Semaine Olympique Française at La Rochelle - Day 3
by Aurélia Filho 9 Oct 2015 07:47 BST
5-10 October 2015
All sights on the Medal Races
This Thursday, the third day of the Semaine Olympique Française at La Rochelle marked a change on the sailing area, waking up with a small breeze and under a shining sun. The first races kicked off at 11 a.m. with a small breeze fluctuating around 5 knots, which complete drop off in the middle of the day. Fortunately, the wind rose again in the middle of the afternoon, and all of the series were rushed back at sea, to chase out the best spot on the ranking, keeping in view the Medal Races on Saturday, reuniting the top 10, open to all 8 Olympic series.
RS:X Men & Women
In the Men category, the head of the podium goes from on French to another. The Young Benoit Bigot, first day leader is back on top of the ranking in front of Ogo de L'Hermite, in second position. English Samuel Sills complete this podium. Let's point out the French Arnaud Billet, for his great achievement with a perfect day (3rd – 1st - 1st).
Arnaud Billet (FRA) – 7th at the temporary ranking: "It was quite a good day for me, with 3 good rounds, I had a good speed a good feeling on the water, I often chose the good side. On the first round, I made a mistake which cost me the first place, as a result I was quite revengeful on the 2 other rounds. We came back ashore after the first round, i had time to recharge my batteries, and go back full strength on the two last ones. I'm satisfied with my performance. I am aiming at the podium here, i was the runner-up of France last year, so I really would like to at least stay on the same position. I know this sailing area, I trained well for it so I was quite at ease."
3 rounds where raced today by the women's, and it still is the French Delphine Jariel at the head of the fleet. Us competitor Farrah Hall entered the podium today on the second position 9 7th – 2nd – 3rd) while the Dutch Sara Wennekes takes over the 3rd place by winning today's last race.
Nacra 17
The Nacra 17 newly Olympic class for Rio's games, started their 2 races in the middle of the afternoon. The Spanish Iker Martinez and Julia Rita entrusted the victory on both rounds, accordingly taking the second place on the podium. The French Billy Besson and Marie Riou, already ahead yesterday, retain their 1st place (2nd - 2nd). The duo Moana Vaireaux and Manon Audinet now fill the 3rd place of the podium.
Marie Riou, in duo with Billy Besson (FRA) – Head of the temporary ranking: "Only 10 of of doing this regatta, which is not a lot, but does make a "Medal Race" configuration, which allows us to prepare and train on our starts. We have done 6 rounds so far, a very good way to work out on our performances. We do have competition here with the Spanish and Danish here. Today we did 2 round in a very unstable wind, but it stayed interesting."
49er / 49er FX
After the 2 races of the day., the 4 first can be held in a Pocket handkerchief. The English duo Dylan Fletcher and Alan Sign takes the head of the podium, at equality with Julien D'Ortoli and Noé Delpech. Another English duo completes the podium, Stevie Morrison and Edward Powis, a point further than the French Emmanuel Dyen and Stéphane Christidis. Tomorrow is going to be crucial in this class which is always quite spectacular.
Alain Sign, en duo avec Sylan Fletcher (GBR) – Head of the temporary ranking: "bit up and down today, pretty tricky conditions especially in that last one were the gusts were coming out of the shore, and i twas qui tricky to spot them out, and it makes it quite tense with the boats ducking and tacking around each other, but it made for good racing. It our first time in La Rochelle, we've been sailing the boat since at least 8 years now and I think this is like the first time in our program we could actually get some good boats together and race before our World Championship, yesterday by exemple was a good training for us as we might face the same conditions in Argentina. Our goal here is to win hopefully! Why not eat up the French? (laughter)
No changes in the ladies category, with the french Srah Steyaert and Aude Compan, followed by Lili Sebesi and Julie Bossard in 2nd and Marie Soler and Albane Dubois in 3rd.
Aude Compan, en duo avec Sarah Steyaert (FRA) – Hea of the temporary ranking: "As we are only 3 49ers FX on this competition, we race with the boys. As a result, their is 25 others on line and our goal is to rehearse our starts, with the density there is, it great! The game purpose is to stay as long as possible with the boys, and why not kicking them out if we can ! Today we were quite good at this game, we stayed in quite some time. After the SOF we're heading back to Marseille, rest a bit, then training before flying off to Buenos Aires, our World's starting there on November 16th."
Finn
Four rounds were disputed in this classes today. The Swedish Max Salminen, left quite an impression yesterday by controlling the 3 rounds, stands on a solid day (2nd – 2nd), keeping his leader position. Pioggi Giorgi keeps his second place and the French Fabien Pic, of the Société des Régates Rochelaises, comes in the Top 3 after winning the 2 rounds today.
Laser standard / Laser radial
Jean-Baptiste Bernaz is still in control of the competition, far away in front of the fleet. He continues with a steady day (2nd & 4th). Alessio Spadoni takes the second place while russian Sergey Komissarov goes done to the 3rd place.
Alessio Spadoni (ITA) – 3rd temporary ranking: "My day went quite well, with a light unstable wind, I succeeded to give good score. Could have been better but I'm quite happy. It's my second time here in La Rochelle, I came here in 2013 for the first edition, it really is a great place to sail, because you can experience all type of conditions, and that's the interesting part. Jean-Baptiste Bernaz is really getting ahead of all of us in the ranking, he is really good. Econd place is going to be really hard to get to so i am aiming for the second place."
The Radial category, only went through on race today. No surprise here, the Danish Anne-Marie Rindom stay on top of the ranking. The gasp between her and her pursuers, French Mathilde de Kerangat and Spanish Alicia Cebrian keeps getting wider.
Longtze on the start
Tomorrow marks the begining of the competition for the Longtze. These sport keelboat, vivid and fast when upwind and hover in downwind thanks to their light hull propelled by a powerful sail on a carbon mast of 11,5 meters.
If this class isn't Olympic, it entered the competition for the first time, it was invited in the context of the Longtze World Event.
The Competitors will engaged in the SOF at 11 a.m. tomorrow.
Full results can be found here.