April 14, 2004
3 minutes reading time
Two Days Of Racing Completed
After two days of racing, Nicolas HUGUET (FRA) and Alessandra SENSINI (ITA) are leading their respective classes at the Mistral World Championship at Cesme, Turkey.
After two days of racing, Nicolas HUGUET (FRA) and Alessandra SENSINI (ITA) are leading their respective classes at the Mistral World Championship at Cesme, Turkey.
Huguet has put in some strong results, three bullets in six races, to lead the fleet ahead of team mate Julien BONTEMPS (FRA) who sits 6 points behind.
A move back up into a medal position for the 2003 ISAF World Champion Przemek ‘Pont’ MIARCZYNSKI, a position he will be hoping to hold in his preferred stronger conditions which are currently on offer in Cesme.
Nations who are chasing the final seven Olympic Qualification places on offer in the men’s event and who are currently lying in strong positions include Switzerland with Richard STAUFFACHER currently placed 48 overall, Mexico with David Miery TERAN in 53 overall, Korea with Duckpil OK in 58, the Czech Republic’s Tomas MALINA in 66, Tunisia’s Foued OURABI in 75, Bulgaria’s Vesselin NANEV in 83 and Austria’s Martin SANDRIESER in 84. Behind these seven countries, sit Uruguay, Seychelles, Belgium and Slovenia.
Top 20 Men After 6 Races
| Helm | Nation | Race 1 | Race 2 | Race 3 | Race 4 | Race 5 | Race 6 | Total Points | |
| 1 | Nicolas Huguet | FRA | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | (BFD) | 8 |
| 2 | Julien Bontemps | FRA | 4 | 1 | 6 | (14) | 1 | 2 | 14 |
| 3 | Przemek Miarczynski | POL | 3 | 2 | (18) | 12 | 4 | 1 | 22 |
| 4 | Nick Dempsey | GBR | 7 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2 | (8) | 24 |
| 5 | Nicolas Beudou | FRA | 2 | 8 | 1 | (11) | 7 | 6 | 26 |
| 6 | Tom Ashley | NZL | 2 | 10 | 2 | 10 | (16) | 2 | 26 |
| 7 | Joeri Van Dijk | NED | 3 | 11 | 10 | (13) | 1 | 4 | 29 |
| 8 | Toni Wilhelm | GER | 10 | 3 | 5 | (32) | 8 | 4 | 30 |
| 9 | Fabrice Hassen | FRA | 1 | 6 | 9 | (32) | 8 | 7 | 31 |
| 10 | Ricardo Santoz | BRA | 5 | (17) | 4 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 31 |
| 11 | Gal Fridman | ISR | 7 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 3 | (18) | 32 |
| 12 | Jon-Paul Tobin | NZL | 8 | 2 | (15) | 1 | 6 | 14 | 33 |
| 13 | Samuel Launay | FRA | (12) | 8 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 11 | 33 |
| 14 | Piotr Myszka | POL | 13 | 3 | 11 | (14) | 6 | 3 | 36 |
| 15 | Alexandre Guyader | FRA | 14 | 7 | 12 | (17) | 4 | 1 | 38 |
| 16 | Ertugrul Icingir | TUR | 4 | 9 | 3 | 9 | 21 | (29) | 46 |
| 17 | Moritz Martin | GER | 26 | 5 | (42) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 46 |
| 18 | Maxime Oberemko | UKR | 11 | 6 | (15) | 9 | 14 | 6 | 46 |
| 19 | Kevin Stittle | CAN | 9 | (22) | 13 | 8 | 5 | 17 | 52 |
| 20 | Ivan Pastor Lafuente | ESP | 10 | 9 | 7 | 15 | 13 | (BFD) | 54 |
Sydney Olympic gold medallist Alessandra SENSINI of Italy continues to lead the women’s fleet from the 1996 Olympic gold medallist Lee Lai SHAN of Hong Kong. Barbara KENDALL of New Zealand, who won silver at the 1996 Games and bronze at the Sydney 2000 Games, is third overall. Defending world champion, Lee KORSITZ lies in 5.
For many of these sailors whose nations are already qualified to the Olympic Games, their performance at the Mistral World Championships will determine their final selection to represent their nation on the startline in Athens.
There are six nations pursuing the five remaining slots in the women’s event, with Cyprus, Tunisia, Hungary, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Russia all in the frame to claim their place. Cyprus is currently the top placed of these nations, with Gabriella HADJIDAMIANOU sitting at 44.
Top 20 Women After 4 Races
| Position | Helm | Nation | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Total Points |
| 1 | Alessandra Sensini | ITA | 1 | 1 | -8 | 1 | 3 |
| 2 | Lai Shan Lee | HKG | 7 | 2 | 3 | (DSQ) | 12 |
| 3 | Barbara Kendall | NZL | 4 | (8) | 2 | 7 | 13 |
| 4 | Jessica Crisp | AUS | (27) | 9 | 6 | 3 | 18 |
| 5 | Lee Korsitz | ISR | 5 | (25) | 5 | 12 | 22 |
| 6 | Romy Kinzl | GER | (23) | 5 | 12 | 6 | 23 |
| 7 | Faustine Merret | FRA | 10 | (20) | 1 | 17 | 28 |
| 8 | Natasha Sturges | GBR | 2 | 10 | 16 | (23) | 28 |
| 9 | Jian Yin | CHN | (28) | 4 | 10 | 15 | 29 |
| 10 | Jeanne Mailhos | FRA | 12 | 6 | (20) | 13 | 31 |
| 11 | Jannicke Staalstorm | NOR | 15 | 12 | (34) | 5 | 32 |
| 12 | Lisa Vidal | FRA | 14 | 7 | 13 | (16) | 34 |
| 13 | Sigrid Rondelez | BEL | 9 | (28) | 24 | 2 | 35 |
| 14 | Mingshuang Lai | CHN | (DSQ) | 3 | 26 | 8 | 37 |
| 15 | Charline Picon | FRA | (29) | 21 | 9 | 9 | 39 |
| 16 | Anja Kaeser | SUI | 8 | 13 | (33) | 20 | 41 |
| 17 | Anna Galecka | POL | 19 | 17 | 7 | (21) | 43 |
| 18 | Synthia Gros | FRA | 6 | 16 | (23) | 22 | 44 |
| 19 | Masako Imai | JPN | 20 | (23) | 22 | 4 | 46 |
| 20 | Olga Maslivets | UKR | 17 | 14 | 15 | (30) | 46 |
Today is a layday for the men, but the women are scheduled to sail a further twor aces to get back on schedule. The Championship continues through until the 17 April. A total of 12 races are scheduled in each of the men’s and women’s events.