Bryony Shaw continues to hold on to 2nd place during a challenging second day for the women’s RS:X racing.
The women’s RS:X competition opened in testing conditions on the Centre Course off Bathers Bay on Wednesday, 7 December, proving a challenge to athletes who had not experienced 15 knot winds for some days.
But after three races for both fleets, Israel’s Lee Korzits holds the lead from Bryony Shaw (GBR) and Marina Alabau (ESP).
World number one Blanca Manchon sits in thirteenth place overall and veteran windsurfers Alessandra Sensini (ITA) and Jessica Crisp (AUS) are in 15thand 16th places respectively.
Yellow Fleet
The Yellow fleet started with Europeans dominating the top five in race 3, including a surprise climb from Marina Alabau (ESP), who shot from 12th place to first.
The star of Monday’s racing – Lee Korzits (ISR) – maintained her stronghold in second place, only eight seconds behind Alabau.
But Alabau’s win was only temporary. She ended race four 18 seconds behind Korzits, the winner.
Race 5 saw some different athletes take the lead, including Sigrid Rondelez (BEL), Laerke Buhl-Hansen (DEN) and Zhu Hali (CHN).
Blue Fleet
Race 3 saw a battle between some of the biggest names in women’s windsurfing.
Bryony Shaw (GBR) claimed victory over world number one Blanca Manchon (ESP) who came second, with Alessandra Sensini (ITA) third.
Also right up there were Charline Picon (FRA) and Maayan Davidovich (ISR) in fourth and fifth places.
A wind shift in race five saw a dividing line of sailors. While Shaw continued to starboard, Picon made a daring move in the opposite direction. Blanca Manchon followed Picon, a move which paid off handsomely with a win for Manchon.
The world number one was in good spirits after the race, vowing her change of tactics had been a success.
“Before race three, I spoke to my coach to work out a plan for the wind direction and considered the possible options. I was the only one who saw the wind in the direction it was in, so I just had to concentrate on my mark and get ahead,” Manchon said.
Women’s RS:X competitors will be back on the Centre Course at 1200 local time Thursday.
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