Plasschaert takes the lead as light winds cut racing short at the ILCA 6 Women's World Championship

The breeze finally picked up around 13:00, and the first Gold Fleet race got underway at 13:15, followed by the Silver Fleet, in around 8 knots. Conditions varied between 7 and 9 knots during the race before slowly dying away to 4–5 knots by the finish.

After that single set of races, the wind dropped further still, to just 1–2 knots. The Race Committee held out for an hour hoping for it to fill in, but with the forecast pointing to no real breeze before 18:00, they raised AP over Alpha and sent the fleet ashore for the day, with no further racing.

The lone Gold Fleet race of the day went to Roos Wind (NED) — her first win at a Senior Championship, having only recently stepped up from the U21 to the Senior Worlds. The result lifted her from 30th to 14th overall.

Roos Wind (NED) was thrilled with her first Senior race win: “It was quite messy after the start, but I got into an okay-ish lane and somehow connected with the pressure. It was a really strange first upwind — the wind was all over the place — and I rounded in about eighth, but from there I just kept picking off boats one by one and was happy to win the race. We were all pretty close together at the gate, and then I saw there was a bit more pressure on the right than the left, so I kept going and sailed the boat fast. Once I got into that right-hand pressure, it was just hiking and sailing to the next mark from there.

“It’s cool to be in the Senior fleet now, improving year by year, and to win a Gold Fleet race is really nice.”

Emma Plasschaert (BEL) took second today, a result that continues to underline her strength in both strong and light conditions across these first three days. She now takes the overall lead on 9 points, ahead of overnight leader Charlotte Rose (USA), who finished 8th today and now sits second on 13 points. Mara Stransky (AUS), 22nd today, holds third on 34 points, with Matilda Nicholls (GBR), third in today’s race, fourth on 35.

Emma Plasschaert (BEL) reflected on adapting to the lighter conditions: “It’s always hard to go from a couple of days of really windy sailing, where you’re used to grunting through it, to suddenly getting a light day — it’s about keeping your eyes out of the boat, dealing with your luck, and taking the opportunity when you can. It’s tricky, so I usually try to reset before a day like today and approach it as a new regatta, basically.

“It was a tricky race, to be fair — at the start already, I think half the fleet was over, so they had to return, and I found myself with quite some space. I was in around 15th at the top mark, so still good and still able to catch up. Then we went around the gate, I got on a good shift and picked up a bit more breeze than the others, and from there me and Roos (NED) just went from wherever we were to 1 and 2. So yeah, pretty happy, and a little bit lucky too.“It’s one of those days where, if we’d done two or three races in these conditions, you’d really want to keep your points down. But with just the one, anything in the top 15 you’re happy with.”

Three races are planned for tomorrow, the second day of the Elimination Series, with the first possible warning signal at 11:00.

Text and images courtesy of ILCA Sailing.