Laser 4.7 Youth World Championship at Kiel, Germany - Day 3

Federica Cattarozzi from Italy is on the top of the girls' leaderboard after day 3 of the Laser 4.7 Youth Worlds © okPress

On the third day of the Laser 4.7 Youth Worlds off Kiel-Schilksee, it was all about the feeling for the wind shifts. With a constant showing in a breeze up to 20 knots, Federica Cattarozzi (Italy) and Dimitrios Papadimitriou (Greece) took the lead of their divisions.

Federica Cattarozzi from Italy is on the top of the girls´ leaderboard after three days of racing at the Laser 4.7 Youth Worlds off Kiel-Schilksee Photo: okPress

She had wished for the breeze to pick up, and her wish was heard: Federica Cattarozzi found a perfect mode in the south-westerly wind of 16 to 20 knots. With a second and a third place, the 16-year-old sailor from Lake Garda took the lead in the girls' division. As Cattarozzi reports, she learnt to cope with shifty winds on the small lake near the city of Trento, where her sailing career started.

In hot pursuit of the Italian is Emma Savelon, current European Vice Champion. "I had some luck today", said the 16 years old Dutch who trains on Ijsselmeer: "I started into the second race very badly and had to take the right side of the course. Fortunately, the wind shifted to the right. Thus, I reached the first mark at the top of the fleet and was free to decide what to do." Two third ranks put Savelon second overall at the end of Thursday. Annabelle Westerhof from the Netherlands, who had started the day in the yellow leader bib, dropped back to fifth place overall. "I am rather light, so the bigger girls hiked me out today", said Westerhof, who finished 14th in the second race.

Dimitrios Papadimitriou was more than happy when he came back to shore. With a perfect series of two starts and two victories, the 16 year old Greek from Athens pushed Pere Ponseti from the top of the leaderboard. After a comfortable lead in the first race, Papadimitriou had to fight hard against Riccardo Lister from Italy in the second one. "The conditions suited me", said the Greek, "and the waves were perfect for getting into the surf". To Papadimitriou, the Baltic waters felt refreshing, but not too chilly. "At home, in Greece, it´s up to 40 degrees right now, so I enjoy very much being here."

Germany´s hope Julia Buesselberg also got in touch with the Baltic today. "On the last upwind leg towards the finish, I missed the hiking belt after the tack and capsized," reported the 16-year-old sailor from Berlin. The first race of the day was a black one for her: "After a bad start, I chose the wrong side of the course on every upwind leg and lost all boats I had overtaken on the downwind leg", said Buesselberg. But, after winning the second race of the day, she could smile again.

Both girls and boys showed some aggressive starting today, so that, after several General Recalls, the Blag Flag came up on both racing areas. In a "Blag Flag Start", no part of a boat's hull, crew or equipment shall be in the triangle formed by the ends of the starting line and the first mark, otherwise the sailor is disqualified. Altogether, the Principal Race Officer Stephan Giesen said that the young competitors showed tight, but fair racing.

Sandy Grosvenor, head of the International Jury agreed. "We observed just few rule 42 infringements today", the US-American reported. Rule 42 defines the legal and illegal ways in which sailors can propel their boats, for instance by pumping or rocking. Rule 42 infringements are a bigger issue in lighter winds, though.

Friday is the last day of the qualification series before the fleet is split. The girls will sail in gold and silver fleet, while the boys are divided into gold, silver, bronze and emerald fleet. For Friday, the weather forecast sees the wind decreasing to an average of 13 to 17 knots from south-westerly direction.

The first gun will be at 11 am. All races can be tracked and watched via Live Streaming.

Protests were still being heard at the time of writing, and results are provisional.

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