Cadet World Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina - Day 1

by Roger Wilson 31 Dec 2001 08:51 GMT

After a long delay ashore to sort out the question of whether Argentinean boats should be insured or not, the fleet launched into 10-15 knots of breeze and a wicked chop with the backdrop of black clouds building over the city. The course was our old favourite, triangle, sausage, sausage, beat.

The fleet got away at the second (black flag) start with the boats spread right along a square line. No one was sure which way to go until half way up the beat when the wind shifted left throwing 2 Argentinean boats into the lead followed by GBR 9040 Simon Lambert & David Brewer. The wind then went light on the left allowing the right and centre to catch up so that most of the fleet then rounded the windward mark together.

The two deep (45 degree) reaches resulted in even more bunching so that by the time the fleet reached the leeward mark the first thirty boats were very close together.

The fleet again split with the leaders going right and the next four Argentinean boats going left, towards the building cloud. This paid with more breeze filling in from the left.

As the storm hit the Race Officer shortened the race at the windward mark, making it a very short race (25 minutes) but it was a wise decision as the wind rapidly rose to 25 knots and the fleet were towed home with their sails down.

Provisional results: (Race 1)

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Crew	Nat
1	8066	FEDERICO TRAVASCIO	JOANA GABIN	ARG
2	8019	FERNANDO ANDRES GWOZDZ	JULIAN AUGUSTO DE MARE	ARG
3	8064	MARIANO PELLEGRINO	SANTIAGO VERDINO	ARG
7	9040	SIMON LAMBERT	DAVID BREWER	GBR
10	8519	OLIVER GRAY	CLARE DALLIMORE	GBR
12	9000	PIPPA WILSON	CHARLIE HATFIELD	GBR
14	8528	IAIN WATSON	ED THOMAS	GBR
17	8846	JAMES HUGHES	ANNA GRAVES	GBR
24	9038	JULIA CHRISTINE CORNAH	OREN RICHARDS	GBR
29	8997	LAURA WADE	JENNY SUDELL	GBR