Korzits And Kokalanis Top Leaderboard At RS:X Europeans

Israel’s Lee-El Korzits and Greece’s Byron Kokalanis lead the women’s and men’s fleets at the RS:X European Championship in Bourgas, Bulgaria.

Champagne racing conditions in bright sunshine greeted the sailors as three races were completed in all fleets on the opening day. The men were tracking along the top reach from buoy 1 to 2 at 25 knots whilst the women were coming through at 21 knots.

In the men’s fleet, world champion Piotr Myszka (POL) and Kokalanis, in the orange fleet, had a ding dong battle all day. Byron with a 1-1-2 and Piotr with a 2-2-1 are now just one point apart. Back in 3rd overall, Nimrod Mashich (ISR) leads the blue group with a 4-1-1.

Richard Stauffacher (SUI) and Pierre Le Coq (FRA), also in the blue group, are fourth and fifth after a strong performance on the opening day.

Over in the RS:X women’s fleet, Korzits has a perfect score having stamped her authority on a strong fleet including Zofia Klepacka (POL) who is in second, Bryony Shaw (GBR), Blanca Manchon (ESP) and Marina Alabau (ESP).

Alabau blew the second start of the day and picked up 50 points so is carrying her discard already as is Olga Maslivets (UKR) who DNF’d the last race of the day

They say that you cannot win the regatta on the first day but you can certainly lose it right then and there by putting in a bad result and adding to pressure unnecessarily

These two amongst others have now got to be super consistent throughout and hope that 12 races or more races are completed so the second discard kicks in.