10:38 AM Sat 5 Sep 2009 GMT
RS:X Windsurfing World Championships report on Women's and Men's divisions.
Race Day 1 - Women's Report
If the men were out on the ragged edge, the women's fleet were pushed even harder today. There was plenty of swimming and unscheduled flights over the handle bars but plenty of smiling faces after two races in the big breeze served up by the WPNSA today.
In the Women's Yellow Fleet, Marina Alabau [ESP5] was supreme posting two bullets. Marta Hlavaty [POL111] took second in the first race in front of Eugenie Ricard [FRA22] and Flavia Tartaglini [ITA46].
In the second, it was Flavia Tartaglini [ITA46], Agata Brygola [POL20] and Eugenie Ricard [FRA22] made up the first 4. This only because there were a lot of front runner crashing in the slalom section of the course.
If you could nail your jibes to day, you could pass a few swimmers in front and make up some places in the process.
Nikola Girke [CAN17] was one who suffered. She was leading the second race on the last downwind only to crash in the slalom and lose 6 places in the process.
Over in the Blue Group, it was Blanca Manchon [ESP1] who was first out of the gate never to be headed in the first race. Lise Vidal [FRA24], Maayan Davidovich [ISR10] and Charline Picon [FRA4] did the chasing.
Sadly, Blanca failed to shine in the second race of the day. Rounding the first mark in 5th, she slipped back to 7th at the finish. This time it was Marine Rambaud [FRA50] who pounced on the opportunity to lead from start to finish by more than a minute. A pretty stunning distance on the water!
Pauline Perrin [FRA81] climbed from the pack to take second thanks to her rock solid jibes. Angeliki Skarlatou [GRE3] and Laura Linares [ITA11] made up the top 4
So overall, It is Marina Alabau [ESP5) with the perfect score of 2. Flavia Tartaglini [ITA46] is 4 points behind in second. Then 3 sets of ties occupy the next 7 places. These will shake out tomorrow which is expected to be much lighter. The Forecast is for 10 knots so no doubt we'll see some new faces appearing at the front of the fleet.
Racing is on at 1100hrs tomorrow with a little bit less breeze in prospect so don't forget to drop into the RS:X Windsurfing World Championships Regatta Center to get all the news and live race updates.
Race Day 1 - Report Men's Fleet
30 knots of wind. 2 races for the men. Plenty of trips over the handle bars, crashes in the slalom section and unscheduled smack downs but the racers came in smiling. What a blast!
Today's racing on the flat water and strong winds has been a baptism of fire for many but it has also been hugely enjoyable.
Caspar Boumann [NED52] was blisteringly fast in the first race. He lead off the start and had established a 20 second lead by the first mark. Behind His team mate, Dorian van Rijsselberge [NED8] was in hot persuit with Nick Dempsey [GBR1] in third.
Dorian started to fade after the first downwind. First Nick passed him to take the second spot. Then Julien Bontemps [FRA6] and Toni Wilhelm GER319] went by to take 3rd and 4th. Dorian was back to 5th at the finish.
In the second, Yellow Group race, the experience of Nick Dempsey and Julien Bontemps [FRA6] was beginning to show. Dorian recovered his composure to take third. Ivan Pastor [ESP7] and Joao Rodrigues [POR75] asserted some authority and moved up into the top 5. Caspar sadly sank to seventh.
Over in the blue Group it was Przemyslaw Miarczynski [Pont - POL126] and Jon Paul Tobin [NZL151] took the first race. Pont was never headed but JP had to make the slowe climb from 6th to take second.
Back in 3rd was the Greek legend himself. Nikos Kaklamanakis [GRE1] now 41 years old climbed from 7th to overtake Nimrod Mashiah [ISR21], Ricardo Santos [BRA1] and Byron Kokalanis [GRE8]. Not bad for a guy who says he has only been back in training for a couple of months!
Pont [POL 126] took the second race with Nimrod and JP pushing him all the way. Not an easy day for him but he is still king of the big breeze.
Racing is on at 1100hrs tomorrow with a little bit less breeze in prospect so don't forget to drop into the RS:X Windsurfing World Championships Regatta center to get all the news and live race updates.
Results:
click here
by Rory Ramsden
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Sailing
