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20 October 2006, 02:36 pm

Racing Underway In Japan

Enoshima Olympic Week 2006

Enoshima, Japan

The ISAF Grade 2 Enoshima Olympic Week began in Japan today, with light winds greeting the competitors. Ruslana TARAN and Olena PAHOLCHYK (UKR) were one of the star teams of day one, leading round the course to win the only race in the 470 fleet.

Makoto TOMIZAWA (JPN), the leader of the Men's RS:X fleet said that it was pumping conditions right around the course for their second race, as the big autumn high pressure stayed right on the area and the eight knot breeze died away toward the end of the second race.

TARAN and PAHOLCHYK, the only overseas competitors at the regatta, dominated from start to finish in the mixed 470 fleet. The Ukrainian Olympic bronze medallist from Sydney have been in Japan for a week now to train with the Japanese 470 national team. For Ai KONDO and Naoko KAMATA (JPN), silver medallists at this year's ISAF Grade W 470 World Championship, it was their first 470 regatta after Rizhao. They were far back at the first mark, and from there, recovered to sixth at the finish.

Racing is scheduled to continue through until 22 October, with the youth sailors joining those from the Olympic Classes on Saturday.

Isaf TV

Lithuania's Juozas Bernotas came out on top in the Men's RS:X whilst Russia's Stefania Elfutina was triumphant in the Women's RS:X. Both sailors claim the first Abu Dhabi ISAF Sailing World Cup Final spots whilst Jock Calvert (AUS) and Joanna Sterling (AUS) picked up the Oceanic spots for the Emirati finale.

A tight group of five young Papua New Guinean (PNG) Laser sailors are stepping up their 2015 Pacific Games competition program using this week's ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne. PNG is one of 33 countries represented at the important Oceanic event, the largest Olympic sailing regatta in the southern hemisphere.