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The south-southeasterly breeze from 6-15 knots and the overcast sky at the start of the day gave a clear indication of more atypical conditions on day two in Palma. Across the eight racing areas, the race committee made several start attempts but sudden wind drops and wind shifts led to numerous restarts.

Thanks to the professionalism of the various race committees, racing finally sailed in all racing areas, although in some cases only one race was sailed. Across the fleets, the big names began to come to the fore, with the home Spanish sailors taking two of the top spots. World #1 Marina ALABAU (ESP) leads in the Women's RS:X, whilst Federico ALONSO and Arturo ALONSO (ESP) are in a three-way tie at the top of the 49er fleet.

Radial Battle

There was a massive battle in Monday's Laser Radial race, sailed out of the Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa. World #1 Evi VAN ACKER (BEL) took the bullets, as did world #2 Tania ELIAS CALLES (MEX) in the other group. The pair now tie for the overall lead on four points, with Sarah BLANCK (AUS) and Gintare VOLUNGEVICIUTE (LTU) tied for third, four points further back. It was also a good day for reigning Laser Radial World Champion Lijia XU (CHN), who came in second to move up to seventh overall.

In the Yngling, at Real Club Náutico de Palma, world #3 crew Anna BASALKINA, Vladislava UKRAINTSEVA and Ekaterina MAXIMOV (RUS) took the overall lead, one point ahead of world #1s Ulrike SCHUEMANN, Julia BLECK and Ute HOEPFNER (GER). Athens gold medallists Shirley ROBERTSON and crew Annie LUSH and Lucy MCGREGOR (GBR) lie third overall.

"It's been a tricky two days," admitted ROBERTSON. "It's very unusual weather for Palma with shifting and light breezes - but we've been lucky so far and are looking forward to the rest of the week's racing and hopefully some more stable conditions."

Aussies Lead Tornado Europeans

The Tornado European championship held at Club Nàutic S'Arenal is at boiling point between world #1 crew and World Champions Darren BUNDOCK and Glenn ASHBY (AUS) and double Olympic gold medallists Roman HAGARA and Hans Peter STEINACHER (AUT). BUNDOCK and ASHBY finished in first and second place in Monday's races, moving them into a tie for the lead with the Austrians. Andrey KIRILYUK and Valery USHKOV (RUS) lie third, whilst the home hopes Fernando ECHAVARRI and Anton PAZ (ESP) had a poor third race and dropped one place overall to 11th.

Action from the Tornado course © Ruben Ballester/ www.nicomartinez.com

After missing out on Sunday, the 116 boats in the Men's 470 fleet sailed two races, with Alvaro MARINHO and Miguel NUNES (POR) posting a perfect two bullets. World #5 crew Sven COSTER and Kalle COSTER (NED) are right on their heels are a bullet in the second race, tied with Patryk PIASECKI and Kacper ZIEMINSKI (POL) three points behind the leaders. Things are very tight after the opening two races, with only three points difference between second and eighth overall.

Japanese sailors Ai KONDO and Naoko KAMATA take the lead in Women's 470 after finishing fourth and first in Monday's races. Second overall on four points are Stefanie ROTHWEILER and Vivien KUSSATZ (GER), whilst the recently formed Czech team of Lenka SMIDOVA and Veronica FENCLOVA lie third.

PEPPER Takes Star Lead

The Star class, based Club Nàutic S'Arenal, sailed another two races with changeable winds. World #1 crew Hamish PEPPER and Brad NICHOL (NZL) lead the overall results with a second and eighth in Monday's races. Hans SPITZAUER and Christian NEHAMMER (AUT) lie second, seven points off the lead, with 2005 World Champions Xavier ROHART and Pascal RAMBEAU (FRA) third. Two scores in the mid-teens sae overnight leaders Robert SCHEIDT and Bruno PRADA (BRA) drop down to fourth.

PEPPER said, "We sailed the first race in very light conditions and managed to have a good start and go the way we wanted. We were third at the top and after that the breeze shifted to the right making it a one way track. We did pass the second placed boat but it was always tough to find passing lanes."

The RS:X fleet started their series © Ruben Ballester/www.nicomartinez.com

Only one race was sailed in the Finn class out of Club Nàutic S'Arenal. Jonathan LOBERT (FRA) scored the bullet followed by world #4 Daniel BIRGMARK (SWE), with Eduard SKORNYAKOV (RUS) third.

The 49ers sailed their second and third race, except for the red group that could only sail one race. With the result of this race missing to complete the series, leaders after two races are Peter HANSEN and Soren HANSEN (DEN) tied with Pietro SIBELLO and Gianfranco SIBELLO and the Spanish ALONSO team.

Windsurfers Get Underway

The RS:X fleets, based at Escuela Nacional de Vela Calanova, both sailed their first and only race on Monday. Joao RODRIGUES (POR) and Maksym OBEREMKO (UKR) got the bullets in the men's fleet, closely followed by World Champion Casper BOUMAN (NED) and World Championship bronze medallist and Miami winner Przemyslaw MIARCZYNSKI (POL). Young Chinese star, Zhennan FANG (CHN), who turned 18 just a few days ago, had a solid start with a sixth place.

In the women' fleet ALABAU was first in her group and Charline PICON (FRA) scored the bullet in the other group. They are followed by triple Olympic medallists Barbara KENDALL (NZL) and four-time ISAF Youth World Champion Zofia KLEPACKA (POL). World Champion Alessandra SENSINI (ITA) came in fourth.

One race was sailed in Laser fleet, based at Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa. After the opening two races the top five has an unfamiliar look to it with Julio ALSOGARAY (ARG) is a surprise leader and Max BULLEY (SUI) in second place. Brad FUNK (USA) is a more familiar name in third, followed by Fredrik WESTMAN (FIN) and Giacomo BOTTOLI (ITA)

The invited Dragon class, with regatta preceding the Gold Cup to be held next week at Real Club Náutico de Palma, had its debut on Monday and sailed only one race. The winner was German team of Thomas MUELLER, Vincent HOESCH and Max SCHEIBM followed by team mates Hans Werner ZACHARIASSEN, Michael KURTZ and Peter ECKART.

Racing is scheduled to start at 12:00, with three races planned.

The 38 Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofia - Mapfre is sponsored for second consecutive year by Mapfre and is organized by the Federación Balear de Vela, Real Federación Española de Vela, Real Club Náutico de Palma, Club Nàutic S'Arenal, Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa and Escuela Nacional de Vela Calanova. The collaborators are Govern de les Illes Balears, Palma City Council, Llucmajor City Council, s'Institut de Serveis Socials i Esportius de Mallorca, Trasmediterránea Acciona and Ultramar.

For a complete list of all the news from the Princess Sofia Trophy 2007 CLICK HERE.