Palamos Christmas Race - Sailors tested on wet and windy day

by Jaume Soler on 22 Dec 2010 Palamos Christmas Race update.

Another cloudy and wet morning with shifty breezes left sailors ashore until after 10:30. The Laser and Laser radial were the first to head out to the racing area followed by the other classes but due to the rain, the expected SW Garbí wind did not begin blowing until midday; but it did so as forecasted, with an average of 15 knots and gusts of 18 to 20 knots.

And it continued to rain. While the 49ers struggled not to capsize when faced with open wind as they left the harbour, the Race Committee got racing underway in Charlie and Bravo area. By 13:00hrs all classes were sailing the first race of the day with gusty winds; the strongest wind conditions were registered in Alpha area where the 49ers sailed with 18 to 20 knots while the 470s and Finns sailed in lighter conditions, 10 to 12 knots in Bravo area. An average of 15 knots provided also good sailing for the Laser fleet in Charlie area.

Two races were completed by the Finn and 470s, three by the Laser and Laser radial while a total of 4 races were sailed by the 49ers in this cold, wet day.

The breeze registered today in the 470 and Finn course dropped around 15:00 hrs so after completing two races today the Race Committee decided to send the fleet ashore.

With two second places in today’s races Jan Kurfeld from Germany takes the lead in the Finn class from Austrian sailor Florian Raudaschl who is down to third overall. Alejandro Muscat from Spain won today’s two races and is up from fourth to second overall at only one point from the leader.

Hardly any changes in the top three places of the 470 women fleet. Spanish team Tara Pacheco and Berta Betanzos keep the lead with a sixth place and a win today tied with 12 points with Hannah Mils and Katie Archer from Great Britain who finished second in both races today. With 17 points, British team Sophie Wequelin and Sophie Ainsworth keep their third place overall.

The top two places in the 470 men remained unchanged with Jasper Wagner and Tobias Bolduan from Germany at the top of the standings followed by British team Ben Saxton and David Kohler who won today’s last race. Third place overall is now for Kévin Peponnet and Julien Lebrun from France who climb up from eigth place to third overall with a fourth and second place in today’s races.

With three races sailed today, the Laser fleet comes to the end of the opening series with a total of seven races completed. With two second places and a bullet in today’s races, Laser radial Italian sailor Francesca Clapcich climbs to the top of the standings while Spanish sailor Lucía Reyes keeps her second place overall with a first, second and fourth place today. Michelle Broekhizen, a member of the Dutch talent team climbs from fourth to third place.

The two members of the Laser Dutch talent team Sierk Jan Ter Haar and Douwe Broekens that led the overall Laser standard standings yesterday drop down to third and fourth place overall respectively, while French sailor Rodrigue Cabaz takes the lead with two second places and a third place in today’s races. A big jump from sixth up to second place overall for last year’s winner of the regatta, Alejandro Foglia from Uruguay, with two bullets and a fourth place is today’s races.

The leaders of the 49er overall standings from yesterday hang on to their places with Spanish brothers Alonso with two bullets today gaining an advantage of 8 points over second classified sailors from Portugal Bernardo Freitas and Francisco Andrade.

French team Axel Silvy and Ulysse Hoffman take third place from British team James Peters and Edward Fitzgerald who are now down to fifth place.

The top ten sailors in each class will battle tomorrow for the final victory in the medal race with a forecast of SW wind, average 12 knots and gusts over 17. Classes will be distributed in two racing courses. Classes 49er, 470 men and 470 women will sail in Alpha area while the Laser, Laser radial and Finn will sail in Charlie course with the first starts scheduled at 11:00hrs in both racing areas.

The Palamos Christmas Race is organised by the CLUB DE VELA PALAMÓS, CLUB NÁUTIC COSTA BRAVA, REAL FEDERACION ESPAÑOLA DE VELA and FEDERACIÓ CATALANA DE VELA. The 35th Palamós Christmas Race is an ISAF Ranked Event and a Eurolymp Event

RESULTS (after day four)

Laser Radial
1. Francesca Clapcich (ITA), 2-1-(8)-5-2-1-2, 13 points
2. Lucía Reyes (ESP), 3-4-(6)-2-1-2-4, 16 points
3. Michelle Broekhuizen (NED), (10)-5-4-1-3-4-5, 22 points
4. Mathilde de Kerangat (FRA), (8)-7-5-4-4-3-1, 24 points
5. Marie Menaldo (FRA), 1-6-(7)-6-5-5-3, 26 points

