New Champions Crowned on Lake Ballaton

Two races were raced yesterday, after the previous day’s postponement, both in excellent sailing conditions, with lots of teams that still had the chance to achieve the best result.

From the beginning the teams leaded by Pichuguin (UKR), Winkler (GER), Auteried (AUT), Wossala (HUN), Gyenese (HUN), Antoncic (SLO) and Maschkiwitz(GER) were on the fight, all of them waiting from the morning wind….then it came a very nice northerly wind wind from 12-15 knots blowing on the lake.

The sixth Race finished close to noon. Balázs GYENESE (HUN) led his team perfectly into second, just as Farkas LITKEY who’s team came into the third place from the fifth, while the Westel Team finished on the 7th position. The Ukrainian Pitchugin with his present 5th place were very close to the World’s title, because the German boat (GER 297) finished further back.

Pichuguin/Timokhov/Yarovoy finished the championship showing why they stand on the highest place, wiining the last race with category folllowed by Mastchkiwitz who made an impressive championship.
Carl Auteried who scored a 12 and an OCS finished 5th on the championship beated closely by the Hungarian team’s from Geyenese and Wossala(Westel’s team).

The 2003 world championship level had his difficulty increased as direct result exemple were the final points between the second and seventh postions where only had five elapsed points and two different ties; Different wind conditions were sailed and some really tuff shifts; Big fleet from 11 different countries and three continents.

The only missed ones were the two last world champions Bill ABBOTT from Canada and Gustavo WARBURG from Argentina and the legend Stu Walker from USA. After this event the soling class showed a recovery and new talent sailing on it after loosing most of the professional sailors who dropped out when the boat lost the Olympic status.

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