IFCA SLALOM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, HYERES, FRANCE – DAY 2
Michal Polanowski and Valerie Ghibaudo take the lead

+++ Hyeres (France), October 4th 2007.

The wind teased the competitors and the organisation of the IFCA Slalom
World Championships almost the whole day. Several times the riders were sent
out when the race crew was sure that the conditions are stable. And as often
the competitions needed to be abandoned as the wind dropped under the limit
of 11 knots again. But in the evening the conditions finally improved and
allowed one slalom for the men and even two for the women in wind speeds
between 14 and 20 knots.

The Polish hotshot Michal Polanowski (POL-16, Starboard, Neil Pryde) was
able to win the first slalom elimination of the IFCA Slalom World
Championships 2008 in Almanarre, Hyeres (France). On the second place
followed the French hotshot Florent Renard (FRA-5, JP, Neil Pryde). Pascal
Toselli (FRA-916, JP, Neil Pryde) managed to defend the third place against
Hubert Mokrizyki (POL-25, Tabou, Gaastra) from Poland and Carlo Rotelli
(ITA-44, Starboard, North Sails) from Italy. The Italian Slalom Champion
Andrea Cucchi (ITA-1, Starboard, Point-7) positioned himself in front of the
British slalom expert Dan Ellis (GBR-52, Fanatic, Naish Sails) and Adriaan
van Rijsselberghe (NED-2, JP, Neil Pryde) from the Netherlands. The top-10
are completed by Antoine Questel (FRA-99, Tabou, Gaastra) and Damien Le Guen
(FRA-86, JP, Neil Pryde), both from France.

Valerie Ghibaudo (FRA-444, Tabou, Loft Sails) was not able to compete on the
first day and missed one race. But now she had a brilliant entry into the
regatta. With two bullets she took the lead straight away with the optimum
of 1,4 points as the third race brings the first discard. On the second
place follows Verena Fauster (ITA-31, F2, Gaastra) from Italy with 4,0
points. After a fifth place on the first day she improved an scored two
seconds today. Fanny Aubet (FRA-808, Fanatic, Neil Pryde), the surprise
winner of the opening day confirmed her great performance with a fourth and
a fifth place today and is currently third with 4,7 points in front of
Olivia Piana (FRA-51, Tabou, Neil Pryde, 7,0 points) and Marion Raisi
(FRA-213, Exocet, Gaastra, 9,0 points).

For tomorrow morning the forecasts predict strong wind that should go down
in the afternoon. To achieve the maximum output the Skippers meeting will be
already at 7:30 and the first possible start at 8:00. So it will be a short
night for riders and organisation!