Dun Laoghaire (IRELAND) – 12 August 2021
Another exciting day with sun, sea and stormy squalls in Dun Laoghaire that tested the best of the best on Day 4 of the hotly contested ILC4 World Championships!
Winning this year’s world championships will certainly be hard fought and well deserved. Toady provided thrills, spills and an action-packed testing day on the water in Dublin for our sailors. With the qualifying series complete the sailors were divided into Gold and Silver fleets in both the boy’s and girl’s division and the lead changes just keep coming. Competitors launched with 18-20 knots out of the SSW but the 30 knot squalls that blew through separated the strong from the supper strong throughout an extremely testing day.
Another change at the top of the leader board in the Girl’s fleet tonight was well earned after Emma Mattivi (ITA) scored and impressive 2, 1 today to move one point clear of Petra Marednic (CRO). Gaia Bolzonella (ITA) moved from 4th overnight to 3rdoverall with a strong and consistent 1, 3 and as we look to tomorrow, its all to play for.
Eimer McMorrow Moriarty showed the true Kerry grit and determination that is drilled into the hardy sailors from Tralee Bay Sailing Club to hold onto the title as top Irish Girl (38th). Anna O’Connor (40th) is hot on her heals in the Girl’s gold fleet.
In the Boy’s division Martins Atilla (LAT) moved from second to first with a solid performance to record a 1, 5. Alexandros Eleftheriadis (GRE) slipped back to second overall with a 7, 14 showing just how difficult it was to find the podium today. Massimiliano Antoniazzi (ITA) climbed several places with a fantastic 2, 4. No one said it was going to be easy to lift the world title in such a competitive fleet and our overnight leaders are deserved of their enviable and hard-earned positions.
Rocco Wright representing Howth Yacht Club holds onto the position of top preforming Irish boy in 53rd. Archie Daly (58th) and James Dwyer (65th) make up the top three Irish boys in this world class fleet.
Tomorrows forecast is 18 to 20 knots with a further degree West in direction. These strong and gusty conditions will provide another test to determine who really has world class; preparation, fitness, boat handling skills and the killer mindset needed to set themselves up for victory on the final day of racing this Saturday. Competitors will be recharging their tired bodies and checking every part of their race kit after today’s gruelling test and we expect more fun, hotly contested and exciting racing on Dublin Bay tomorrow.
See full results for the boys and girls, gold and silver fleets.