Venue Gets The Thumbs Up

Yesterday, saw the first official day of racing at the Athens Regatta 2003, the final test event before the 2004 Olympic Regatta. The sailing conditions were superb and feedback from the sailors show they are impressed with the venue and facilities.

Windsurfer Men – Mistral
With two races held yesterday, it is Joen VAN DIJK who is at the top of the leaderboard, with two second places, closely followed by the rising start from New Zealand Jean-Paul TOBIN, who placed 1, 6.

Ricardo SANTOS (BRA), also took a bullet yesterday, and combined with his seventh place in race 1, sits in third position overall.

No such luck for hometown hero Nikos KAKLAMANAKIS (GRE), who placed 8 and 5, to sit in fifth place overall.
Some surprising results for the world ranking leader Maxim OBEREMKO (UKR), who placed 9, 25 to sit in 17 place overall.

However, still early days, but there is no doubt this fleet of 25 Mistrals is going to see some interesting competition develop over the coming days.

Results after 2 Races – Click Here

Windsurfer Women – Mistral
Defending gold medallist, Alessandra SENSINI (ITA) opened the series as she means to go on, with a bullet in yesterday’s one race. Not too far behind was the 1996 Olympic gold medallist, Lee LAI SHAN, followed by Alison SHREEVE (AUS) in third. Too early for any surprises to come up yet, but we should Blanca MANCHON (ESP), who recently placed second at the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship, is ranked number 23 in the world, and in yesterday’s opening race scored a credible tenth place. Certainly a young sailor to watch.

Results after 1 Race – Click Here

Single-handed Dinghy Men – Finn
No sign of the Olympic medallists at the top after yesterday’s two races. Instead at the top is Ali Enver ADAKAN (TUR), who is clearly on a roll. Having only at the beginning of August broken into the world’s top 20 Finn sailors, moving in at 17 from 25, ADAKAN is clearly setting the pace in the Saronic Gulf. With postings of a 4, 1 ADAKAN sits just ahead of the second placed Rafael TRUJILLO (ESP), with Ben AINSLIE (GBR) in third.

Ben AINSLIE (GBR) commented, “The works at the venue have progressed a great deal and the venue itself is very impressive. It fully conforms to the standards of the 2004 Olympic Games. It’s just perfect, I could say! The only problem is the distances, as the venue is enormous. The course is a challenge, both when the northern winds are blowing, since the northern winds are very changeable, and when there is very little wind, as it is very hot, which is a problem for the North Europeans. The competition is of very high quality, because if you want to be successful in the Olympic Games you must be here this year. That at least is the case for my class, Finn, but I imagine it is also true of the other classes”.

The 23 boat fleet is complemented with the world’s best Finn sailors, and it is certainly early days. However, it is consistency that plays and we will see how the series evolves.

Results after 2 Races – Click Here

Single-handed Dinghy Women – Europe
The new ISAF World Ranking leader, Siren SUNDBY (NOR) finished yesterday’s opening day to sit atop the fleet with a 2,6 – an excellent result putting her just ahead of Lenka SMIDOVA (CZE), with Carolijn BROUWER (NED) in third.

The defending World Champion, Sarah BLANCK (AUS) placed 10, 9 and currently sits in seventh overall.

Serena AMATO (ARG), the 2000 Olympic bronze medallist, who has not been competing on the international circuit recently, is certainly showing her form in Athens and currently sits in eleventh place overall in this 27 boat fleet. AMATO has only competed in two ISAF graded events this year, hence her ranking position of 123.

Results after 2 Races – Click Here

Single-handed Dinghy Open – Laser
The Laser fleet is led by Daniel BIRGMARK (SWE), who placed 1, 8 yesterday, and sits ahead of Vazilij ZBOGAR (SLO) who claimed the other bullet in race 2. Not far behind is Mate ARAPOV (CRO), who placed a 8, 6.

Some close and excellent sailing yesterday, left the world ranking leader Paul GOODISON (GBR) in fifth overall and the indomitable Robert SCHEIDT (BRA) in ninth place after a 15, 4 scoreline.

Results after 2 Races – Click Here

Double-handed Dinghy Men – 470
Another crew continuing their ranking form are Alvaro MARINHO and Miguel NUNES (POR), who following their recent rise up the world rankings breaking into the top 10 at number 3, continue their form with a 1,4 in yesterday’s two races to lead the fleet.

They will have been pleased to see the world ranking leaders Andreas KOSMATOPOULOS and Kostas TRIGONIS (GRE) place an OCS along with Nathan WILMOT and Malcolm PAGE (AUS) in yesterday’s opening race, and as a result sit a fair way down the fleet. However, KOSTATOPOULOS and TRIGONIS were back on form for race 2 taking the bullet.

Konstantinos TRIGONIS (GRE) spoke after the first day, “The venue seems to be very good. There are of course some minor problems, for instance, no arrangements have been made for the transfer of athletes. Trees are also needed, marquees, and greenery in general. There has been no problem with the organisation, the staff has been very courteous, willing to assist and organized. The competition level is high. All the Olympic teams are here”.

Behind the Portuguese pair at the top of the leaderboard, sit Kristian KJAERGAARD and Mads MOLLER (DEN), followed by Gideon KLIGER and Udi GAL (ISR).

