After a week of varied conditions in Lake Garda, the Olympic Garda Eurolymp Grade 2 ISAF regatta came to a close on Sunday.
The level of success was positive for the high number of races ran in every class, in spite of the weather being changeable and even quite stormy at times to say nothing of being quite cold.
There were a high number of international participants (40) with the technical standard in some fleets at World Champion and Olympic medal level. Upper Lake Garda consistently produced good winds enhancing the venue's reputation as a good host for big sailing regattas.
The medal races took place in a light northerly breeze and more or less confirmed the positions on the podium that the previous races had already set.
Star
A great performance from Croatian Lovrovic, who in the last two days knocked the World Champion of 2009
George Szabo (USA) off the lead. Lovrovic managed to stave off his American adversary in the medal race keeping him two places behind, but it was enough to give him the gold medal. Szabo finished in second place, nine points behind and third was German Matthias Miller.
49er
The Italian brothers
Pietro Sibello and
Gianfranco Sibello comfortably won the medal race and took home the Olympic Garda 2010 gold medal with an 11 point lead over Portuguese crew of Freitas and Andrade. Third place went to Makono and Takahashi of Japan.
Mens 470
Unbeatable from the first day were Argentinians
Lucas Calabrese and
Juan De la Fuente winning the medal race as well. An excellent result for the Dubbini Brothers (ITA), who in two days have continued to improve to finish in second spot, coming second in the medal race. Dropping to third place was another Italian pair of Zandonà and Zucchetti with a seventh in the medal race.
Womens 470
A decisive victory for the Japanese crew of
Ai Kondo and
Wakako Tabata, who finished first in the medal race, followed by fellow Japanese team mates Yoshiisako and Okuma. Italy's Conti and Micol finished fourth in the medal race and third place overall just one point from the silver medal.
Laser Standard
Despite placing ninth in the medal race, Spaniard
Javier Hernandez took the gold medal. Silver went to Adonis Bougiouris of Greece and Bronze to the Argentinian Julio Alsogaray.
Laser Radial
Mexican
Tania Elias Calles Wolf won the gold medal with a 13 point lead over Fatima Reyes of Spain. Third place went to Lithuanian Scheidt. Alicia of Spain outperformed the fleet by winning the medal race but because of several DNC or DNF finishes she didn't get beyond 8th place overall.
RS: X
First place went to
Richard Stauffacher of Switzerland, second to Tomyzawa of Japan and third to Hyungk of Korea. Multi champion Alessandra Sensini has taken advantage of this event to prepare herself for the European Championship which will taked place in July.
Womens Match Racing
Australian
Katie Spithill favourite going into this event, did not disappoint, easily beating Brit Katie Archer by 3-1. The other Brit Mary Rook beat Italian Lorenza Mariani who finished fourth.
The women's Match race a new Olympic discipline, took place on Lake Ledro at the local Associazione Vela, who at the end of August will organize the grade 1 ISAF classic event with the strongest racers participating. This was the first time that the women's match race was officially included in Olympic Garda with a positive participation level in spite of the European Championship being held at the same time.
For more details visit:
www.fragliavelariva.it