Blanes’08 Yngling Women European Championship

30 March – 5 April 2008

club vela blanes

NEWS 01/04

Americans ahead at Europeans

On the first day of the Yngling Europeans in Blanes, Spain 3 races were sailed in sunshine and 8-12 knots of southerly winds. In the lead after the first day the team of Sally BARKOW (USA). With the series 4-1-4 the American team is having a good grip at the early stages of the regatta.

The weather situation in Catalonia in the northeast of Spain was complicated. It was explained to sailors and coaches at the morning weather briefing that a weather system area just to the north had strong winds and 30-40 knots had been measured only 30 km to the north. However the mountains shielded the Blanes Bay from this weather system and after the sun had heated the land enough a nice see breeze like wind stabilized. The first start was delayed about 2 hours waiting for the breeze to stabilize.

However the swell from the windy north came down to the race area and created two sets of wave patterns. This together with a current going against the wind created some difficulties for the sailors especially at the start. World Champion Sarah AYTON (GBR) and her team found themselves trapped on port tack in front of the fleet in the second start unable to find a gap to go down in. They were pushed above the line and forced to restart after an individual recall.

As usual in Yngling racing the time difference is small between the first and last boat in the fleet and it was very crowded in some mark roundings. The jury have received protests and displayed results are preliminary.

The weather forecast for tomorrow and the rest of the week is that the breeze will build later in the day and the Race Committee, with IRO Rafael 'Luky' SERRANO (ESP), have decided to change the schedule to a start time at 12:00 for the rest of the opening series.

Blanes (Girona) 01/04/08