[photos: Robert Hajduk]
It was the kind of day only a sailor could love: dismal, low rolling grey clouds under a grey sky, and occasional rain squalls. So what’s to love? Winds in the 10 – 14 knot range, and enough shifts of a reasonable size to make it interesting, but not so much as to make it chaotic.
After the previous light-air day that was mostly about waiting for a breeze that never quite managed to arrive, today the wind was enticing sailors well before the first warning signal.
So the two fleets that were not able to complete a race on day 1, began with the first start of the day in each race area to “catch up” and then all fleets went on to race twice more. The “B” group of three boys fleets did have to move a little further offshore for the final set of races to get more room to set the course when the wind shifted to the left, but for the most part, conditions were relatively straightforward for the race committee.
For sailors, it was a chance to get an early idea how they might fare over the rest of the week. If the first three races are any indication, the sailors from Singapore have come to the World Championships prepared to compete. In the Girls division, Jodie Lai (Singapore) is the overall leader, having finished 3rd, 2nd and 6th in her three races. Another sailor from Singapore, Simone Chen, is a relative handful of points back in 4th place, having won two of her races after finishing about a third of the way back with a 23 in the first race. In between are Italian Giorgia Cingolani and Belgian Eline Verstaelen. Giorgia Cingolani said, “I liked the conditions today, and enjoy the challenge of shifting winds. My first race was not so good [15th]. I fouled another boat and had to take penalty turns on the water. But I finished with a 1st and a 2nd in the next two races, so that is better.”
The boys division is also led by a sailor from Singapore, Wonn Kye Lee. And just as in the girls division, another Singapore sailor sits in forth: Daniel Hung. In between are Jordi Lladó Durán (Spain) and Doruk Demircan (Turkey).
With only three scores in the books, it is way too early to try and figure out who is going to be vying for the Championship, but tomorrow should tell which sailors will be in the gold group.
Top 5 Provisional Results after Day 2
Laser 4.7 Youth Girls
1. Jodie Lai, Singapore (11)
2. Giorgia Cingolani, Italy (18)
3. Eline Verstraelen Belgium (20)
4. Simone Chen, Singapore (25)
5. Brooke Wilson, Australia (26)
4.7 Youth World Championships – Girls Division Provisional Results
Laser 4.7 Youth Boys
1. Wonn Kye Lee, Singapore (15)
2. Jordi Lladó Durán, Spain (16)
3. Doruk Demircan, Turkey (17)
4. Daniel Hung, Singapore (17)
5. Michael Compton, Australia (19)
4.7 Youth World Championships – Boys Division Provisional Results