29er Eurocup Finals at Fraglia Vela Riva - Day 3
by 29er Class Association 26 Oct 2024 16:25 BST
24-29 October 2024
With a fresh, steady Peler wind, Race Committee President Valentina Bravi successfully orchestrated three more races on the Alfa course, critical for setting the standings in the Gold Fleet.
This elite fleet, comprised of the top 33 crews from the six qualifying races held Thursday and Friday, saw the initial rankings reshuffled today in Riva del Garda.
Today's races brought a new leader to the forefront: Hungarians Soma Kis-Szölgyémi and András Sámuel Juhász, who entered the Gold Fleet with an impressive six-point total from the qualifiers, faced unexpected challenges, finishing with scores of 7-11-5. They were overtaken by Poland's Antonina Puchowska and Mateusz Gasiorowski, who posted a strong 3-1-6. The Polish team, currently the best-performing mixed crew and fifth after the first two days, took a tactical approach tailored for Garda's conditions—effective, if unconventional for the area. Though the Hungarians were understandably disappointed to lose the provisional lead, they remain focused on winning the season's overall title, where they are ranked just behind the absent leaders Lewandowska-Krolik.
The provisional podium also includes the top Under-17 team, German brothers Lucas and Moritz Hamm, who secured third place with a solid 2-4-14 finish. Consistent from the start, they are strong contenders in the race for top positions in the series rankings.
Rounding out the top five are Swiss sailors Huber-Berger (5-2-8) and Danish team Holt-Sloth (5-2-8), while Italy's Montesano-Coslovich pair, currently sixth, is waiting on the next discard to drop their challenging second-race finish of the day and make another push for the top. Notably, this pair held second place in the standings as of last night.
With nine different nations represented among the top ten, the diversity in the fleet highlights the highly competitive nature of the 29er class.
Hosted by Fraglia Vela Riva in partnership with the International 29er Class Association, this Eurocup Finals series has drawn over 130 crews. The event will conclude tomorrow with the last scheduled races at 8:30, followed by the awards ceremony at the Riva association's clubhouse.
Find the Results here