August 9, 2006
2 minutes reading time
Qualification Series Underway
181 competitors aged between 15 and 18 have taken over the waters of Santa Monica Bay to decide the Laser Radial Youth World Champions this week. Racing kicked off on Monday and the boys an girls fleets have both completed four races.
181 competitors aged between 15 and 18 have taken over the waters of Santa Monica Bay to decide the Laser Radial Youth World Champions this week. Racing kicked off on Monday and the boys an girls fleets have both completed four races.
Defending boys champion Blair MCLAY (NZL) has reached the age limit but four of his countrymen are in California to try and carry on a Kiwi tradition that has produced three of the last eight youth champions. An American has never won this event but as hosts, with 89 of the total entries coming from America, sheer weight of numbers could work in their favour.
In the girls event, this theory is so far working out and Claire DENNIS (USA) leads the pack with an excellent score of 13 points, twelve ahead of 2006 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship silver medallist Marit BOUWMEESTER (NED). In third place is another American, Sarah LIHAN on equal points with another Youth Worlds athlete Laura MAES (BEL).
Over in the boys fleet the top ten has a more international flavour and Turkish sailor Guney Can KAPTAN leads with four top ten finishes. In second place is Guilherme BARBOSA LIMA (BRA) with the first USA sailor Kyle ROGACHENKO in third. Youth Worlds gold medallist Luke RAMSAY (CAN) currently lies in fifth place after a less consistent performance, posting three top ten finishes but also counting a 22.
Racing continues with the boys fleet being split into gold and silver fleets later in the week.
Top Ten Girls – After Four Races
| Pos | Nation | Name | Race1 | Race2 | Race3 | Race4 | Pts |
| 1 | USA | Claire DENNIS | 1 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 13 |
| 2 | NED | Marit BOUWMEESTER | 7 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 25 |
| 3 | USA | Sarah LIHAN | 11 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 26 |
| 4 | BEL | Laura MAES | 2 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 26 |
| 5 | USA | Allie BLECHER | 5 | 15 | 2 | 5 | 27 |
| 6 | ITA | Francesca CLAPCICH | 10 | 9 | 11 | 2 | 32 |
| 7 | USA | Stephanie ROBLE | 12 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 38 |
| 8 | USA | Anne HAEGER | 6 | 11 | 9 | 14 | 40 |
| 9 | ESP | Susana ROMERO | 3 | 2 | bfd | 1 | 48 |
| 10 | GBR | Sarah WILLIAMS | 14 | 4 | 10 | 23 | 51 |
Top Ten Boys – After Four Races
| Pos | Nation | Name | Race 1 | Race 2 | Race 3 | Race 4 | Points |
| 1 | TUR | Guney Can KAPTAN | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 18 |
| 2 | BRA | Guilherme BARBOSA LIMA | 6 | 4 | 12 | 3 | 25 |
| 3 | USA | Kyle ROGACHENKO | 18 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 31 |
| 4 | NED | Gijs PELT | 15 | 4 | 7 | 15 | 41 |
| 5 | CAN | Luke RAMSAY | 10 | 3 | 22 | 7 | 42 |
| 6 | CAN | Kevin GRIERSON | 11 | 13 | 15 | 6 | 45 |
| 7 | ITA | Luca NASSINI | 13 | 10 | 6 | 17 | 46 |
| 8 | CAN | Mathew ARCHIBALD | 1 | 26 | 2 | 18 | 47 |
| 9 | IRL | Aidan MCLAVERTY | 12 | 15 | 16 | 5 | 48 |
| 10 | SLO | Dany STANISIC | 24 | 1 | 17 | 10 | 52 |
For a complete list of all the news about the Laser Radial World Championships CLICK HERE.