Cadet World Championships at the WPNSA - Day 4

Day 4 of the Cadet World Championships at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy was to have been the lay-day and a well-earned rest for the sailors, some of whom had been on the water on each of the previous 10 days. As things turned out, with the schedule adjusted in response to the weather forecast, this was the longest day on the water so far.

For the first time in nearly two weeks of sailing the fleet launched into a light westerly wind and headed out into the bay, most picking up a tow from one of the armada of RIBs that accompanied them. Spirits remained high in the sunshine as everyone looked forward to a day that should be less physically taxing then what had come before.

After a postponement of about 45 minutes as the wind settled the Worlds fleet got away at the first attempt with only the individual recall signal to spoil an otherwise clean start. Immediately the complex and spectacular cloud formation rolling down the course took effect and sky-watching became the key skill of the day. As the fleet approached the windward mark for the first time a rain cloud killed the wind on the right of the course and sucked more pressure in on the left meaning that big gains were made by the vigilant and losses by the unwary. Conditions made it impossible to spot the leading boats through the drizzle until the beginning of the second beat when GBR8541 Alex Warrington/Anna Wootton emerged with a clear lead.

Once again the cloud formations created big shifts and pressure differences across the course, and this time those who went to the left were the gainers. BEL8520 Cesar Smet/Emiel Marien came into the mark on a high port lay-line and tacked into the lead. Next round was UKR9853 Igor Lvov/Maria Kulnashna, then BEL8519 Seppe Greeve/Cedric Boven with Alex and Anna now 4th and GBR8352 Lucy/Cally Terkelsen moving up to 5th. Lucy and Cally continued to move up during the final loop, trading places with Alex and Anna before the fleet disappeared into the drizzle for a second time. With things still very close there was all to play for in the short beat to the line, and at the finish it was the Ukrainian boat that took the win. Lucy and Cally Terkelsen had continued their charge to pull through to 2nd and Cesar and Emiel, having led for much of the race, were rewarded with 3rd. Compatriots Seppe and Cedric hung on in 4th with Alex and Anna completing the top ten. Series leaders Australia's Thomas and Sophie Alexander produced another impressive performance, clawing their way through the fleet after a poor first leg to finish 7th.

In the Promotional Fleet Scarlet Anderson and Amy Shepard dispensed with the need for tactical dog-fighting by nailing a port-tack flyer that saw them cross the whole fleet and build a big lead from which they never looked back, taking their second consecutive win and catching up with and overtaking the back of the World Championship fleet in the process. Behind them Harry Fitzsimmons and Sam Woodhouse were 2nd, their best race so far, and Belgian visitors Victor De Ripainsel and Nard Voets were 3rd.

As the middle of the Promotional Fleet came up to the finish line the wind began to die and the last few boats finished long after the rest of the fleet had finished their lunch on the water. The rain returned, the wind swung this way and that, and the patience of all of those afloat was tested for 2 hours before the decision to abandon the day's racing was taken at 3pm. Wednesday is now the lay-day and the forecast looks good for racing on Thursday and Friday.

Overall Thomas and Sophie Alexander (AUS) still have a healthy lead from Julian Mathwig and Matthias Henning (GER) who discarded their 21st from Race 7. Lucy and Cally Terkelsen (GBR) are 3rd, 8 points ahead of Igor Lvov and Maria Kulnashna (UKR) in 4th. Full results can be found at www.cadetclass.org.uk/sitedata/Worlds_14/Cadet_Worlds_Results.pdf