European Laser Radial Women's Championship 2007 Reports
July 27th to August 3rd 2007 - The Hague, The Netherlands
Day 6, Friday August 3rd, 2007
Final days racing.
Evi van Acker managed defend her title with a display of magnificent sailing. Elated and in high spirits she crossed the finish line. "She is so happy and she deserves to be for more than one reason!" her coach Wil van Bladel told us. Even before having sailed the last race she was certain of her victory. Evi will enjoy the festivities tonight but will need to be ready to pack tomorrow as she is leaving for the Pre Olympics in Qingdao.
The French Sarah Steyaert has shown that she belongs at the top. On the last day of the races she sailed a 3rd and 1st position, winning second place overall. Alberte Lindberg from Denmark sailed a 17th and 4th position. Though this can be seen as a mix of a good and bad day of racing, it did mean that she won bronze! For those who were cheering on the local talent of Gea Jutjens many were celebrating at the end of the day with her coming in 4th place. Gea has qualified for a half nomination for the Olympics.
Results
1. Evi van Acker (BEL)
2. Sarah Steyaert (FRA)
3. Alberte Lindberg (DEN)
4. Gea Jutjens (NED)
5. Larissa Nevierov (ITA)
Day 5, Thrusday August 2nd, 2007
First time all the top competitors sailed together and the pressure showed!
For only the second time in the Laser Radial World and European Championships the Race Committee was able to start on time. The small high pressure system that was over the course area yesterday was replaced by a weak low pressure that produced a steady 9 to 11 knot north westerly wind. The current was again a significant factor streaming from north, north east.
With the fleets now split into gold and silver it was the first time all the top competitors sailed together and the pressure showed. In the Women's European Championship fleet the building current held the fleet back behind the line and whilst not too strong the fleet split up the first windward leg. Half way up the leg there was a clear change in the water colour after which the current appeared to be stronger. A number of the women misjudged the current at the first mark including the top two overall, Evi van Acker BEL and Gintare Volungeviciute LTU who both approached the mark on port and got trapped by the starboard tack boats being swept onto the mark. Van Acker fouled another boat and then hit the mark in a raft that also involved Volungeviciute. By the time she had the done 3 turns she was back in the late twenties and found it impossible to make progress through the fleet. She and Volungeviciute both scored their worst result of the series. Eftychia Mantzaraki GRE took advantage of other's misfortune to lead home Andrea Brewster GBR and Tina Mihelic CRO.
The were no problems at the first mark of the second women's race. Van Acker sailed a conservative race finishing fifth to maintain her overall lead. Volungevicuite was looking set to challenge Van Acker's overall position by leading the fleet home when she was given her second yellow flag of the competition for infringing the propulsion rules on the last downwind leg and had to retire from the race. This left Gea Jutens NED to take the winning gun from Alberte Lindberg DEN. Their first and second elevated them to 2nd and 3rd overall behind Van Acker.
Two races more are scheduled for the final day. Both events are far from over
Provisional results after 6 races with 1 discard:
1. Evi van Acker BEL 11pts
2. Gea Jutjens 23pts
3. Alberte Lindberg DEN 26pts
Day 4, Wednesday August 1st, 2007
Evi van Acker from Belgium continues her dominance
A 4 hour wait afloat for competitors in the Laser Radial World and European Championships was rewarded with one race completed when an unexpected 9 knot sea breeze developed on the race area. Even more fortunate was the fact that it arrived just before the slack period of the spring tide.
Series leader, Evi van Acker from Belgium, continued her dominance of the Womens European fleet. After a poor start at the pin end she tacked across to the right hand side of the first leg and took the lead at the first mark. She increased her lead throughout the race to take the winning gun from Ausra Milevciute LTU by an impressive 54 seconds.
The fleet is now split into Gold and Silver for the remaining 2 days. One more race is needed to validate the championship and bring a drop race into the scoring.
Provisional results after 4 races without discard:
1. Evi van Acker BEL 6pts
2. Gintare Volungeviciute LTU13pts
3. Larissa Nevierov ITA 16pts
Day 3, Tuesday July 31st, 2007
Not enough wind and strong currents!
After no racing on the second day due to strong wind and waves over 2.5m high the third day of the Laser Radial World and European Championship was a complete contrast of not enough wind. The race committee started the two Women's European Championship fleets and the first of the men's World championship fleets under grey skies and a light north west wind. As the second men's fleet waited for the course to clear the wind died to below 5 knots and racing for the first three fleets was abandoned.
As the clouds cleared the breeze came back at 10 knots 25 degrees further to the west and the course was re-set. Each of the women's fleets started at the second attempt but the first of the men's fleets continuously pushed the line in spite of the black flag rule being in force. After 16 boats were disqualified for breaking the line during the minute before the start the fleet finally got away on the 4th attempt. The second men's fleet were far less trouble.
Defending champion, Evi Van Acker from Belgium, consolidated her overall lead by winning her fleet. Afterwards she said "I am very pleased. I had a good start and good speed and I led from start to finish". In the women's fleets the top sailors all handled the lighter conditons well except for Crotia's Gea Barbic whose 29th dropped her from 3rd to 15th overall.
It was a different story for the men. Overall joint leader, Douwe Boekens from Holland, said before the race "I was fast in the strong winds of the first day but it could be a different story if the wind goes light". His fears were well founded as he finished 15th in his fleet. "I had a disaster" he said afterwards. His disaster was not so great but it did drop him to third. His place was taken by fellow Dutchman, Eduardo Vianen who had previously shared the lead. His 5th place gives him a five point lead over the chasing pack.
The Race Committee attempted to start the second of three races scheduled at 1700 but abandoned their attempt as the spring tide produced a two knot cross course current making it virtually impossible for the boats to make forward progress when beating into the current on starboard tack in the 8 knot wind.
The qualifier series is extended into the 4th day and 3 more races are scheduled. However the building high pressure over the southern North Sea does not give much promise of winds of over 8 knots. Once again the only window for a race could be during slack water time.
Provisional results after 3 races:
1. Evi van Acker BEL 4pts
2. Gintare Volungeviciute LTU 9pts
3. Alison Young GBR 9pts
Day 2, Monday July 30th, 2007
Winds that had been expected for Sunday came on Monday
Monday was a long day of waiting. Winds that had been expected for Sunday came on Monday and early in the morning it was decided not to launch. There was a heavy swell coming from the United Kingdom, so it would have been difficult to get the dinghies through the surf. At 18:00 the Race Committee decided with a 3 meter swell it would not be safe to sail.
Expectations for Tuesday are good. There will be less wind and three races are planned for this 3rd Regatta day. The first start is at 11:00. More news, pictures and results can be found at: www.laserklasse.nl/radial2007
Day 1, Sunday July 29th, 2007
Strong winds and rain were expected for the first race day!
Strong winds and rain were expected for the first race day of the
Euros/Worlds Laser Radial in Scheveningen. Unfortunately the weather gods
were not well-inclined towards us and the day started with a drizzle and a
nice North-Easterly wind. Soon the sun came out and the wind picked up. At
approximately 10.00AM all 220 Lasers were on the water and this Championship
actually started.
Titleholder Evi van Acker (BEL) had a great start. With a first and a third Evi is now leading the fleet after the first day. Alison Young (GBR) started her regatta well too. With a 2nd and 4th she is second in the ranking. In third position Gea Barbic (CRO) has 1 point more than Alison Young.
The weather forecast for Monday is the same as for today: strong winds and high waves: a beautiful sailing day.