Laser 4.7 Youth Worlds - Great day for Aussie sailors

by Michael Vaughan/Peter Campbell on 5 Apr 2012 Australia had a tremendous day of sailing at the International Laser 4.7 World Youth Championships in Argentina.

Tasmanian Anna Vaughan scored her second win and Victorian sailors Anna Philip and Jack Felsenthal also won heats.

Anna is still second overall, but only three points behind the leader, Celene Herud from Norway, in the 46-boat girls fleet, while Jack has jumped from eighth to a close fourth overall in the 71 boat boys fleet.

Racing began with a gentle breeze in the morning with a building current on the River Plate.

Anna had dreadful start with a Peruvian barging the line. However, the 16-year-old Hobart lass tacked away and went hard right, hitting the lead by the top mark and holding it for the rest of the race.

The rest of the race was virtually a match race with the Croatian sailor, Anja Hammerlitz, but after the last short beat Anna won by about a boat length.

After the first five races Anna had regained her overall lead in the championship from the Norwegian girl, who finished fourth.

Racing in the afternoon was in a building and shifting breeze with very strong current and steep, short, nasty waves.

The strong breeze sailors came to the fore, with Anna Philip from Melbourne, first, Jacinta Ainsworth (Qld) 11th, Maddie Salter (Tas) 15th and Anna Vaughan (Tas) 17th.

Celine Herud (NOR) missed the start by minutes, reportedly being preoccupied by a young Peruvian gentleman sailing in the boy’s championship. Celine finished 30th, but with this race dropped she still retained the regatta lead at day's end. Anna finished 17th but this is also a discard.

Jack Felsenthal won the afternoon race in heavy conditions with a superb display of boat control and a very cool head.

After being challenged by the second placed Italian sailor at the bottom mark Jack kept his nerve and showed amazing boat control to hold the lead in a very trying situation.

The two races were finished just before the arrival of a severe thunder storm over Buenos Aires.