2000 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship - Day 3

Perfect sailing conditions on Sydney Harbour for Volvo Youth Worlds

Sydney Harbour today turned on perfect conditions for the third day of racing in the 2000 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship. Although Australia has narrowed the lead held by France in the Volvo Trophy, the French are still dominating the team event with a 25-point lead over the host nation. The Dutch are in third place whilst New Zealand are currently in fourth, only one point ahead of the British Team - the nation that did so well in the Olympic sailing competition last year.

Under blue sunny skies Sydney's well-known northeasterly sea breeze hit in today in a big way. When competitors launched from Manly before noon, the breeze was around 12 knots. As the day progressed, the breeze built steadily and in some parts of the harbour it gusted up to 28 knots ­ making a tough day out for the young competitors. With three races completed in all classes there were a few tired faces around the boat-park by evening time.

The 420 class were racing off the heads today in a north-nor-east breeze that built to 25 knots by the end of the day. While the stronger crews revelled in the experience of sailing in big waves off Sydney Heads some of the more inexperienced found the conditions testing in the extreme.

As is so often the case with racing under the lee of North Head, the wind was stronger on either side of the course with les favourable conditions in the middle. "It was really fun!" said Emma Rawlinson (GBR). "There was not as much breeze in the middle of the course, so you had to pick a corner." "Our speed was very good, especially upwind," added skipper, sister Victoria Rawlinson. "In the first race we were ninth because we were being too conservative."

Australia's girls 420 crew also enjoyed the stronger winds. "Our heavy wind training in Perth really paid off today," said crew Martha Leonard. "It was a much better day for us today," said skipper Melissa Bryant. "We really thought about what we were doing, and we communicated with each other. We had good starts and we sailed really well."

Another sound performance sees the French team of Manuelle and Virginie Adam continuing to lead, only one point ahead of the British. The Italian team of Elena Ziliani and Giovanna Micol are in third place.

The 420 Boys event is being led by the Australians ­ Gavin Fee and Tom Burger, four points ahead of Nico Delle Karth and Nikolaus Resch (AUT). "It was really shifty in the first race and we weren't sailing well," said crewman Tom Burger. "We were a long way back, but made up some valuable ground on the final upwind to finish in fifth place. In the second race we were a long way back, but we worked our way up and won the race very convincingly. We picked the shifts really well. We also did well in the final race and we were leading the whole way around until the final leg when the Greeks got in front of us."

The Spanish team of Albert Padron and Antonio Del Chastillo are in third place, and they too were very happy with their performance today. "We won the first race ­ it was good wind!" said Del Chastillo. "We're really happy because we're in the medals!"

Sailing off Grotto Point, the Mistrals course was strongly favoured towards the left hand side, with more breeze closer in to the high cliffs above the bay. Joeri van Dyk (NED) totally dominated the boy's racing scoring three straight wins. Unsurprisingly, he said "It was very good racing in a nice wind. I had good speed and made all the right tacks. One side was better towards the headland and speed was very important." Like many of the crews at this event, van Dyk has been taking a thoroughly professional approach to the championships, noting "I've trained a lot in Holland, and I was here a month before the event!"

In the Mistral girls there is a tough three-way competition between France's Jenny Le Bihan and Poland's Agata Brygola and Australia's Allison Shreeve. All three competitors scored eight points in today's racing, and whilst Poland currently has the edge, the French girl is only four points behind.

"In the first race I did not have a good start and at the first mark, I was not going very well," said Agata. "The second race was good, I was first!" Shreeve was also happy with her performance today. "I was lucky in the first race as a big power boat came up to me on the first beat and I surfed its wake all the way up to the first mark," she said. "In the second race I missed the bottom mark because the American guy just stopped in front of me and I had to go above the mark. Then I was nearly last for a while and I had to play catch up for the remainder of the race."

Sailing in Watsons Bay The lasers and Bytes also had a tough day. Whilst it wasn't as windy as other courses, the breeze had increased to 20 knots by the end of the day with short and steep waves set against the ebbing tide. Downwind speed was especially important on this course.

In the Laser fleet, 1999 Silver Medallist at the 1999 Volvo Youth Worlds, Marin Misura (CRO) closed up on event leader Ben Austin (AUS). In the heavier conditions, Misura had a weight advantage over Austin. "I was not very fast," said Misura. "but somehow I stayed near the front." Misura scored a win, a second and a third in today's racing.

Austin is now only five points ahead of Misura, but was happy with today's racing. "It was really windy out there today," said Austin. "I had to work hard and the Croatian guy has some serious speed upwind, but I can get it back downwind. For the first time I was really happy with my starts today. My goal was to have three good starts, and I did. It's great to get off the line well and lead the fleet off the line."

