Laser Europa Cup at the Yacht Club de Monaco - Day 1
by Isabelle Andrieux 4 Dec 2016 13:32 GMT
3-4 December 2016
The first day of racing did not disappoint the 228 entrants competing in the Monaco Europa Cup. The Laser Standard fleet opened the proceedings in a five-knot easterly, with a starting line favoured at the Committee end, leaving contestants with no choice but to take the right-hand option to the windward mark. No surprise to see Marco Gallo at the top of the table after two races, the Italian being a favourite having trained in the run-up to two Olympics (2012 and 2016). Hard on his heels is compatriot Pietro Ranotto and the Czech Jakub Halouzka. Note, too, a promising 14th place for Juan Alberto Casalone from the Yacht Club de Monaco.
Italians on top
In the Laser 4.7 Boys, the youngest fleet in the Europa Cup, sailors were jostling for position right from the start, the number of general recalls and vocal protests, as they fought to stick to their strategy, proof of the intense level of competition in this group. After two races, Italians Riccardo Lister Arkwri, Cesare Barabino and Lorenzo Collo dominate the podium in the provisional ranking, while Simon Maltsev from the Yacht Club de Monaco finished 30th. Italian supremacy spilled over into the Laser 4.7 Girls with Maria Giulia Cicchina in the lead. The YCM's Pauline Lepoivre is lying 14th.
War of nerves
The Monegasque race area lived up to its reputation as a tactically testing venue forcing competitors to constantly change tack to cope with the wind shifts. Jacopo Scornaienghi and Guido Gallinaro in the Laser Radial Boys are 1st and 2nd ahead of the Swiss Nicolas Rolaz, Yacht Club de Monaco member, who has been training all year with the Sports Section and knows the area well. Jérémy Moutout, also a member of the Monegasque team is 9th.
Among the girls, the Swiss pulled off a winner, with Maud Jayet topping the leader board ahead of Joyce Floridia and Carolina Albano, 5th in the recent Laser World Championship, finishing 3rd.
Sunday looks set to deliver with steady winds forecast, enough to satisfy entrants from all over Europe. Racing starts at 10.00am.
Results after Day 1:
Laser Standard (after 2 races)
1st Marco Gallo – ITA - 3pts
2nd Pietro Ranotto – ITA - 4pts
3rd Jakub Hlouzka – CZE - 9pts
Laser Radial Boys (after 1 race)
1st Jacopo Scornaienghi – ITA - 1pt
2nd Guido Gallinaro – ITA - 2pts
3rd Nicolas Rolaz – SUI - 3pts
Laser Radial Girls (after 1 race)
1st Maud Jayet – SUI – 1pt
2nd Joyce Floridia – ITA – 2pts
3rd Carolina Albano – ITA – 3pts
Laser 4.7 Boys (after 1 race)
1st Riccardo Lister Arkwri – ITA – 1pt
2nd Cesare Barabino – ITA – 2pts
3rd Lorenzo Collo – ITA – 3pts
Laser 4.7 Girls (after 1 race)
1st Maria Giulia Cicchina – ITA – 1pt
2nd Sara Martina Arseni – ITA – 2pts
3rd Elisa Navoni – ITA – 3pts
Full results at www.ycm.org