2019 ILCA Laser Radial World Championship at Miho Bay, Japan - Day 3
by Ravi Subramanian 21 Jul 22:17 BST
17-24 July 2019
The typhoon that was headed north towards the Sea of Japan veered west, over the Korean Peninsula, and is no longer a threat to Radial Worlds in Sakaiminato City. But it's likely influencing weather patterns in the region, so it's at least an indirect threat. Similar to yesterday, Day 3 at Radial Worlds started with optimism, but at times racing looked questionable. An initial course was set for 15 knot winds at a heading of 185 under moderately rainy skies.
The skies were clearing by start time, and the wind softening, but conditions were raceable and the Men's fleet started their Race 5 cleanly. RC held off starting the Women's Yellow fleet, to give the Men some separation and to adjust the first mark to a 5 deg shift to the left. But after one General Recall, Yellow started their Race 3 without penalties under a building breeze. The Women's Blue fleet needed three starts (six sailors received BFD penalties in the second) but by early afternoon all three fleets were on the course or finished.
The wind was gusty, mostly in the mid- to high-teens, and there were clear differences across the course. But it did seem that the leaders on the inner trapezoid (Women's Yellow & Blue) often came into the weather mark from the left side of the course.
Paige Riley (USA), who finished second twice today, confirmed this. She thought that coming in from the left near the top mark worked for most of the day, whether it was geographic or just how the oscillations lined up lined up with the Yellow fleet. Mostly, she thought it was a matter of staying in pressure as you worked your way up, and down, the course.
A second round of races were started early afternoon, first Red (Men's), then Yellow (Women's). But before Blue got off a clean start, things got weird. The wind shifted right ten degrees, then another ten, and then kept going. By the time Yellow was halfway down to the bottom mark they were reaching, and RC had no choice but to abandon the race. Everyone drifted and waited while the wind died, built, and died again, shifting throughout.
It took 90 minutes for the breeze to settle back in at the original southerly direction, but ultimately Red (Men's) and Yellow & Blue (Women's) got in another race before the 1800h off-the-water deadline. It required shortening the final race at the second weather mark for Blue, but the day concluded with Race 6 for the Men and Race 5 for the two Women's fleets and the end of their Qualifying Series.
Men's results after day 3 (no discard):
1. Zac West AUS 13 (20) pts
2. Simon de Gendt BEL 28 (61) pts
3. Guilherme Perez BRA 29 (48) pts
4. Mark Louis AUS 30 (54) pts
5. Erwan Lamoureux SUI 39 (72) pts
Women's results after day 3 (no discard):
1. Josefin Olsson AUS 13 (20) pts
2. Paige Railey USA 14 (36) pts
3. Marit Bouwmeester NED 22 (37) pts
4. Marie Bolou FRA 24 (48) pts
5. Tuula Tenkanen FIN 24 (41) pts
6. Charlotte Rose USA 25 (47) pts
7. Line Flem Høst NOR 26 (49) pts
8. Ecem Güzel TUR 28 (40) pts
9. Alison Young GBR 33 (63) pts
10. Anne-Marie Rindom DEN 34 (91) pts
The day concluded with the Midweek Party - a wonderfully hosted buffet of local food with live music. Thanks to all of the volunteers who made this (and the regatta!) happen! The Finals Series begins tomorrow.
Event Website - 2019worlds.laserjapan.org/radial
Results - 2019worlds.laserjapan.org/radial/results
Photo Galleries - www.facebook.com/2019-Laser-Worlds-JAPAN-284629198769700
Two Irish make Gold fleet by ISA
Both Aisling Keller (Nenagh, Co. Tipperary) and Aoife Hopkins (Howth, Co. Dublin) qualified for the Gold fleet final round at the Laser Radial World Championship at Sakaiminato, Japan earlier today (Sunday 21st July 2019).
The event is a qualification regatta for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in the women's single-handed event sailed in the Laser Radial dinghy.
After two days of light winds that put the championship behind schedule, the fleet had a protracted third day afloat for eight hours as the organisers staged three races to catch-up on most of the event schedule.
Both Keller and Hopkins had two good results apiece with an eighth and an eleventh respectively that leaves them 29th and 37th overall at the end of the qualification series for the 111-boat event.
A six-race Gold fleet series begins on Monday with two races scheduled daily before concluding the world championship on Wednesday.
A total of ten nation places are available from the world championship for Tokyo with 14 countries in the Gold fleet all seeking one of the quota. Both Keller and Hopkins are currently inside the qualification standings.
"It was a challenging day to be consistent with winds ranging from fresh to moderate to light but flukey at all times," commented Rory Fitzpatrick, Irish Sailing's Head Coach. "The plan continues to be to sail one race at a time as a very tough Gold fleet final round lies ahead."