2021 470 European Championships at Vilamoura, Portugal - Day 4
by Int 470 Class/Sail-World.com/nz 6 May 03:13 BST
2-7 May 2021
Depares/Cantero - Spain - Day 4 - Open Womens - European 470 championship - Vilamoura, Portugal - May 2021 © Joao Costa Ferreira
A fresher breeze on Day 4 of the 470 European Championships at Vilamoura, Portugal, created the opportunity for a change in the leaderboard in the Mens event, while the leaders consolidated their overnight position in the Womens and Mixed classes.
French crews dominate the regatta leading the Mens, second in the Womens, and a single point out of the top three overall in the Mixed European championship.
Two races - 8 & 9 were sailed in a 12-13kt wind, the best breeze of the regatta.
All racing was conducted the Oscar (kinetics allowed) flag up, allowing extra room for teams to enjoy and test their skills.
In the Men’s fleet the French crew Kevin Peponnet and Jeremie Mion climbed to the first place, now only separated by 1pt from New Zealanders Paul Snow-Hansen and Dan Willcox, now in second overall after taking penalty turns on the last leg of Race 9.
The 2019 World Champions from Australia Mathew Belcher and Will Ryan retained their third place overall ahead of Sweden’s Dahlberg/Bergstrom and Xammar/Rodriguez from Spain, the second and third placed teams for the European Champion title.
Nitai Hasson and Saar Tamir from Israel are still leading the Mixed Fleet but now with a much narrower lead of 4pts over the German Team of Theres Dahnke and Matti Cipra, who scored two excellent 4th places. Vita Heathcote and Ryan Orr from GBR are holding on to the third place overall, 21pts behind the Germans.
Silvia Mas Depares and Patricia Cantero (ESP), the 2021 World Champions, are still leading the French crew Camille Lecointre and Aloise Retornaz, who lost one more point to the leaders and are now 4pts behind. Linda Fahrni and Maja Siegenthaler from Switzerland sailed very consistently scoring two third places and keeping their third place overall on the leaderboard.
Portugal turned on a sunny and warm day in Vilamoura (air temp. 27 C), sailors were back ashore just past 16:30, leaving plenty of time to enjoy the Portuguese spring.
The 470 European Championship is being Live Streamed. Follow the action on the water via Vilamoura Sailing / You Tube channel.
Follow the championship at 2021europeans.470.org