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Light winds prevail during Easter Regatta
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| 20th International Easter Optimist Regatta - Light winds prevail during Easter Regatta |
| ROELOFARENDSVEEN, NETHERLANDS-(28-3-2005) During the Easter weekend of 2005 (25 – 28 March) the Yacht club Braassemermeer and the OCN (Optimist Club Nederland) organised the 20th International Easter Optimist Regatta. This year 268 young sailors from 13 countries competed fiercely to win this prestigious event. Even competitors from the United States of America, the Dutch Antilles, Malta and Greece were there to race!
Friday afternoon the 25th of March a practice race was held to give the competitors a chance to get used to local circumstances. Saturday and Sunday they were split up in 6 groups, competing amongst each other.
Saturday, the first official racing day of the Magic Marine Easter Regatta, had 3 races scheduled, but due to the light winds it became a tough day. First race started in light stable winds but during the second race the wind shifted a lot, still being about 5 knots. In both first races the pack came in closely, resulting in some photo finishes. Race 3 brought some sunny spells but more shifting winds. This and a lot of black flags made it a long day on the water after which all competitors enjoyed the dinner at the yacht club very much.
Both scheduled races of Sunday were sailed in winds of around 7 knots from easterly directions. All morning starts had one general recall after which the fleet went away okay except for a few black flags. Between the two races all sailors went ashore for a short lunch break. At 13:30hrs we had the start for race five which again had some general recalls but then good starts with a few black flags. Sunday’s races were sailed in the orange Magic Marine race leader jackets by Carl Strombeck (SWE) and Afrodite Kyranakou (GRE), the best boy and girl of Saturday's races. Most of the day there were sunny spells but at the end of the last race we had some rain.
After five races the top 4 was very close, with Afrodite Kyranakou leading, just ahead Jacob Lundqvist (SWE), Carl Strombeck and Philip Sparks (GBR)
Monday, the final day of the Magic Marine Easter Regatta started with foggy weather and no wind. All sailors went out but had to return ashore later because racing was impossible at that moment. Luckily wind came at the beginning of the afternoon so one of the two final races could be sailed after all, with about 4 knots wind from the North West. Afrodite Kyranakou (2nd girl at the European Championships last year) could keep up with here closest rivals and with a 7th place she secured her victory in the Magic Marine Easter Regatta, just ahead of Jacob Lundqvist and Carl Strombeck.
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Source: Bas van Grieken - Event Media |
