Late wind brings best conditions at African Laser and Laser Radial Championships

The wind was late arriving on the third day of racing at the Algerian National Sailing Centre. When it finally arrived it was the best of the week so far at nine knots giving the opportunity for stretching legs going upwind.

In the womens Laser Radial fleet there was a significant change in the top three nations chasing the two Olympic country places. The three way competition between Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt is now separated by a single point and all to play for after the leader, Imene Cherif Sahraoui (ALG) scored scored two third places after two close races. Innes Gmati (TUN) increased the pressure on the Algerian by scoring two wins which moved her up to second place on a tie break with Khouloud Mansi (EGY) who scored two second places.

The mens racing saw more place changes behind series leader Youssef Akrout (TUN) who has already qualified his country for Rio de Janeiro at the 2014 ISAF World Championship. Akrout led out the starting of the first race of the day but was caught by Ahmed Ragab from Egypt on the second upwind when Ragab went out to the layline. Ragab’s glory was short lived when Akrout re-took the lead on the last downwind leg. Behind him second overall Rodney Govinden had his worst race dropping from third to seventh on the last downwind. When asked what went wrong Govinden said “I don’t know. I had a brain lock!”