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28 March 2010, 07:27 pm
Challenging Conditions Produce Mixed Results on Day One in Palma
A busy mark rounding for the 49er fleet
A busy mark rounding for the 49er fleet

Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofia MAPFRE 2010
Palma de Mallorca, Spain

The 41st Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofía MAPFRE kicked off today with light and unstable winds producing mixed results for competitors on the Bay of Palma for regatta three of the 2009-10 ISAF Sailing World Cup season.
The overall results show some familiar names in the top five in most classes but there are some surprises. A clear example is found in the 470 men, with 93 boats divided in two groups. Stuart Mcnay and Graham Biehl (USA) lead the men's 470 tied with the Australian team of Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page with win apiece. Mcnay commented, "the good wind and the fast decision making of the Race Committee when changing the racing area have been key factors to their victory".

His crew Graham Biehl pointed out that "this is a test event for them" because their goal is to improve their technique on the water. Lucas Calabrese and Juan De la fuente (ARG) finished third in the class and second in their group. "Right now being third is not too important" pointed out Calabrese explaining that there are still many days of racing ahead. Notwithstanding, both are satisfied with the good results after adapting to today's wind conditions that were favourable to them. Calabrese, has also praised the Race Committee for the decisions made on the water.

In Women's 470, the day's winners were Giulia Conti and Giovanna Micol. Despite a poor first start, the team were able to climb up to seventh place and regain enough confidence to end up winning the second. MARINA Gallego and Julia Rita Roman (ESP) lie in second place ahead of 2009 World Champions Lisa Westerhof and Lobke Berkhout (NED) who finished fifth in both races.

The 49ers kicked off their regatta with two races and a strong start was seen by Emmanuel Dyen and Stéphane Christidis (FRA) who followed up their bullet in the first race with a second in race two. Behind them it is the British teams who dominate the leaderboard. The 2008 Olympic representatives Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes finished both of their races second to sit second overall ahead of Dylan Fletcher and Alain Sign in third and their Skandia Team GBR team mates, Chris Draperand Peter Greenhalgh in fourth.

The 131 boat Laser fleet also completed two races today and it's Croatia's Tonci Stipanovic who leads after finished third in both races. The winner of the first race in the blue fleet was Maxim Semerkhanov (RUS) and he lies second overall tied with Spanish sailor Javier Hernandez. 2008-09 ISAF Sailing World Cup champion Nick Thompson (GBR) had a solid start and lies in fifth overall.

In the Star fleet it is the silver medallists from the 2010 Star Worlds who leads after two races. Flavio Marazzi and Enrico De maria (SUI) finished second in both races today to lead by five points ahead of Eivind Melleby and Petter Morland Pedersen (NOR). With nine boats scored OCS in race two, including multiple world champions Fredrik Loof (SWE) and Xavier Rohart (FRA) and the 2008 Tornado Olympic gold medallist Fernando EchÁvarri this will be a fleet to watch as this regatta progresses.

In the men's RS:X fleet the 2008 Olympic results are currently reversed with bronze medallist Shahar Zubari (ISR) leading overall with two bullets whilst gold medallist Tom Ashley (NZL) lies third. Separating the two is Fabian Heidegger (ITA). There is Italian success in the women's fleet too with multiple Youth Worlds medallist Laura Linares leading overall. Charline Picon (FRA) lies second one point ahead of 2009 World Champion Marina Alabau (ESP).

The big surprise in the Laser Radial fleet is the # 1 position for ISAF Sailing World Cup newcomer Marketa Audyova (CZE), the silver medallists from the 2009 ISAF Youth Worlds. With just one race sailed, second overall is Spanish sailor Patricia Coro with Tina Mihelic (CRO) in third.

The Eliott 6Metre mades it's Palma debut today with three groups making a start to their round robin series. Seven teams finished the day with a 100% success rate including defending ISAF Sailing World Cup champion Lucy Macgregor multiple world champion Claire Leroy, 2009 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) and fresh from competing at the Congressional Cup, Sally Barkow (USA).

The action continues tomorrow.

The 41st Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofia MAPFRE will be held in Mallorca from 27 March-2 April, organized by four clubs of the bay of Palma (Club Nàutic S'Arenal, Real Club Náutico de Palma, Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa and Escuela Nacional de Vela Calanova), as well as the Real Federación Española de Vela and the Federación Balear de Vela, together with the Govern de les Illes Balears, the Consell de Mallorca and Palma and Llucmajor city councils. The collaborators of the Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofia Mapfre are the Consejo Superior de Deportes, the Federación Española de Deportes de Personas con Discapacidad Física, the Ports Authority, Ports de les Illes Balears, the coastal department of the Ministry of Environment and companies Ultramar Express and Acciona.

For more on the 41st Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofia MAPFRE including the latest results visit www.trofeoprincesasofia-mapfre.org.

For the latest news, photos and videos, as well as Standings, event details and more, visit the ISAF Sailing World Cup website at www.sailing.org/worldcup.

Neus Jordi/ISAF
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