Sailing on the same course, the Bytes had an especially severe test. Series leader Siren Sundby scored her worst result of the regatta, finishing out of the top three in the final race of the day.

"It was really heavy today," said Sundby. "When I sailed here during the Olympics, it was quite light, and I sail better in those conditions. Today you had to be fast downwind and pick the shifts." Sundby is only five points ahead of Germany's Hanne Jansch, with Poland's Katarzyna Brzoska a further four points behind. "I haven't the power in these conditions," said Brzoska. "I don't like the big swell. I sail in small waves at home, not on the sea."

Two races are scheduled for all classes on Wednesday.

For full results visit www.boatingoz.com.au/~volvoyouth.htm

BRITISH TEAM REPORT - RAWLINSON SISTERS SET FOR SHOWDOWN FOR VOLVO YOUTH WORLD TITLE

Although sisters Victoria and Emma Rawlinson relinquished the overall lead in the girls 420 class at the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships in Sydney today, they look poised for a two horse race with the French sisters Manuelle and Virginie Adam for the world title over the final three days of the regatta. Only one point separates the two crews with five races left to decide the Gold medal.

Under blue sunny skies, Sydney's well-known northeasterly sea breeze hit in today in a big way. When competitors launched from Manly before noon, the breeze was around 12 knots. As the day progressed, the breeze built steadily and in some parts of the harbour it gusted up to 28 knots ­ making a tough day out for the young competitors.

As is so often the case with racing under the lee of North Head, the wind was stronger on either side of the course with less favourable conditions in the middle. "It was really fun!" said crew Emma Rawlinson after stepping ashore, the pair having added 1,9,1 to their scorecards. "There was not as much breeze in the middle of the course, so you had to pick a corner. Our speed was very good, especially upwind," added skipper, sister Victoria

Volvo RYA Team mates Mark Howard (Laser) and Paul Campbell-James and Matt Gill (420 boys) have also moved one step closer the rostrum with some consistent sailing in their respective fleets. They are now both in the top six (medal zone) and gunning for a "champagne finish" as Team Coach Paul Brotherton remarked this evening.

Racing continues tomorrow.

SYDNEY: Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships (after 3 days)

420 boy (after 7 races with one discard)
1, Gavin Fee and crew (Australia) 4,6,1,16,5,1,2 - 19pts
2, Nico Delle Karth and crew (Austria) 5,3,4,2,18,4,5 - 23pts
3, Alberto Padron and crew (Spain) 10,1,6,3,1,7,7 - 25pts
British placing:
6, Paul Campbell - James and Matt Gill - 7,5,10,4,6,11,10 -42pts

Laser boy (after 7 races with one discard)
1, Ben Austin (Australia) 2,2,1,8,1,2,5 - 13pts
2, Marin Misura (Croatia) 7,3,2,9,3,1,2 - 18pts
3, Thomas Le Breton (France) 4,7,6,2,2,5,4 - 23pts
British placings:
5, Mark Howard - 8,1,3,26,9,7,8 - 36pts

Mistral boy (after 7 races with one discard)
1, Joeri Van Dyk (Netherlands) 2,5,1,22,1,1,1 - 12pts
2, Nicolas Guyander (France) 2,2,3,7,2,2,2 - 13pts
3, Alexander Chabner (Israel) 4,4,7,1,3,6,4 - 22pts
British placing:
10, Oliver Woodcock -12, 13, 4, 8, 11, 11, 11 - 57pts

420 girl (after 7 races with one discard)
1, Manuelle Adam and crew (France) 2,1,1,10,3,2,3 - 12pts
2, Victoria and Emma Rawlinson (Great Britain) 3,3,2,3,1,9,1 - 13pts
3, Elena Ziliani and crew (Italy) 4,2,6,4,2,3,7 - 21pts

Byte girl (after 7 races with one discard)
1, Siren Sundby (Norway) 1,2,1,1,3,1,.5 - 9pts
2, Hanne Jansch (Germany) 4,1,7,4,1,2,2 - 14pts
3, Katarzyna Brzoska (Poland) 2,4,6,7,2,3,1 - 18pts
British placing:
13, Katie Archer - 19, 11,11, 24, 9, 12, 11 - 70pts

Mistral girl (after 7 races with one discard)
1, Agata Brygola (Poland) 1,1,2,1,3,1,4 - 9pts
2, Jenny Le Bihan (France) 2,2,1,4,2,3,3 - 13pts
3, Allison Shreeve (Australia) 8,5,4,3,1,6,1 - 20pts
British placing:
7, Catherine Potter - 10,9,8,10,5,2, 6 - 40pts

Family, friends and supports wishing to send good luck messages can email them to GBVolvoYouthTeam@hotmail.com