Marin Micoulot and his French crew take the lead at the Youth Match Racing World Championship

But the French team can’t rest easy – close behind are the crew from the United States led by Justin Callahan, the second French team skippered by Ange Delerce, and the Danish team headed by Matias Rossing. Each of these crews has eight wins and is putting serious pressure on the leaders.

The qualification series will continue until tomorrow, with the goal of completing all 30 flights. The competition level is extremely high.

– The qualification series runs until tomorrow, or until we complete 30 flights. The fleet is incredibly strong, and the most challenging rivals are the teams from New Zealand, France, and Australia. All teams have excellent training programs in their home countries, so it’s tough to compete with them. Our goal for this regatta was to make it to the quarterfinals, and it looks like we’re on track to do that – which we’re really happy about – says Matias Rossing.

Today’s conditions highlighted just how intense the competition is. During the afternoon races on the Gulf of Gdańsk, the wind reached up to 20 knots. In such conditions, beyond solid technique on the RS21 boat, crew weight also played a key role.

– Our biggest advantage is our weight – we’re all quite heavy, which gives us good speed and power to drive the boat. The biggest challenge, however, is that we’ve only been racing together for a week, so we’re still learning to work as a team – adds Thomas Arthur-Jorgensen from Denmark.

The battle for victory in match racing begins as early as four minutes before the start, during the pre-start sequence, when the leaders often begin to emerge.

– My favorite part of match racing is the start – it can be unpredictable and requires intense focus. It’s also the most dynamic part of the race, so there’s always something happening. For the same reasons… it’s also my least favorite part – adds Thomas.

The Polish team HRM Racing also sailed excellently today. The crew won four out of five races. The afternoon breeze tested technical skills and experience, and the HRM Racing team showed their rivals how well they can trim the boat they’ve been racing on for a long time.

– Today’s results were really great and definitely better than yesterday, so we’re very happy. The conditions were ideal – at the beginning of the day, the wind was between 8 and 10 knots, and by the end, it picked up to 20. It was a very busy but productive day. We made only good decisions and worked really well together, which was key to today’s success – says Joanna Cymermann, mainsail trimmer for HRM Racing.

– Today’s races really boosted our confidence. The key was winning the first three races, and even after one loss, we managed to bounce back with another win. That left us happy and motivated for tomorrow. The last race was incredibly tough, as the fight continued right to the finish line. We’re not giving up – we’re still fighting for a place in the quarterfinals – she adds.

Eight flights are scheduled for tomorrow, which will complete the qualification series. If the wind conditions are favorable, the quarterfinals will begin immediately afterward.

Text and images courtesy of the Polish Yachting Association.