One of the biggest fleets, with 30 boats, it will be interesting to see how the competition shapes up.

Results after 2 Races – Click Here

Double-handed Dinghy Women – 470
Fairing better than their team mates in the men’s fleet, Sofia BEKATOROU and Emilia TSOULFA (GRE) have already secured an 8 point margin over the second placed crew as a result of their consistency in placing 1, 3 in yesterday’s two races.

After the disappointing news of being ousted from their spot as the world’s top ranked 470 sailors by Natalia VIA DUFRESNE and Sandra AZON (ESP) earlier in August, Sofia and Emilia will be delighted with their opening performance.

Keen in the first race saw Natalia and Sandra over the line to score an OCS, but showing their form they took a bullet in race two.

Behind the Greek pairing at the top of the leaderboard, are Vesna DEKLEVA and Klara MAUCEC (SLO) who took a 2, 10, followed by the WARD sisters, Susanne and Michaela from Denmark who placed 3, 11.

The defending Gold medallists Jenny ARMSTRONG and Belinda STOWELL (AUS) found themselves in the same OCS bunch as the Greek girls in race 1, and placed 15 in race 2 to sit in 21 overall.

Results after 2 Races – Click Here

Double-handed Dinghy Open – 49er
With three races under their belt, it is the American crew of Tim WADLOW and Pete SPAULDING who narrowly lead the fleet over the chasing Pietro and Gianfranco SIBELO (ITA) and Christoffer SUNDBY and Frode BOVIM (NOR).

Defending World Champions Iker MARTINEZ and Xavier FERNANDEZ (ESP) took a bullet in race 2, and place fourth overall.

Meanwhile, the world ranking leaders Rodion LUKA and Georghy LEONCHUK (UKR) sit in seventh.

Speaking on the venue Vasilis PORTOSALTE (GRE) commented:“The venue is very good, better than the ones at Barcelona and Atlanta. It’s very big but more greenery is needed. We have been well prepared and a lot of work has been done. The results will show it. It is a test and a very good training for the World Championships in Spain.”

Results after 3 Races – Click Here

Multihull Open – Tornado
The best opening day in terms of results was enjoyed by Darren BUNDOCK and John FORBES (AUS) who placed a double whammy of two bullets to lead the fleet.

However, demonstrating acute consistency the second and third placed crews each placed equally streamlined results, with Santiago LANGE and Carlos ESPINOLA (ARG) placing 2, 2 to sit in second overall, and Roman HAGARA and Hans Peter STEINACHER (AUT) placing 3, 3 to sit in third overall.

The world ranking leaders Xavier REVIL and Laurence GUILLEMETEE (FRA) did not enjoy such a good opening day, placing results of 14, 10 to place in 12 overall.

Results after 3 Races – Click Here

Keelboat Men – Star
The relatively recent rockstars in the Star fleet Iain PERCY and Steve MITCHELL (GBR) opened the series with a 1, 4 to lead the fleet. Closely chasing in second overall are Peter BROMBY and L WHITE (BER), ahead of another convert to the Star and formerly a Laser international, Serge KATS and Jean Pierre MARTENS (NED). Serge and Jean Pierre who are ranked at 43 in the world will of course be delighted with their opening day.

One of the world’s most renowned Star sailors Paul CAYARD with crew Phil TRINTER (USA) sits in fifth overall after an opening score of 10, 3.

After yesterday’s racing, Julio Alberto LABANDEIRA (ARG) commented: ” It is an honour to be the oldest competitor in the Sport Event. I have been sailing for about 40 years and as far as the venue is concerned it is huge and, generally speaking, very good. The best athletes have gathered here from all over the world, those that will be here next year for the Olympic Games of 2004. Everyone here has taken the Sport Event very seriously. Every country has brought many Managers, team leaders and coaches, craft and the like. It’s as if these were the Olympic Games. I am very satisfied. Many more things will be done of course, many trees are needed, but a year is plenty of time to do it all. The course is different every day. On the first day there was a lot of wind from the south and big waves. The day before yesterday the wind was completely different as it was coming from a northern direction and there were no waves. This is great because you have the opportunity to sail in different weather conditions, which means that the best competitor wins. Competition is of Olympic level; the top twenty craft from each country are here. The cream of the sailing community has gathered here”.

Looking through the results, it is interesting to note many of the usual high fliers in the Star Class mixing it with some more recent converts to the fleet, who have previously enjoyed exceptional careers in other Olympic classes.

Results after 2 Races – Click Here

Keelboat Women – Yngling
The new event on the block, the women’s keelboat, has seen a former Olympic Medallist in the 470 Class Ruslana TARAN topple the form to lead the fleet with crew Anna KALININA and Svetlana MATEVUSHEVA (UKR).

Ranked at number 35 in the world, TARAN will be working hard to qualify the Ukraine for Athens at the forthcoming ISAF World Championship in Cadiz.

Sitting behind the Ukraines, is the American crew helmed by Hannah SWETT, with crew of Joan TOUCHETTE and Melissa PURDY who placed a consistent 3, 1. Already a relatively significant 8 points margin, separates the top two crews over the third placed Annelies THIES, Petronella DE JONG and Annemieke BES (NED).

Results after 2 Races – Click Here