| HYÈRES, FRANCE-(26-4-2004) Sailors and racing committees were ready to spend the day ashore after a weather forecast predicting poor sailing conditions. Luckily, the “Meteo” was wrong once again. By early afternoon, the wind was still very light but settled and most classes were racing under a bright sunshine.
Team New Zealand tactician, Hamish Pepper is leading the 159 boats Laser fleet after winning the 2 races of the day. The New-Zealander has just won the Olympic selection after a controversial trial in his country. The results at the top are very close with Gustavo Lima (POR), Andreas Geritzer (AUT), Robert Scheidt (BRA) and Paul Goodison (GBR) within 6 points of regatta leader. To note also the performance of Kevin Lim from Malaysia who won 2 races in the regatta. A 22nd in the last race is relegating him to 16th placing overall. With 50 countries engaged in the Laser regatta, this is by far the widest representation ever experienced in any event in Hyères.
The Tornados were the first to complete their 2 races. The course, set for light conditions, was short and with the wind picking to 8 knots, the fleet finished race #3 under 30 minutes. The second race followed quickly and was doubled in length. Dutch team of Mitch Booth and Herbert Dercksen are taking the lead of the fleet after winning the first race and placing 4th in the second: unusual results for these sailors known to excel in stronger breeze. The second race was won by the Americans Lovell/Ogletree, who are conserving their 2nd position in the overall results.
In the 2.4, early leader Thierry Schmitter from Holland is now down in 7th position after a premature start in the first race of the day. He wins the second from Allan Smith (GBR). Vice World Champion from France Damien Seguin is now winning the scoreboard with consistent results (2; 3; 3). The first women, Helena Lucas is in third position. She is leading the British trials in front of Allan Smith only 2 points behind.
The Bonnaud brothers from France conserve their lead in the 470 class after winning a second race. They are only 3 points ahead of the British team of Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield. Simon Cook and Alistair Gair (NZL) won race #3 today to place 3rd overall in the 74 boats fleet.
In the women, the 4th race was abandoned at 6.30 PM after 30 minutes of racing when the wind nearly died. The Slovenian Vesna Dekleva and Klara Maucec won the only race of the day ahead of the Swedish team of Torgersson/Zachrisson and New-Zealanders Hesson/Dickson. The “Kiwis” climbed to the first place of the classification with a 5 points margin on Spanish Via Dufresne/Azon and French Petitjean/Douroux. Class favorites Bekatorou/Tsoulfa, the Ward sisters and Australians Armstrong/Stowell are struggling in the light conditions. They are respectively placed 13th, 12th and 11th in the overall results.
In the 49er, fresh from their World Championship title, Iker Martinez and Xavier Fernandez mastered the light conditions to win today’s both races. The Spanish are taking the lead of the fleet with 10 points over the Swedish team of Netterlid/Lindberg. The SOF is an important event for the Spanish teams who are playing here their last selection. The Swedish and Dutch have also to satisfy in Hyères their National Olympic Committee criteria.
Russian, Vladimir Krutskikh is conserving the first place in the Finn class after scoring a 4th place today. Andrew Simpson won the race in front of Emilios Papathanasiou. The Greek is now in second position in the overall position in front of young Ukrainian Oleksij Borysov.
In the Yngling, Shirley Robertson is still in control of the fleet with Russians Basalkina/Ukraintcheva/Loukacheva and Ukrainian team helmed by Ruslana Taran (UKR) in 2nd and third position. Double Olympic medallist in the 470, Taran gained victory in the first race of the day and placed 4th in the second. The second race was won by French Olympic representative of Anne Le Helley,l Elodie Lesafre and Marion Deplanque.
It was close to 7 PM when the Europe class finished their only race for the day. Siren Sundby showed again her talent by leading the 89 boats fleet across the finish line. The Norwegian has been collecting titles and medals for the last 2 years and is a hot prospect for Athens. Blandine Rouille from France is in second position overall in front of Shen Xiaoying from China.
Because of the light conditions, the Racing Committee decided to cancel racing in the Mistral class.
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