Strong Winds on Day Four

The event so far has been characterised by an increasingly building breeze making for some rock and roll sailing conditions and an exciting, competitive atmosphere at the event venue. The current leaders in both fleets are the most consistent with the leaders in the Sonar only two points clear of the field.

Event multiple World and Olympic Champion Hieko KROGER (GER), leading the 2.4mR class on the penultimate day by 10 points has not had it all his own way. Before scoring a string of top three results he had a 15 place finish on day one in the lighter conditions and clearly revels when the breeze builds.

Second to Kroger at this point in the regatta is Thierry SCHMITTER (NED) proving that the Dutch are a force to be reckoned with in this field of sailing. He has sailed a strong series so far, only once dropping out of the top five. Damien SEGUIN (FRA), a single point behind Schmitter, is filling the bronze medal position. All to play for on the final day of racing today.

Things are even closer in the three person keelboat, the Sonar class. Two points separate gold from silver going into today's racing, so expect some close, hard, Ainslie/Scheidt style racing for the final day in the championship.

Current leader Udo HESSELS (NED) and his crew have proved the consistent bunch so far in the regatta, but with only one win to their name against the four scored by second placed Dror COHEN, they could see themselves on the back foot today and need to score high to achieve.

There string of second places has seen their lead whittled down against the crew from Israel in second over the course of the week. But for some scores by Cohen and crew earlier in the week they would probably have a comfortable lead right now.

Today is the last day of racing when this year's IFDS Champions will be decided. Full results are available on the event website at the address below.

Overall Top Ten

2.4mR

Crew	Nat	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Points	Pos
KVOGER HEIKO	GER	-15	3	1	1	2	1	2	10	1
SCHMITTER THIERRY	NED	2	2	3	4	5	4	-17	20	2
SEGUIN DAMIEN	FRA	-9	5	4	2	4	2	4	21	3
THOMPSON PETER	AUS	1	4	-37	3	11	3	9	31	4
				OCS
STORDAHL JOSTEIN	NOR	-10	1	2	7	9	6	8	33	5
McLEAN MICHAEL	AUS	5	-20	6	6	12	7	5	41	6
ERIKSTAD BJOKMAR	NOR	-11	7	9	9	7	8	6	46	7
VAN.HOLSTEYN RUUD	NED	-21	9	5	11	18	5	3	51	8
Mc COY DANNY	CAN	7	12	-37	10	6	11	12	58	9
				OCS
MILLBAND ANDREW	GBR	-22	11	7	12	10	9	10	59	10

Sonar

Crew	Nat	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	Points	Pos
HESSELS UDO	NED	2	-4	3	1	4	2	2	2	16	1
VAN DE VEEN MARCEL
ROSSEN MISCHA
COHEN DROR	ISR	6	1	-7	3	5	1	1	1	18	2
VAXLER BENNY
LEVY MICHAEL
ROBERTSON JOHN	GBR	1	2	5	5	6	-10	7	5	31	3
THOMAS STEPHEN
STODEL HANNAH
TWOMEY JOHN C	IRL	5	3	-12	6	1	6	8	12	41	4
O'MAHONY BRIAN
Mc GRATH SEANIE
KROKER JENS	GER	3	7	1	7	-12	5	12	11	46	5
REICHL PETER
GROTE LUDGER
CASSELL ANDY	GBR	10	-18	4	10	2	9	6	8	49	6
SUCKLING ED
HARDING BRIAN
Mc CARTHY PAUL	IRL	7	5	11	4	13	-17	5	10	55	7
DOE CHRES
RYAN PAUL
MACKIE BRIAN	CAN	13	10	13	-14	7	8	3	3	57	8
TINGLEI PAUL
MAC DONALD BRIAN
BEN YAKOV SHIMON	ISR	16	11	6	-18	15	3	4	4	59	9
BARDA JOSEPH
EFRATI ARNON
KELLY KEN	CAN	12	-17	9	2	3	16	10	14	66	10
STEEL PETER
WESTERGAARD KIRK