Dave Kneale / Volvo Ocean Race
I have just trained with my new crew for one week. We didn’t come here to win medals or anything, we just came to get experience...
Monday 12 July 2010, 11:30 GMT
At the end of day 1, a different nation leads each of the eight classes with Poland, Spain, Denmark and Great Britain in a close battle for the Volvo Trophy for the best performing nation.
In contrast to the wet and unstable conditions of the practice days, the first day of racing started with a light north-westerly breeze of 5 – 7 knots and warm, dry conditions.
The wind faded in the afternoon and most fleets were only able to complete two races, but the 29ers managed to complete their schedule of three short races.
RS:X
In the RS:X boys division, Wondoo Cho of Korea has started his campaign in great form winning both races. “It was very light winds, the first race about seven knots but dropping in the second," he said. "I finished first in both races, so I am very happy.
“In the first race I broke a batten but managed to fix it. I have been getting good starts," he added. "We have the same conditions in Pusan where I come from, so I like these conditions.”
Second spot overall is held by the Spaniard Mateo Sanx who scored two second places today. The current RS:X Youth European championship bronze medallist, Omer Sofer (ISR), is third overall.
In the girls RS:X fleet it was another young Israeli sailor, Ofir Halevy, the current RS:X Youth European champion, who gave a commanding performance to score two bullets in the light conditions which were very similar to the conditions at home in Tel Aviv.
“I won the first race and the second," she said. "For me its perfect conditions. The races were really long and I am tired but I am ready for tomorrow.”
Izzy Hamilton (GBR). who battled with Ofir all the way down to the wire for the title at the recent RS:X Youth Europeans, sits in silver position after day 1, with two second places. Laerke Buhl-Hansen from Denmark is in third place.
420
In the 28-boat 420 girls fleet, Khairunnisa Mohd Afendy and Ameira Izla Zulkefli of Malaysia came ashore quite surprised by their opening day lead. Skipper Khairunnisa explains, “I have just trained with my new crew for one week. We didn’t come here to win medals or anything, we just came to get experience.”
In a competitive 420 boys fleet of 30 boats the Japanese pair of Hiroki Yamaguchi and Tetsuya Isozaki scored two straight bullets to take an early lead ahead of the Spanish crew of Jordi Xammar and Joan Herp who finished the day on seven points, two points clear of Jao Villas Boas and Tomas Camelo.
29er
Despite being one of the heavier crews in the 18 boat 29er fleet, Henry Loyd Williams and Sam Batten started their championship with a consistent 4,2,1 score line to end the day in the lead.
Behind them are the French pairing of Gael Jaffrezic and Julien Bloyet and Kiwis Alex Maloney and Sam Bullock, who were unfortunate to snag a plastic bag whilst leading which dropped them a number of places to end the second race in eleventh position, but they recovered to take third in the last race.
“We had a good, consistent day." commented Henry Loyd Williams. "We are happy with our results but we have a lot of work to do to hold our position. There were some gusty patches and holes in the wind which made for some interesting racing.”
Laser Radial
The course areas for the two laser fleets were switched with the 420 and SL16 courses after yesterday's practice race, so that the single-handed sailors did not have sail as far from the venue.
In the Laser Radial boys fleet, Italian sailor Giovanni Coccoluto and the host nation competitor Levent Ahiskali went head-to-head. Both snatched a first and second place with Kiwi Thomas Saunders in third.
World Cup Final fever hit the dinghy park today and in the Laser Radial girls class, Spanish sailor Patricia Coro and Michelle Broekhuizen (NED) battled it out in the first race. Broekhuizen led for the majority of the race, but Coro eventually pipped her to the post to take the lead. “She may have won on the water today,” said Broekhuizen, “but we will win tonight at the match!”
In the second race of the day Broekhuizen dropped to 16th, ending the day eighth overall. Coro finished with a tenth in the second race to be in the bronze position after day 1 but at the top of the table, consistent results from Paulina Barwinska (POL) and Chiara Steinmuller (GER) gave these two girls the top two spots.
The Danish brother and sister team of Nicolaj and Daniel Bjornholt and the French crew of Antoine Dljou and Guillaume Le Croq had a good start to the championship in the eleven boat SL16 fleet, ending the day on equal points, three points clear of the Australians Chase Lurati and Paul Darmanin.
Race tracking is used for a different fleet each day and can be viewed at: www.onlineracetrack.net.
For results and more details on the 2010 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship visit: www.isafyouthworlds.com