RS:X European and Youth Championships - Day 5
by Icarus Sailing Media 27 Jun 2015 20:45 BST
21-27 June 2015
Today was the penultimate of the 2015 RS:X European & Youth European Championships - a regatta that's highly anticipated by windsurfers around the world and today, an impressive 269 windsurfers were raring to get out onto the water for 3 challenging races.
Today's results would shape the top 10 leaderboard and ultimately decide who would be competing in the final act of the championships - the medal races. Getting into the medal race was vital if the athletes wanted to podium here so focus was the order of the day.
In the Women's Senior Gold Fleet, the title winning machine from Poland, Zofia Noceti Klepacka, started the day with a bullet - inching her ever closer towards a podium place all be it on equal points in third place with Maayan Davidovich from Israel. Charline Picon still has a chance at defending her title, which for the moment is in Poland's Malgorzata Bialecka's hands. UK's Bryony Shaw looked determined to do whatever it took to stay within touching distance of a gold medal whilst Blanca. Manchon from Spain was applying the pressure not too far behind her.
In the Senior Men's Gold Fleet, the penultimate day saw a considerable reshuffle as the leading pack struggled to find consistency opening up the competition. Despite his worst performance in the championship yet, Dorian Van Rijsselberge, 'the jewel of Netherlands' managed to keep himself in pole position, fighting off a chasing fleet, all hot on his heels. Mateo Sanz Lanz lacked his usual good form, a struggle which left him out of top 10 – which for many came as a bit of a surprise.
Polish young gun Pawel Tarnowski ruled the waves today, scoring 2 bullets and climbing up to third overall. There was a great come back for the Greek star Byron Kokkalanis who delivered his usual textbook performance and booked himself a place in the medal race. So despite some mixed performances the strongest contenders were able to hold their own overall and secure themselves another day of racing tomorrow.
It was also a tight contest into the Youth fleets as the stars of tomorrow battled it out for their place in the final day of racing.
Tomorrow will see the climax of the championships with the much anticipated medal races. Stay with us for a taste of grandstand sailing in the modern Olympic style format and with it the announcement of the 2015 European Champions!
Full results at www.rsxclass.com/europeans2015
Update from the RYA
Olympic bronze medallist Bryony Shaw won gold at the RS:X European Championships which drew to a close on Sunday (27 June) in Sicily, Italy.
The world number one ranked-Shaw won the final Medal Race to seal European victory.
The points were so tight that it was a winner takes all Medal Race between Shaw, Polish sailors Malgorzata Bialecka and Zofia Noceti-Klepacka and the Israeli Maayan Davidovich. In 14 knots and perfect planing conditions, Shaw led from the first upwind to the finish, extending her lead throughout to take the European crown.
"The racing has been really close all week, we only had five qualifying races and we had to use the lay day as we lost the first day of racing. We also had no racing on the first day of gold fleet so had three races on the penultimate day with really nice breeze." said Shaw of the regatta, they sailed five qualifying races before the fleets split, three races were completed on the penultimate day in the gold and silver split.
"Off the start line it was just about getting a lane in the Medal Race, then I stayed between the fleet and the next mark and was in a controlling position round mark one, I just extended from there. I had to keep an eye on both the Polish girls, the Israeli girl was also in the mix, it was just who beat who for the win.
"I am really happy, it is something that has always eluded me, I have finished second a number of times and now all the hard physical and technical work has really paid off," concluded Shaw, who finished second in 2013.
Isobel Hamilton missed qualification for the Medal Race by just one point, however, went on to win her final race to finish tenth European (11th overall) and was happy with her final place, "I really struggled on the first day of racing in the light winds, but I was quite consistent for the rest of the week.
"I was annoyed that I missed the medal race, especially by such a small margin, however winning this race has really made up for it, there was a chance that I could really fall down the results list but I didn't. I've finished better than last year as well!" concluded Hamilton.
Meanwhile, British Sailing Team Podium squad sailors were also in action, Imogen Sills finished 31st, Noelle Finch 36th, and Saskia Sills 46th in the Women's fleet. British Youth sailor Emma Wilson rounded-off her first senior regatta in 24th.
Tom Squires finished top British sailor in the RS:X Men's race in 17th (18th overall), Joe Bennett, Kieran Martin and Sam Sills, finished 25th, 42nd and 59th respectively.
Olympic silver medallist, Nick Dempsey, was not in attendance instead opting for a domestic training session.