| PALAMOS, SPAIN-(27-12-2004) Trujillo in Finn, Garriga in Europe, Blanco in Laser and Padrón/de la Plaza in 49er leaders of the 29th Palamós Christmas Race. Light Northerly and frequent wind shifts delayed start of today’s races.
The day started with N wind, 5-7 knots with many wind shifts finally increasing its strength enabling all classes to sail one race and two races in the Tornado class. The Spanish crews lead the Finn, Laser, Europe and 49er standings.
Olympic Finn class silver medallist Rafael Trujillo (+39) showed his good level with a comfortable win in today’s race, starting his way to win a new edition of the Christmas Race, second was Dutch sailor Wietze Zetzema (Klen Drop) and third was British sailor Mark Andrews.
Neus Garriga, the Spanish Europe class representative in Athens won today’s race and is followed by Aina Gelpí (Coronel Tapioca) and Alexandra del Rosario.
In the Laser class, the win in Group A was for Spanish sailor Joaquín Blanco followed by Olympic medallist Austrian sailor Andreas Geritzer. Third place is for Jordi Capella. Group B is led by German sailor Mathias Rieck, followed by Paul Reck also from Germany and third place is for the Class European Youth champion Keir Clarke from Great Britain.
In the 49er Class, first place is for Alberto Padrón and World Champion Javier de la Plaza (Audi Canarias) followed by German team Jan-Peter/Hannes Peckolt and French team Many Dyen/Yann Rocherieux (Banque Populaire) in third place.
Favourable weather conditions enabled the Tornado class to sail two races today. Fernando Echavarri/Antón Paz (Telefónica Movistar), Olympic diploma in Athens, won the two races but were penalised for not signing the signature control forms and are second overall. First place is for German crew Johanns Polgar/Florian Spaltelholz followed in third place by Austrian team Thomas Zajac/Thomas Czajka (OTIS Marinepool).
The 470 men results are led by French team Fabien Delahaye/Etienne, followed by Spanish crew Francisco Sánchez Ferrer/Alejandro Ramos and third place is for Italian crew Enrico Fonda/Pietro Pietro Zucchetti.
Austrian crew Sylvia Vogl/Carolina Flastscher (Skandia) lead the 470 women standings, followed by Swiss team Emmanuelle Rol/Anne-Sophie Thilo (Delarive Groupe) and third place is for Spanish team Ariadna Herrándiz/Laia Tutzó.
The new Olympic single-handed woman class the Laser Radial is led by Italian sailor Anita Di Lasio, followed by German sailors Petra Niemann and Christiane de Nijs in second and third place.
Light, variable NW winds, 4-8 knots are forecasted for tomorrow.
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