Following a day of more strong, hot breeze, racing was completed in both Mistral fleets, and the Yngling fleet, who all had two races. As a result, Dorte JENSEN (DEN) still leads the Ynglings, despite an eighth in race three, and a 17 in race four.
Race three, after a three and a half hour delay got started in a moderate, 15 knot easterly breeze that built up to around twenty knots as the day progressed, with stronger gusts. At the first windward mark, it was Kristin
WAGNER (GER), followed closely by Hannah
SWETT (USA) and Cathy
FOSTER (GBR) who led the charge.
On the second beat, most of the fleet played the left hand side of the course, in flatter conditions closer to the Andalusian shore, which seemed to pay. Ulrike
SCHUEMANN (GER) played best and by the second windward mark was up into first place, just, from Swett followed by the second German crew, skippered by Wagner, with Sally
BARKOW (USA) up into fourth place, a position she held to the finish.
Schuemann crossed the finish first, followed by Hannah Swett, with Kristin
WAGNER rounding up a good first race of the day for Germany, in a race that was as exciting to watch as it was to sail. The fleet split was apparent with the first ten boats, finishing fairly close, with a four minute split from first to last across the entire fleet.
Race two today, the fourth in the series for the Yngling fleet, was a windier affair than the first, and by the first windward mark Wagner, revelling in the strong wind, led the fleet, followed by her ever present team mate Schuemann. Chiara
CALLIGARIS (ITA) with Spanish sailor Monica
AZON nipping round in fourth.
The offshore side of the run was preferred by the front of the fleet, and in more waves they had all pulled out by the end of the leg. Again about two-thirds went inshore up the next beat and at the top mark Schuemann had overtaken her team mate to round in first, a position she was to hold for the remainder of the race, giving her two guns for the day.
Wagner, in second place and chasing hard, also held on to that position to the finish, followed by Azon in third. In the building breeze the fleet continued to spread out around the race track and that was the finishing order of the top three. Sharon
FERRIS (NZL) rounded just out of the top three, followed by ex 470 Olympic sailor Cathy
FOSTER (GBR) enjoying her best race of the regatta so far.
The fleet closed up a little on the last upwind leg of the course with the two German crews continuing to hold the fort at the front, whilst Betsy
ALISON (USA) had pulled up to fourth place on the final beat, leapfrogging Sharon
FERRIS.
Schuemann, by the finish had a commanding lead, and has proved today to be at one with the moderate to fresh conditions, all her training obviously paying off on the Bay of Cadiz. Following the first four boats, who had pulled from the pack, the rest came in rapid succession, rounding up an epic day on the Yngling course.
Tomorrow in Puerto Sherry we shall be seeing the first qualification races for the Star classes after racing was cancelled today. The Finns continue measurement and hold a practice race, whilst racing carries on for the Mistrals and Ynglings. After a lay-day, the final series of races start for the Europe class as the competition really gets going.
Measurement for the 470's continues in Rota, whilst in Elcano, the 63 nations competing in the Laser class, continue with kit allocation.
Full results from all of today's racing as well as photos are available on the Championship website via the link below.