|
Day 5 The disappointment of losing a day of racing yesterday was forgotten as soon as the 280 sailors in the Laser Radial Youth World Championship left the harbour and were greeted with a 20 knot northerly and challenging waves. Throughout the week it has been a case of getting a race when you can and today was a good example. Faced with a forecast of light winds for the final day the race committee scheduled and completed 3 races for each fleet and were still ashore before the end of the afternoon.
The youth female start was the only one to be recalled in the first race of the day. Racing was close between Susana Romero Steensma ESP, Mathilde de Kerangat FRA, Sabine Isambert FRA , Chloe Martin GBR and Cushla Hume-Merry NZL. Hume-Merry and Teensma both improved in the last third of the race to finish first and second. In the second race Sarah Gunni DEN had established a big lead by the 2nd upwind that she held until the finish with Tuula Tekanen FIN filling the runner up position. Tekanen's second place put her in the runner up position behind Steensma as the overnight leader, Anne Haeger USA, could only manage a 14th and 17th.
Approaching the windward mark for the first time in the third race of the day Tuula, on starboard tack, was hit by a port tack port. The collision resulted in a large hole in the Finnish boat and she had to retire. The international jury gave her redress and she is now only 5.6 pts behind Steensma who finished 7th in the last race of the day. Out in front De Kerangat scored her first win of the series after an exciting battle with Gunni.
In the male youth fleet the series leader, Thorbjoern Schierup from Denmark was once again the best sailor on the course. Starting conservatively in each race he worked his way through the fleet in each race to win the first and third races of the day and finish 3rd in the second race. The only person near him on the water was Austjralian, James Burman, who finished second to Thorbjoern in the first race and won the second race. Trying too hard in the third race he capsized at the end of first downwind when lying second to Slovenian Luka Domijan. In spite of a quick recovery he had let Thorbjoern and Gijs Pelt NED through and finished 6th.
Schierup only needs one good result tomorrow to take the male youth title.
Two races are scheduled for the final day | News archive:
Youth WC
Final DayDay 5Day 4:Day 4Report day 3Day 2 Youth Worlds, Report by Jeff MartinReport day 1 Youth WorldsLaser Radio
EC/WC Laser RadialReport finaldayReport day 5Report day 4Report by Jeff Martin day 3Interview with titleholder Evi van Acker (BEL)EC/WC, Day 1, Sunday July 30th, 2007TrainingFree WirelessSafety & Conduct rulesSharing coach boat?Training on forehandLaser (Radial) RadioMobile homesCommittee vessel
|
