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14 December 2005, 12:13 pm

Clear Leaders

Laser Radial Youth World Championship 2005

Fortaleza, Brazil

Blair MCLAY (NZL) and Federico MELO (POR) continued where they left off at the Laser Radial Youth World Championship in Fortaleza, Brasil yesterday. They again both won the two races in their respective fleets and remain tied at the top of the leaderboard with the rest of the fleet trailing in their wake.

In the 22 knot winds that eased to 17 knots for the second race of the day MELO had the easier time of it getting to the first mark first in both races and then extending his lead throughout. MELO said, 'It was a little more windy but the conditions are good for me. They are similar to my home club, Cascais in Portugal.'

Behind him in the first race Antonis TZORTIS (GRE) held his second place on the first downwind as Australian James BURMAN took a number of boats to get to third at the first downwind mark. Thereafter the positions remained unchanged.

The second race was a lot more exciting. Igor LISOVENKO (RUS) took second after being fifth at the first mark and then trading places with BURMAN, Ryan SEATON (IRL), Max ANDREWS (NZL) and Fred STRAMMER (USA).

MCLAY had to work a little bit harder. He took up the story, 'In the first race there was a big right hand shift on the first beat which I managed to get and got to the first mark third behind Ivan TARITAS [(CRO)] and Jorge GARCIA [(ESP)]. I passed them both on the first downwind.'

TARITAS held his second place to finish ahead of Blake WARNER (USA) who had been in the hunt throughout. Overnight third, Daniel JAKOBSSON (BRA) lost his fifth place finish for being early over the start line.

MCLAY was one and half minutes clear in his second race, too far away to see the drama unfold on the last reach as the chasing pack traded places. At the final downwind gate JAKOBSSON, lying fourth crossed from behind TARITAS in second and Kyle ROGACHENKO (USA) in third. As ROGANCHENKO tried to re-take JAKOBSSON his exuberance was penalized by the jury and he had to do two turns which cemented a fourth position behind JAKOBSSON and second placed TARITAS.