Sailors in one Paralympic and ten Olympic events competing at ISAF Sailing World Cup Mallorca – Trofeo Princesa Sofia ensured that their mistakes were kept to a minimum with fleets split in eight Olympic events.
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Photo: Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofia 2014/Jesus Renedo/Sofia |
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Photo: Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofia 2014/Jesus Renedo/Sofia |
Lucas Calabrese and Juan de la Fuente (ARG), Sofian Bouvet and Jeremie Mion (FRA) and Anton Dahlberg and Fredrik Bergström (SWE) share the lead in the Men’s 470 on four points apiece after three races.
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Photo: Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofia 2014/Martinez Studio/Sofia |
“You only have one discard in 11 races. So the most important thing is to be conservative. We are starting conservatively but we are really fast so we’ve managed to get on top after three races,” de la Fuente said.
“We are now thinking about doing something safe on the second day. We know we have to keep our strength for the rest of the regatta because it will be more difficult. Especially in Mallorca where everybody is really close.We’ll keep some energy for the third day,” Mion said.
The qualification series wraps up on Tuesday 1 April with two further races. Gold fleet racing commences on 2 April.
Women’s 470
The Women’s 470 fleet were the first off the water and it was Camille Lecointre and Hélène Defrance (FRA) who came ashore with the brightest start.
Lecointre and Defrance picked up a race win and a fifth from two races and having set the early pace Lecointre was content with her day, “The conditions were not easy. The wind was unpredictable so we just tried to go as fast as we could and guess the shifts so it was okay in the end.”
With 47-boats on the start line the racing has been tough, Lecointre added, “It has been a long time since we raced in a big fleet. It’s not easy when you have a bad start and the level has increased once again.
“With the conditions set to change at the end of the week there’s a long way to go.”
With the discard coming in after two races the French pair share the lead with Ukraine's Anna Kyselova and Anastasiya Krasko who took the second race win. However the Ukrainians finished down in 18th in the opening race.
Finn
Thomas Le Breton (FRA) started strong in the 92-boat Finn fleet with a second place and a bullet to take an early lead.
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Le Breton (FRA) Photo: Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofia 2014/Jesus Renedo/Sofia |
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Finn fleet Photo: Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofia 2014/Jesus Renedo/Sofia |
In the Yellow Fleet Luke Lawrence (USA) took the opening race win with Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic (CRO) coming through to take the second bullet.
49erFX
World #1 Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze (BRA) showed their worth in the 49erFX fleet taking two seconds and a race win.
The Brazilians have been the most active 49erFX racers on the international circuit and continue to produce when it matters. After the opening day they have three points and share the lead with Ann Kristin Wedemeyer and Pia Sophie Wedemeyer (GER) and Sarah Steyaert and Julie Bossard (FRA).
“It’s a great start to the first day of the World Cup,” said Grael ashore after racing. “We wanted to start the World Cup quite conservatively by not doing an OCS or by getting any letters on our score. That was the key point for the start.
“Tomorrow is also another day of qualification so we will try to have another low risk day.”
Having taken in ten regattas in just 16 months Grael has seen first-hand the progression of some of the girls and continues to push forward herself, “The class is now more than one year old and you can see a big difference between this year and last year. You can see all the teams have been training and working really hard.”
49er
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Photo: Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofia 2014/Jesus Renedo/Sofia |
Mathieu Frei and Yann Rocherieux (FRA) follow in second with Dylan Fletcher and Alain Sign (GBR) occupying third overall.
Laser
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Photo: Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofia 2014/Martinez Studio/Sofia |
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Photo: Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofia 2014/Martinez Studio/Sofia |
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Photo: Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofia 2014/Martinez Studio/Sofia |
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Photo: Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofia 2014/Martinez Studio/Sofia |
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Photo: Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofia 2014/Martinez Studio/Sofia |
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Photo: Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofia 2014/Martinez Studio/Sofia |
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Photo: Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofia 2014/Martinez Studio/Sofia |
China’s Chunzhuang Liu came out flying on the opening day of Men’s RS:X racing taking bullets from the first two races and adding a fourth in the final race of the day. The ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne silver medallist was devastatingly quick in the light breeze and leads on two points having discarded his fourth.
Hong Kong’s Ho Tsun Leung sits second overall on three points with Liu’s compatriot Chuakun Shi (CHN) third on four points.
Women’s RS:X
China’s Peina Chen opened up her week with two race wins and an eighth in the 56-boat Women’s RS:X fleet. Chen took gold at ISAF Sailing World Cup Qingdao and bronze at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne and continues her good form in Mallorca.
Chen leads on two points followed by Charline Picon (FRA) on five. Blancaa Manchon (ESP) is third on seven points.
Natalia Kosinska (NZL) took the days other race win but with two results out of the top ten she is down in eighth.
London 2012 Olympic gold medallist Marina Alabau (ESP) makes a return to the Women’s RS:X fleet having become a mother in September. She sits fifth.
Nacra 17
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Cammas/ de Turckheim (FRA) Photo: Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofia 2014/Jesus Renedo/Sofia |
The 73 registered Nacra 17’s are split up into two and racing in the blue fleet Cammas and de Turckheim were dominant in the light breeze. Federica Salva and Francesco Bianchi (ITA) remained consistent alongside the French pair in the blue fleet and sit second, a point behind.
World #1 Ben Saxton and Hannah Diamond (GBR) are in third followed by 2013 Nacra 17 World Champions Billy Besson and Marie Riou (FRA).
2.4mR
Helena Lucas (GBR) opened her regatta up with double bullets in the 16-boat 24mR flee. Compatriot and ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami gold medallist Megan Pascoe trailed Lucas in both of the opening day’s races to pick up two seconds.
Norway’s Bjornar Erikstad is third on seven points.
Trofeo Princesa Sofia Media
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