July 10, 2006
2 minutes reading time
Wind Deserts Gdynia
It was a frustrating weekend for the sailors at the ISAF Grade C1 Laser European Championship, after the wind deserted Gdynia, Poland. Saturday and Sunday saw only one race between them, with a fifth place enough to keep defending champion Paul GOODISON (GBR) clear at the top.
It was a frustrating weekend for the sailors at the ISAF Grade C1 Laser European Championship, after the wind deserted Gdynia, Poland. Saturday and Sunday saw only one race between them, with a fifth place enough to keep defending champion Paul GOODISON (GBR) clear at the top.
The second day of the Europeans began with no wind at. By 1600 local time and following on from a thunderstorm, the sailors finally had their chance to get on the water. The youth fleet managed to complete a shortened course, but the senior races were abandoned.
On Sunday, the light conditions continued with the wind hovering between one and six knots. The senior fleet completed one race, with bullets going to Bernard LUTTMER (CAN) and Max BULLEY (SUI). Martin TRCKA‘s (CZE) second place pushes him up to second overall, level on 15 points with Roope SUOMALAINEN (FIN), seven points behind GOODISON. Patryk KUCZYS-LUTOMSKI (POL) came in sixth and is fourth overall, with a third place for Luka RADELIC (CRO) pushing him up into the top five. Elsewhere, Olympic silver medallist Andreas GERITZER (AUT) put a big dent in his title hopes when he went OCS, whilst a DNF (following a black flag in race two) for Mate ARAPOV (CRO) means the runner up in the European standings last year is all but out of contention after just three races.
Up And Down Day
Amongst some of the other pre-regatta favourites, World number two Vasilij ZBOGAR (SLO) climbed back towards the top ten with a finish of seventh, whilst ISAF World Sailing Games Champion Tom SLINGSBY (AUS) began his fight back from a terrible 28, OCS start with a sixth place.
The youth fleet also got in one race, with the tricky conditions seeing 16 competitors black flagged. Rutger VAN SCHAARDENBURG (NED) took the bullet, whilst overall leader Danijel MIHELIĆ (CRO) came in third.
The Laser European Championships comprises a twelve race series, with two races scheduled per day from Friday 7 July through until the Medal Race on Wednesday 12 July.
Top Ten
| Pos | Nation | Name | R1 | R2 | R3 | Pts |
| 1 | GBR | Paul GOODISON | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 |
| 2 | CZE | Martin TRCKA | 12 | 1 | 2 | 15 |
| 3 | FIN | Roope SUOMALAINEN | 1 | 3 | 11 | 15 |
| 4 | POL | Patryk KUCZYS-LUTOMSKI | 6 | 3 | 6 | 15 |
| 5 | CRO | Luka RADELIC | 14 | 5 | 3 | 22 |
| 6 | CRO | Milan VUJASINOVIC | 9 | 1 | 17 | 27 |
| 7 | SWE | Rasmus MYRGEN | 20 | 6 | 3 | 29 |
| 8 | SWE | Johan WIGFORSS | 19 | 6 | 4 | 29 |
| 9 | POL | Maciej GRABOWSKI | 13 | 4 | 13 | 30 |
| 10 | SWE | Arvid CLAESON | 4 | 8 | 23 | 35 |
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