending bronze medallist. It is a bit cold here but wind-wise it is good and you have to be ready to compete in all conditions if you want to win. My first race today went well – I started as the first but downwind I finished eighth. I was in the fleet with three general recalls in the second race and I was amongst those who received bfd. But I hope to do better in the upcoming days,' Pavlos Kontides shared. 'Tallinn is a really nice place and it is great to have the Olympic spirit back again in Tallinn after 1980. I hope the European regatta motivates Estonians to love sailing even more,' he added.

Laser Radial sailors performed smoothly on the Pirita waves. Natalia Szymczyk (POL) and Francesca Clapcich (ITA) won the first race in their respective fleets but their modest results in the second race pushed both athletes out of the top spots for the opening day. Tina Mihelic (CRO) won her fleet in the second race and with stable performance throughout the day placed herself as the current leader. Ruling world champion Sari Multala (FIN) won the second race in her fleet, nevertheless the TOP3 of day 1 includes a fellow-Finn.

1. Tina Mihelic (CRO) 4,0 (3;1)
2. Charlotte Dobson (GBR) 9,0 (2; 7)
3. Tuula Tenkanen (FIN) 11,0 (5; 6)

The best Estonian athlete of the opening day was junior Anna Pohlak, who is sailing her first season in Laser Radial. Pohlak managed to finished today’s races at no 9 and 12 in her fleet, ending her first European Championships day at 15th place overall. 'There are still ten races ahead and each one of them is difficult and important enough. I am overall satisfied with my performance today but I would not read too much out of it – and I made several mistakes,' last year’s Zoom8 world champion Pohlak commented.

European Championships and Trophy 2010 will continue with qualification races until Wednesday. Final races are held on Thursday and Friday. A total of 148 Laser Standard athletes and 88 Laser Radial athletes from across the world are competing in Tallinn.

Full Results at - www.laser2010tallinn.eu