Words and photo by www.waterhound.com: The second day of competition at The Techno Windsurfing World Championships saw San Francisco once again delivered near perfect conditions for racing.
With three races sailed the day prior day two’s action was limited to two races. Racing got underway by noon time and with a fresh 18-20 mph sea breeze once again blowing across both courses the two races were quickly wrapped up allowing for the sailors and their families to have the rest of the day to check out San Francisco. Currents also played a factor in the racing on this day with a nearly 3 knot flood tide pushing eastward on the sailors bows as they headed up wind. The infamous San Francisco fog made its presence felt as it lapped at the Golden Gate Bridge all day long never quite making it over the race course much to the delight, and the warmth, of both spectators and competitors alike.
The sailors were again split amongst the two race courses with both fleets doing 2 laps on a windward leeward course. The leeward mark is actually a gated mark allowing for some strategy to come into play as the sailors need to decide which side of the course they want be on as they head back up to the windward mark. While heading to shore does offer some relief from the current it is clear there is better wind pressure on the outside of the course.
The Under 17 girls saw Marion Lepert (USA 143) climb ever closer to locking up her second World Championship title of the month. Saskia Sills (GBR 956) however served notice to Lepert that this is going to be anything but easy.
Saskia put up a bullet for the days first race and then proceeded to back that up with a second place finish as Lepert regained her groove to close the day out with another win. Noelle Finch (GBR 703) dropped two spots on the day to finish in fourth while Imogen Sills (GBR 561) moved up a spot from third to second.
For the Under 15 Girls fleet it was Britain’s Emma Wilson (GBR 961) picking up where she left off yesterday; leading the fleet around the marks. Israeli Shai Blank (ISR 951) was putting the pressure on Wilson and finally got her on the day’s final race putting up her first bullet of the regatta. Emily Hall (GBR 714), also of Great Britain sailed consistently enough to maintain her third place overall standing in the rankings with Blank firmly entrenched in second.
The action in the Under 15 boy’s fleet saw a shuffling of the day one leader board with Italian Mattia Onali (ITA 134) making his move and assuming the top spot. Belarus’s Mikita Tsirkun (BLR 714) looked to be extending on his day one lead after winning the first race on the day but a 7th place finish in race 2 forced him to settle for second place position overall. Mitikia’s teammate from Belarus, Artiom Javadav (BLR 766), continued to sail consistently finishing the day in third place overall posting his two best results so far a second and a third.
Adam Purcell (GBR 62) of Great Britain chose to favor the outside of the course to stay in the fresher winds and it paid dividends for him in the Under 17 boy’s fleet. Purcell won the days first race in tight competition with Matthijs van ‘t Hoff (NED 216) and Hubert Aupinel (FRA 651) who took second and third respectively. Matthijs van ‘t Hoff was not done for the day by any stretch putting up an overall race win for the second race on the day. van ‘t Hoff currently sites in fifth place overall and has clearly found his speed, but will need Purcell to make some mistakes if he is to overtake him in the results. Kieran Martin (GBR 926) moved up the leader board and now hold third place if ever so slightly. Only one point separates the second through fifth place sailors while Purcell holds a commanding 10 point lead.
Over in the Open division Alejandro Monllor (PUR 1) continues to lead, but Julien Bouyer of France (FRA 192) showed he can channel his inner Antoine Albeau. Bouyer shares the same sail number as the famous French PWA star and he showed he has the right stuff to follow in Albeau’s footsteps taking the final race win of the day. Do not count out Japan’s Jun Ogawa (JPN 116) who sits in third overall. Ogawa is only 2 points outside taking over the top spot with lots of racing to come. A special note for French sailor Marc Lavaud who posted his best result of the regatta putting up a second place finish in the day’s first race.
The Raceboard action has settled in to a routine with Switzerland’s Vincent Huegenin commanding the action. Argentinean Fernando Consorte (ARG 155) and Jean Asia (FRA 171) of France all followed Huegenin around the course to carbon copy 1-2-3 finishes in both races.
The competitors will be treated to some world class hospitality at the St. Francis Yacht Club tonight and then racing continues tomorrow, Friday July 22nd, on the San Francisco City Front with a first possible start at 11am.
Day 2 Photo Gallery http://mpora.com/videos/FVR7omW9S
