The Official
Website of the
International
Sailing Federation

Thunder, rain and lightning postponed the I.O.D.A. Challenge Cup for Team Racing for several hours this morning. Looking at a possible weather disturbance, or Tropical Wave, the Race Committee paid close attention to the radar and at 1200 gave the "go ahead" signal for the 16 teams to hit the water.

As this might be the most exciting part of sailing, the RC decided to place the race course just in front of the jetties, where everyone could watch the competition and have a front row seat for some incredible spectating!

China and Great Britain came through the first round undefeated to square off against Croatia and defending world champion, Argentina. The action, in a word, was AWESOME! All teams gave the on-lookers plenty of thrills as the Optis spun, carved and sailed circles around each other on flat water in 22 knots of breeze, hoping to eliminate the competition. Argentina won the Team Racing with only one loss to China (in the first round) and celebrated by jumping off their boats at the finish line. They proceeded to sail to the crowd on shore, turtle their boats, then dance on the upturned hulls. Wonder how long it took them to wash the mud off their sails?

The final order was:
1. Argentina
2. Croatia
3. China
4. Great Britain

The IODA team-racing programme, while looking complicated on paper, depends on the simple principle of elimination after two defeats until a final round robin of four teams. Match results were as follows:

Round 1
ITA defeated USA
ESP defeated THA
GBR defeated MAS
JPN defeated PER
NED defeated NZL
CHN defeated ARG
BRA defeated SIN
CRO defeated SLO

First Repechage
USA defeated THA - eliminated
PER defeated MAS - eliminated
ARG defeated NZL - eliminated
SIN defeated SLO - Eliminated

Round 2
ESP defeated ITA
GBR defeated JPN
CHN defeated NED
CRO defeated BRA

SECOND REPECHAGE

JPN defeated USA - eliminated
PER defeated ITA - eliminated
ARG defeated BRA - eliminated
NED defeated SIN - eliminated

Round 3
GBR defeated ESP
CHN defeated CRO

Third Repechage
JPN defeated PER - eliminated
ARG defeated NED - eliminated
CRO defeated JPN - eliminated
ARG defeated ESP - eliminated

Round Robin Finals
ARGENTINA: 3 WINS

CROATIA: 2 WINS
CHINA: 1 WIN
GREAT BRITAIN: 0 WINS

Today is a rest day before, the individual championship continues on
Thursday.