ACO 8th MUSTO Skiff Worlds at Club Nàutic S'Arenal - Day 3
by Rick Perkins 31 May 2017 22:30 BST
26 May - 3 June 2017
The fleet arrived at Club Nautic S'Arenal to clear sunny skies and 25 degrees on the Bay of Palma and the beginning of a sea breeze pushing back the clouds over the land.
Race 4 was away first time a couple of minutes after the official start time of 13:00 in 10-12knots of westerly sea breeze, with the fleet splitting with some competitors choosing left towards the shore, others heading out right towards Palma and the remainder working the shifts up the middle of the course.
Andy Tarboton (RSA 525) led at the windward mark followed by Dan Kilsby (GBR 302) and countryman Ben Schooling (GBR 544). At the finish Tarboton had extended to take the win from Frithjof Schwerdt (GER 484), who in turn had sailed impressively to pull through to take 2nd from Kilsby, with Schooling, Hill (AUS), Ahlmann (GER) and past World Champion Bruce Keen (GBR) in the top group.
Race 5 got away on the 2nd attempt under a U flag following a general recall with Schwerdt showing consistency today rounding the windward mark in the lead, very closely followed by a group including Tim Hill, who was also having an impressive day, Schooling, Jono Shelley (GBR 526), Julian Ramm (GER 308) and local sailor Justo Martinez (ESP 560). The majority of the fleet chose to bear away set and head inshore towards S'Arenal and this was to become a feature of todays racing.
Schwerdt continued to lead on lap 2 from Hill, Schooling, Ramm and Ahlmann and these boats led the fleet home with Schwerdt taking the win from Hill, Schooling, Ahlmann and Ramm.
Class Chairman, Iver Ahlmann pulled off a pretty spectacular start to race 6 and led the fleet up the course in a breeze that had now dropped to 7-8knots with Hill and Keen in hot pursuit and young Swiss sailor Alex Greil (SUI 306) joining the group along with Kilsby, Schooling and Sergio Arroyo (ESP). Ahlmann had no intention of being caught controlling the race on lap 2 by sailing towards the left of the beat and taking advantage of any shifts to take the win from Hill, Keen, Greil, Schooling and Kilsby.
The first discard has now come in with Germany's Frithjof Schwerdt leading the table the class are off to their gala dinner tonight and looking forward to more spectacular weather tomorrow.