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After two days of torrential rain, the first race of the 2008 Open 470 European Championships look started on Sunday afternoon in classic Riva conditions. The 119 boats, 86 men and 33 women, from five continents and representing 32 countries, are split into three seeded men's and one women's fleet, sailing on two separate courses.

Race 1 began in bright sunshine and wind at around 8 knots. On the Alpha course, the women's fleet had a fairly processional race, with little place changing from the start. Sylvia VOGL and Carolina FLATSCHER (AUT) sailed extremely well from the start, taking the race, followed by Annina WAGNER and Marlene STEINHERR (GER), with Henriette KOCH and Lene SOMMER (DEN) in third.

The men's red fleet, joining the ladies on alpha course, saw more place changing as it became clear that the eastern cliffs were paying. The race was finally taken by Sven COSTER and Kalle COSTER (NED) followed by Mikhail SHEREMETYEV and Maxim SHEREMETYEV (RUS) and, close in third Fabio PILLAR and Samuel ALBRECHT (BRA).

On Brava course, the men's blue and yellow fleets were doing battle. The yellow fleet went off first and immediately split 50/50 right and left. It became clear, to those in the yellow fleet, and the following blue fleet that there was better pressure on the left side, again towards the eastern cliffs. A left handed shift arrived when the blue fleet were halfway up their first beat, staying there and adding advantage. The boats taking best advantage of the conditions included, in the yellow fleet, the final winners, Sergei DESUKEVICH and Pavel LOGUNOV (BLR), who were followed by Bart PEETERS and Olivier BAKKER (NED) and Alexandra GOLTZ and Mathias GRUNING (GER) in third. In the blue fleet, the race was taken by Steven LE FEVRE and Steven KROL (NED), with Javier CONTE and Juan DE LA FUENTE (ARG) second, closely followed by Luke PATIENCE and Chris GRUBE (GBR). With wind dying towards the end of the race, the PRO held the boats for a while, hoping for increased pressure, but, when it did not arrive, all boats were sent home for the day.

Results - click here