International 14 World Championships at the Royal Canadian YC - Day 2&3
by Andrew Handasyde Dick 17 Sep 2013 16:54 BST
7-22 September 2013
Day 2 of the International 14 World Championships was sailed on Sunday in a light southerly breeze, starting at 8 - 10 knots, dropping through the race to 5-7 knots which a very tricky chop still running. The current was running down the course and contrary to the first day's form the first start saw only one boat over (the commodore of RCYC).
A shifty breeze throughout the race favoured those who spotted the correct breeze, and by the end of the first lap Sam Pascoe and Alex Knight had sailed over the horizon into a lead they would hold until the end of the race. Archie Massey and Dan Wilsdon finished second with another large gap back to Andy Fitzgerald and Rich Dobson in third.
Monday saw a lively northerly greet the sailors on arrival to the Royal Canadian Yacht Club island, which as forecast dropped through the day. Racing again started at the first attempt, with the Partingtons sailing in a different gear to the rest of the fleet giving them a 200m lead around the first windward mark.
By the second lap the wind had dropped, with big shifts and even bigger holes. Archie and Dan got themselves the correct side of a shift and found their own breeze, sailing round most of the top 10 into a lead they would hold to the end of the race.
With the wind continuing to drop the race was finished at the end of the third beat, with Douglas Pattison and Mark Tait in second, Andy Fitzgerald and Rich Dobson third and Katie Nurton and Nigel Ash fourth.
Racing continues on Tuesday with a forecast 5-7 knots from the south and sunshine. A lay day is pencilled in for Wednesday with much of the fleet looking forwards to a day trip to Niagra Falls, and the Canadian vineyards.
More information, results and photos at www.i14.ca/worlds