Kenya`s first Sailing World Championship underway
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Fireball World Championship - Kenya`s first Sailing World Championship underway |
KILIFI, KENYA-(20-2-2003) The Safaricom World Fireball Sailing Championships racing began yesterday at Kilifi with a brisk breeze blowing over a sparkling sea, and a school of dolphins playing around the Committee boat, as if to see what was going on in their waters. The first six races this week are a warm-up event called International Week, with two races a day from Tuesday to Thursday. In the first two races on Tuesday the British boats established a firm lead, with Howarth / Townend taking first place twice and Wade / Wagstaff taking second place twice. The second day produced equally fine sailing conditions, with slightly lighter wind in the 3rd race picking up more strongly for the 4th. Two boats (skippered by Vincent Horey and Alex Bale) were over the line at the start of the 3rd and were disqualified for not returning to recross the start line. Malcolm Davies and crew Fiona Jump established a commanding lead and never looked back, winning the 3rd race easily. Horey and Bale made no mistakes in the 4th race and came in the winner, followed in by Howarth and Townend. The Kenya boats were led by John Trundell and Peter Hime who secured 13th and 10th places in the first two races and then on the Wednesday an excellent 5th in the third race. A fine performance was given by young Kenyans Omar Mbithi and Steve Ogada who improved from 26th in the first race to 18th in the 3rd - it would seem these young men are on the way up!
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Source: Event editor |