Finn focus at the Delta Lloyd Regatta, Medemblik - Day Two
by Robert Deaves, IFA 29 May 2009 16:40 AEST
27-31 May 2009
A dramatic sea change on day two at the Delta Lloyd Regatta in Medemblik, Netherlands resulted in some very up and down results for the 63 strong Finn fleet. One man steering a steady course though is Giles Scott (GBR). After a second and third place today, the young Brit has a seven point lead over second placed Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic (CRO).
It proved a very long day on the water for some, but the wind gradually
increased from 8 to 15 knots during the day. The first race of the day went
to Daniel Birgmark (SWE). This is his first major outing since the Olympics
in Qingdao where he finished in a frustrating fourth place, and on the same
points as the bronze medalist. Mastering the shifting winds, Birgmark led
across the finish line followed by Kljakovic Gaspic and then Scott. Zach
Railey (USA) placed fourth to match his fourth in the first race.
Race three changed the landscape somewhat with several new faces at the
front. Rafael Trujillo (ESP) took the race win with the ever consistent
Scott in second and his team mate Ed Wright (GBR) in third. Wright has so
far been the runaway leader of the ISAF Sailing World Cup in the Finn class
with top two finishes at the last three regattas.
These results brought Trujillo up to third overnight with Wright climbing to
fourth. Railey posted a 18th after choosing the wrong side of the first
upwind to drop to fifth while Chris Cook (CAN) placed fourth to jump to
sixth. After a fifth and a sixth in the first two races, Dan Slater (NZL)
picked up a black flag in race three to drop out of the top 10 to 17th.
The Delta Lloyd Regatta continues through to Sunday 31 May, with the medal
race tracked live through the event website.