MAJTHÃ?NYI And DOMOKOS Dominant

Hungarian sailors Szabolcs MAJTHENYI and András DOMOKOS take a perfect record into the lay day of the Flying Dutchman World Championship at St. Petersburg Yacht Club in Florida, USA. Two more bullets yesterday give the 2004 World Champions an eight point overall lead.

The wind exceeded 20 knots in gusts yesterday and steep waves challenged the fleet. There were several capsizes on each reach, the run and occasionally upwind on a tack.

Philosophy on upwind speed varied, with some boats just surviving, pinching and keeping the boat upright; the leaders planed upwind, striving to keep the crew’s feet on the rail. More than a few skippers will have bruises where their crew was slammed by a wave into them from the trapeze.

However, there was very little breakage on boats despite the swims and some spectacular three-sail crashes.

Hungarians Perfect

Two more wins for MAJTHENYI and DOMOKOS leaves them on a perfect five points with just three races of the scheduled nine remaining. Norman RYDGE and Richard SCARR (AUS) failed the finish the first race of the day, a result which drops them back to third place overall. Meanwhile two second places for Hans-Peter SCHWARZ and Roland KIRST (GER) keep them within shooting distance of the leaders, meaning, despite their flawless record, MAJTHENYI and DOMOKOS still have plenty to think about when racing resumes tomorrow.

US Champions from the host club Lin ROBSON and Eric BOOTHE (USA) managed to twice capsize while tacking and lost use of their spinnaker pole in the last race to drop to eighth overall.

Sunday is a day off with the wind expected to moderate for the final two days of the event.

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