Laser Standard
1. Rodrigue Cabaz (FRA), 5-(19)-6-1-2-3-2, 19 points
2. Alejandro Foglia (URU), (17)-3-16-3-1-1-4, 28 points
3. Douwe Broekens (NED), 2-1-11-5-8-5-(13), 32 points
4. Sierk Jan ter Haar (NED), 1-4-2-(12)-5-12-9, 33 points
5. Pablo Guitian (ESP), 6-15-(27)-8-3-2-1, 35 points

Finn
1. Jan Kurfeld (GER), 3-1-1-(DNC)-2-2, 9 points
2. Alex Muscat (ESP), (9)-2-4-2-1-1, 10 points
3. Florian Raudaschi (AUT), 2-(5)-3-1-3-3, 12 points
4. Olexsiy Borysov (UKR), (5)-3-2-3-4-4, 16 points
5. Miguel Fernández Vasco (ESP), 6-4-5-6-5-(7), 26 points

470 Men
1. Jasper Wagner/Tobias Bolduan (GER), 2-1-5-3-(10)-5, 16 points
2. Ben Saxton/David Kohler (GBR), (12)-8-1-1-6-1, 17 points
3. Kévin Peponnet/Julien Lebrun (FRA), 4-(23)-12-7-4-2, 29 points
4. Marc Terrasa/Toni Terrasa (ESP), 5-4-(18)-9-9-3, 31 points
5. Niklas Dackhammar/Fredrik Bergstrom (SWE), 10-3-(15)-8-7-4, 32 points

470 Women
1. Tara Pacheco/Berta Betanzos (ESP), 1-3-1-(6)-6-1, 12 points
2. Hanna Mills/Katie Archer (GBR), 4-5-2-2-2-2, 12 points
3. Sophie Weguelin/Sophie Ainsworth (GBR), 2-2-5-4-4-5, 17 points
4. Marina Gallego/Ana Lobo (ESP), 3-6-7-5-1-3, 18 points
5. Marjalilsa Umb/Elise Umb (EST), 5-1-(6)-3-5-4, 18 points

49er
1. Federico Alonso/Arturo Alonso (ESP), 4-1-1-(6)-3-(6)-2-1-3-4-1, 20 points
2. Bernardo Freitas/Francisco Andrade (POR), 2-5-6-(BDF)-2-4-1-2-1-5-(7), 28 points
3. Axel Silvy/Ulysse Hoffmann (FRA), (14)-3-5-7-8-1-3-(DNC)-2-13, 33 points
4.Mathieu Frei/Yann Rocherieux (FRA), 3-7-2-1-(13)-(8)-5-3-4-7-2, 34 points
5.James Peters/Edwuard Fitzgerald (GBR), (16)-6-3-3-1-3-6-8-(10)-3-4, 37 points

Day 3
A light SW breeze blew in the bay of Palamos since the early morning with enough strength to get sailors to the racing areas for today’s races. After waiting for two days for the wind to arrive, the Race Committee did not hesitate to go afloat just after the forecast briefing to ensure racing could start in accordance with the schedule. The first starts of the day were made at around 11:30 but the wind was tricky thoughout the day.

The Laser could finally sail three races today and Spanish sisters Fatima and Lucia Reyes are first and second in the Laser radial overall results with a great performance today. Thirdplace is for Francesca Clapchich from Italy.

Brothers Federico and Arturo Alonso from Spain are leaders in the 49er standings with a total of seven races sailed since the beginning of the event. Second place is for Portuguese team Bernardo Freitas and Francisco Andrade (Buondi Caffè) followed by James Peters and Edward Fitzgerald (Ocenair) from Great Britain.

The lead in 470 women is still for Spanish team Tara Pacheco and Berta followed by British sailors Hannah Mills and Katie Archer and SophieWequelin and Sophie Ainsworth (Grainmarket properties) in second and third place respectively.

German sailors Jasper Wagner and Tobias Bolduan are at the top of the 470 men standings with 11 points advantge over British team Ben Saxton and David Kohler (Rola-Trac). Third place is also for Germany, with team Denny Naujock y Nils Schröder (Jonny).

Finn sailor Florian Raudaschl from Austria is now leading the Finn results followed by Ukranian sailor Olexiy Boryson, at just two points and third place is for Jan Kurfed (Audi STG) from Germany.

The Dutch teams dominate the Laser standard results with Sierk Jan ter Haar and Douwe Broekens (Sigma Medic) in the lead with nineteen points. Third place is for French sailor Rodrigue Cabaz.

Tomorrow will be the last day of racing before the Medal Race to be held on Wednesday.

The weather forecast announces SW wind 15 to 20 knots with possibility of rain at midday.

Full results available at event website click here