WASZP European Games at the Ecole Nationale de Voile et des Sports Nautiques - Day 3
by Marc Ablett 21 Jul 2023 06:16 BST
17-23 July 2023
WASZP European Games day 3 © Antoine Dujoncquoy
The 2023 WASZP European Games has successfully concluded its qualifying round with an additional four races held in perfect medium conditions and flat water. The results have brought forth some exciting developments in the leaderboard. 9 races in total completed the qualifying series, the first race of the series is the distance race and it is worth half-points and discardable.
The fleet was held ashore until mid-afternoon as the breeze began to fill in, once it did, the sailors were quick to get on the water in perfect foiling conditions. One of the big movers and shakers of the day was Magnus Overbeck, while he only moved up one positions from second to first, he extended his points lead with two bullets in the final two races of the day. He now leads Caspar Ilgenstein by 2.5pts and Enzio Savoini is a further point back in third.
Two names have jumped into contention after the second drop came into play. Marcus Berthet from Norway has had a full twelve months of training after spending the European winter in Australia, and has moved into 6th overall with a 2, 1, 1 scorecard to finish the qualifying round. The other name is Tom Trotman who sits in 8th, the former overall winner of the Europeans in 2018 and WASZP Games runner-up in 2019, had a solid start to the day with two wins, followed by some less impressive results. However, it keeps him in the hunt heading into the finals racing.
The battle for the Apprentice title is a belter, with 19 Apprentice sailors inside the top 30, it really is anyone's game for this division. Showing that general peak performance in the WASZP class is coming from the over 21 category. While the youth and junior sailors coming through are showing impressive skills. Overbeck is currently the leading youth sailor and Ilgenstein is the current Junior leader.
Other Notable Changes in Leaderboard:
6.9 Fleet
One of the most notable developments in the qualifying round was Leonardo Centuori's exceptional performance, leading the 6.9 fleet. His skills and determination propelled him to the top of the rankings, and he demonstrated remarkable foiling expertise throughout the races. So much so, that in 67th overall, it is enough for him to get into the Gold Fleet.
Women
Another significant change in the leaderboard occurred in the women's category. Hattie Rogers managed to surpass Hedvig Doksrod, taking the lead in this fiercely competitive division. Her sailing abilities and strategic decisions proved vital in securing the lead. Hattie now sits 37th overall in Gold fleet. Kim Fernholz from Germany is not far behind and as we move into finals racing. The battle for the podium is on!
Masters
In the Masters Giovanni Bonzio Italy is being chased hard by Dingo Canuto from Argentina, Bonzio is currently sitting in 36th overall. While in the super-masters and epic all the way battle is ensuing between Jervis Tilly and Mikel Vazquez, who are separated by one place heading into the finals.
Full results can be found here
Finals Races Forecast
The forecast for the upcoming races is highly promising. The weather conditions are expected to deliver excellent breeze and flat water. We are looking forward to getting a full program of racing in across the event and a European Champion to be crowned on Saturday!
Growing Green Fleet
An encouraging aspect of the event is the increase in numbers within the green fleet. The coached racing program has attracted more sailors, showcasing the effectiveness of nurturing and training new talent. The growth of the green fleet indicates a bright future for WASZP sailors and something that will continue to be fostered at major WASZP events around the globe.