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26 August 2010, 03:38 pm

Racing Underway for 124 Topper Sailors on Lake Garda

italians Lead at Topper Worlds in Malcesine, Italy

2010 Gul Topper World Championship

Malcesine, Italy

Nine races have been completed in Malcesine as the Championship series divides fleet into Gold and Silver. Italian's Michelle and Giovanni Benamati lead with Edward Jones (GBR) in third.

Wednesday dawned cloudier than previous days this week for the start of the Championship series but as the morning wore on the sun came through and the clouds started to lift. Around midday the first signs of a breeze wafted across the lake and continued to build - another good sailing day was promised.

The fleets launched into a freshening breeze and at 13:20 (local time) and the Gold fleet were away for Race 7. White cumulus clouds were building around the peaks, but nothing that threatened the racing. At 13:30 the Silver fleet were away into a strengthening breeze. The first race of the Championship series saw a rash of Gold fleet OCSs and so the leading boats in the Gold fleet at the end of Race 7 were Damiano Mantovani (ITA), Edward Jones (GBR) and Finn Lynch (IRL). In the Silver fleet the leading boats were Samantha Bonella (GBR), Charlotte Hooper (GBR) and Andrew Penney (IRL).

Race 8 for the Gold fleet was underway with boats still going well left up the beat. The wind was however proving shifty and sailors needed to keep a keen eye open and tack quickly to make the best of the breeze. The Silver fleet were away 12 minutes later. The sun kept shining through the race with temperatures climbing to over 30 degree. As Race 8 came to end the wind had started easing a little. Leading boats in the Gold fleet were Michele Benamati (ITA), Matt Venables (GBR) and Giovanni Benamati (ITA). In the Silver fleet were Charlotte Hooper (GBR), Samantha Bonella (GBR) and Tom Methven (GBR).

As Race 9 commenced the ends of the lake were becoming shrouded in mist and more cloud was building over the mountains with the winds easing further. Gold fleet were away at 15:52 followed 10 minutes later by the Silver fleet. The wind had become even more shifty with 20 degree oscillations meaning concentration around the race course (and a bit of local knowledge) paid. Gold fleet leaders in Race 9 were Michele Benamati (ITA), Thomas Scott (GBR) and Damiano Mantovani (ITA). In Silver fleet the leaders were Samantha Bonella (GBR), Charlotte Hooper (GBR) and Andrew Penney (IRL).

Following a few protests the leaders overnight in the Gold fleet were Michele Benamati (ITA) by a clear margin followed by Giovanni Benamati (ITA) and Edward Jones (GBR). In the Silver fleet overnight leaders were Samantha Bonella (GBR), Charlotte Hooper (GBR) and Andrew Penney (IRL).

Event Website

John Elliott

World Sailing TV

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