The new ISAF Sailing World Cup format limited to 40 boats per fleet is stirring up exceptional competition in Hyères following another day of ups, downs and unpredictability.
Close, tactical racing with minimal separations across the ten Olympic and two Paralympic has excited the world’s top sailing athletes with tomorrow’s (Sat) fleet racing to decide the positions for Sunday’s live Medal Races.
Light, shifty breeze was present across the five race courses and racing got underway in a variable breeze between 3-8 knots.
Laser Radial
In the Laser Radial, Evi Van Acker (BEL) edged ahead of Anne-Marie Rindom (DEN) following a 7-2 compared to the Danes 12-3.
Van Acker tops the leader board on 19 points with Rindom second on 25 points. Gintare Scheidt (LTU) is third.
The eighth placed Marit Bouwmeester (NED) and fourth placed Josefin Olsson (SWE) secured the day’s victories.
Ireland’s Annalise Murphy is currently lying in 38th position out of the forty boat fleet going into tomorrow’s (Sat) last day of fleet racing before the medal race on Sunday.
49erFX
It was another successful day on the water for Ida Marie Nielsen and Marie Olsen (DEN) who remain in the top spot of the 49erFX leader board. However, inching ever closer to the Danes are Lisa Ericson and Hanna Klinga (SWE) in second place after gaining an impressive two bullets and a 30th which they will discard. The Swedish duo claimed second place at last year’s ISAF Sailing World Cup Final in Abu Dhabi and are firmly on track to claim another podium place in Hyères.
ISAF Rolex World Sailors of the Year Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze (BRA) round off the top three places.
The Irish 49erFX sailors Andrea Brewester and Saskia Tidey are lying 31st in the 40 boat fleet
49er
Peter Burling and Blair Tuke (NZL) used up their drop score in the 49er by scoring a 20th in the ninth race of the series. Two thirds preceded the 20th and as a result they are 37 points clear of Jonas Warrer and Anders Thomsen (DEN).
The day’s race wins were secured by Erik Heil and Thomas Ploessel (GER), who are fifth, Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen (AUS), who are eighth, and the ninth placed Marcus Hansen and Josh Porebski (NZL).
The Irish pairing of Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern are lying 27th in the 40 boat fleet prior to the final fleet racing tomorrow (Sat) before the medal race on Sunday
Paralympic Event – Sonar
In the lighter conditions today in the Sonar, France’s Bruno Jourdern, Eric Flageul and Nicolas Vimont-Vicary were on incredible form claiming both of the day’s wins, firmly proving that the lighter conditions suited their sailing style.
After a third and a discard of sixth place Colin Harrison, Jonathan Harris and Russell Boaden (AUS) slipped down into third overall.
John Twomey and his crew Austin O’Carroll and Ian Costelloe finished in 6th spot in the 7 boat fleet today
With the final day of fleet racing scheduled for tomorrow (Sat) it will be down to the wire to see which sailors claim a spot in the Medal Race on Sunday for their chance to win a share of the €72,000 prize pot and a place at the ISAF Sailing World Cup Final in Abu Dhabi in November.
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