A fearful symmetry?

There is a certain similarity between the women's podium at lthe Laser Radial Worlds and the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships women's Laser Radial top three. Finland, Holland and the USA all resume rivalries at Largs.

Although there is a five day break between the end of the Laser Radial Worlds and Monday’s practice race for the Laser Radial Youth World and European Championships there has been no obvious let up around the regatta site at Largs which remains a hive of activity.
Registration and measurement continues apace whilst on the water it has been quite busy with two or three different ad hoc fleets’ totalling between 50 and 60 boats out on different parts of the Largs Channel during Saturday. Breezes have been a very useful 13-18 knots of SW’ly breeze.

The Laser Radial Youth World and European Championships has drawn an entry of 317 sailors from 47 different nations, 226 boys and 91 girls. The host nation GBR has the biggest representation with 44 sailors competing, 18 girls and 26 boys, followed by Germany with 35 sailors USA with 24 and France with 23. The USA have 18 boys competing.
Many sailors have yet to arrive from Turkey where the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships have just finished.
And the final rankings there have a very familiar look to them, even if the rankings are reversed compared with the open radial worlds here last week. Holland’s Michelle Broekhuizen won the Girls title in Istanbul ahead of Finland’s Heidi Tenkanen, and the USA’s Erika Reineke was third. Top three nations last week in the Women’s World Championships? Finland, Holland and the USA….

Both Broekhuizen and Tenkanen are due to race this coming week in Largs, resuming their rivalry on the Clyde.
In the Boys’ fleet Thailand’s ISAF Youth Worlds runner up Keerati Bualong, Portugal’s fourth placed Antonio Mourao and fifth placed Herman Tomasgaard of Norway are all making the direct journey from Istanbul to Largs.

There are also a strong contingent of international youth sailors who competed last week at the Laser Radial World Championships here in Largs who are also staying on to race at the Laser Radial Youth World and European Championships. Among the top seeds would be USA’s Mitchell Kiss, the 16 year old who finished third overall, Britain’s Elliot Hanson who finished in fifth the USA’s Dodge Rees who finished 21st and Scotland’s Lorenzo Chiavarini in 23rd.
Australian 15 year old Matthew Wearn was well up the Men’s field until he pushed too hard and copped a pair of black flag disqualifications which proved heavy ballast with just six races completed.

“I was just accelerating too early and I’ve learned from that. I’ll be more careful this week and stay closer to the ends of the line. I’m hoping the breeze stays up as it has done, but I’m as happy in the light and the breeze.” Wearn commented.

17/7/2010 17:16