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30 October 2010, 08:53 am
Hamilton And Goyard Poised For Victory At The RS:X Youth Worlds
Natalia Wojcik
Natalia Wojcik 4th overall with one day to go

RS:X Youth World Championship 2010
Limassol, Cyprus

Finally, the 'big day' arrived in Cyprus with a threatening grey cloud base picked out with a few anvil shaped thunder clouds and a white capping sea. Thomas Goyard extends his lead in the boys fleet whilst defending girl's champion Izzy Hamilton is poised for another gold medal.
The anemometer was registering 15 knots. Three races were a real prospect. This was going to be make or break day for racers like Michalis Malekkides (CYP) and Pawel Tarnowski in particular.

But first, the yellow jersey ceremony, Connor Bainbridge(GBR) was standing on the bottom step of the podium at an RS:X World Championship for the first time. Sadly, his first two race results of the day were not all they should have been. He can still make the podium if he beats Pawel Tarnowski (POL) by three places in the Medal Race on Friday but has dropped back to fourth.

For local racer Michalis Malekkides, the sweet dream of doing the double by winning the RS:X Youth World Windsurfing Championships on his home waters is smashed. The reality is that posting a 10, 1, 11 has given him a mountainous 14 points to get back on terms with the cool guy from French New Caledonia, Thomas Goyard.

He said in his morning interview with the press that his plan was not to win races but to be consistently inside the top five. His results 3,2,4 were just that. He is virtually unbeatable now. Going into a light wind medal race, he just has to avoid an OCS and deliver more of the same to take the title.

Even a silver medal for Michalis is not a certainty. Tarnowski is just two points away having taken his second discard and delivered results of 1,4,8 today. He has proved that he can win races this week especially in light airs so will be licking his lips in anticipation as he sails out tomorrow. He just has to be careful not to be too eager. He has already traded one bullet for 36 points this week by being OCS. One thing is for sure, however, he is the U17 RS:X Class Champion.

Izzy Hamilton (GBR) is close, very close, to winning. The 2009 RS:X Youth World Windsurfing Champion is going into the Medal Race with a 16 point overall lead. Any result better than ninth will give her the 2010 Championship too.

The forecast for the final day is light. So light in fact that we may be lucky to start a medal race at all. Not Izzy's favorite conditions by any means. But, the light stuff holds no fear for Hanna Zembrzuska (POL) currently second. She is an all around performer so will fight to the finish.

Believe it or not there are three more hard charging Polish racers just eight points behind third placed Hélène Noesmoen (FRA). Natalia Wojcik, Kamila Smektala and Agnieszka Bilska will no doubt be fighting their own private war out there so Helene would do well to stay alert, be conservative and play to her strengths. She could well retain the third step on the podium as she has done all week.

If the wind fills in enough to race, the Medal Races will have priority. If not, it will be a disappointing end to a good championships. We have had wind from all directions and of all speeds and today, even a splash of rain.

Stay tuned ... Racing is scheduled for 12:00hrs.

Check out the event website here: http://youthworldwindsurfingchampionships2010.rsxclass.com There will be daily text and video news reports together with short video interviews with windsurfers taking part.

Overall Results: http://youthworldwindsurfingchampionships2010.rsxclass.com/overall-results/

RS:X Class
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