| ATHENS, GREECE-(20-8-2003) With 10-18 knots of wind today and tropical temperatures that predict the heat of competition of next year’s Olympic Games, the first two races have been completed as a start of the final Athens Test event.
Portugal`s Marino/Nunes have set the lead at the 470 Men with a 6 points difference on the nr. 2/3/4 who all currently have 11 points.
Within the results listing we find almost only the “big names” of World`s best 470 sailors. Compared to other major events, an Olympic event only allows the participation of the best that have been preparing and competing on equal bases for a period of three years.
This gives another view on results where also most experienced sailors like Braslavets/ Matvienko (UKR), Kosmatopoulos / Trigonis (GRE) , World Champions Cooke/Nicholas (NZL) and more have to accept a “bottom rank” after very close racing on the most high possible level after two races.
Dutch 470 Men Sven & Kalle Coster (NED 1) who sailed a promising 2002 Athens Test Events at 8th position aren’t unsatisfied with their results today that put them on an 8th position in the early phase of the Pre Olympic event.
“Today we chose for strategy by attack” said Sven. “In the first race we chose the right side of the course, which seemed to be the right one although we should have been more confident and finalize what we thought was right.” “We both fully agreed to run this strategy, like also the decision to tack too early which caused that we joined the fleet at approx. 20th position.” Kalle added.
During the race however, the Dutch brothers fought themselves back into the race gaining enough places to finish at 5th position.
During the second race a single inner loop was sailed in similar conditions. Kosmatopoulos / Trigonis (GRE) compensated their OCS of the first race by a perfect win on home waters in the secons.
After a very good first race, The Coster brothers put themselves in a difficult position in the second. “In the second race we started on the right side. We were forced to tack and chose the right side of the fleet. We had to decide whether to follow the fleet or chose our own side. We did the last, taking too much risk in opposite of what we did in the first race.” said Sven.
Fighting has more often seemed to be a point of strength of the NED 1 Team that has gained it’s nomination for participation at the Olympic Games at the last Spa Regatta. After rounding the first mark at almost last position they finished 16th.
It’s too early to make statements or predictions. Nevertheless, first points has been set, for some their early discard.
Racing tomorrow resumes at 12.00 local time with two races scheduled. The event schedule shows us two days of racing, one lay day until the 28th of August.
TeamCoster web site: www.teamcoster.com
Top 10 results of 22
1 MARINHO A S POR 1 - 4 / 5
NUNES M C
2 KJAERGAARD K S DEN 2 - 9 / 11
MOELLER M C
3 KLIGER G S ISR 8 - 3 / 11
GAL E C
4 MOLUND J S SWE 4 - 7 / 11
ANDERSSON M C
5 ZELLMER L S GER 10 - 6 / 16
KRABBE F C
6 ROGERS N S GBR 7 - 12 / 19
GLANFIELD J C
7 BONNAUD B S FRA 6 - 14 / 20
BONNAUD R C
8 COSTER S S NED 5 - 16 / 21
COSTER K C
9 ZANDONA G S ITA 20 - 2 / 22
TRANI A C
10 ISHIBASHI A S JPN 14 - 8 / 22
GOTO H C
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