Belcher and Page (AUS) - leading the 470 Men. Image copyright Kieler Woche 2011.
by Daniel Smith
Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page (AUS) look unstoppable in the Men’s 470 after they recorded their sixth race victory out of eight at the close of the third day at Kieler-Woche in Kiel, Germany.
The Australian Men’s 470 World Champions have shown their class after the first three days of racing in Kiel with a fifth and sixth place finish in Race 1 and 7 the only blemish in a near perfect scorecard.
With three races remaining the pair sit on 11 points at the top of the Men’s 470 leader board. Their nearest rivals, Sime Fantela and Igor Marenic (CRO), are 16 points behind the Australians in second place. And with the Croatians lacking the consistency that Belcher and Page have shown it would be hard to bet against the Australians claiming the gold medal.
Not one to be outdone, Przemyslaw Miarczynski (POL) picked up his sixth race win in the Men’s RS:X. The Polish sailor is yet to finish out of the top three in eight races sailed so far. But unlike the Men’s 470, in second place Toni Wilhelm (GER) has put together some steady results and trails the leader by just six points. Wilhlem picked up his first race win on the third day and it couldn’t have come at a better time as the competition reaches the business end with two days remaining.
The Women’s 470 is slightly tighter than the Men’s after eight races, but Erin Maxwell and Isabelle Kinsolving (USA) continue to lead the way. With double bullets and a third place they have extended their lead to five points over Tina Lutz and Susann Beucke (GER). Meanwhile a pack of three German teams trail Lutz and Beucke in third, fourth and fifth place.
ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Blanca Manchon has moved from fourth on the leader board after day one to top after the third day. The Spaniard added two second place finishes and a fourth to the two race wins recorded on the opening day to take a six point advantage into the penultimate day. Moana Delle (GER) is second on 25 points and with two race wins on the third day Allison Shreeve (AUS) has overtaken compatriot Jessica Crisp to sit third.
In the Laser, the Germans are having it all their own way with Simon Grotelueschen and Phillip Buhl battling it out at the top of the leader board. Grotelueschen notched up a race win and two third place finishes and leads the pack on 19 points. Buhl recorded two bullets, but a tenth place in Race 6 put a dampener on his day. Nonetheless with 21 points and plenty of racing left it will be an exciting climax in the Laser. Overnight leader Josh Junior had a disastrous day finishing sixth, tenth and 14th, he slips to third overall.
Zach Railey (USA) trailed Jonathan Lobert (FRA) by five points after the opening day. The American reduced the deficit to one point at the end of the second day and after recording double bullets on the third day the American has taken a two point lead over the Frenchman. Great Britain’s Ed Wright sits in third on 24 points.
Paige Railey (USA) did not fair quite as well as her older brother in the Laser Radial finishing fifth, fourth and third in her three races. However she leads the pack on 14 points. Croatia’s Tina Mihelic had an excellent day to close the gap on Railey, with two second place finishes and a bullet she sits second on 19 points. Tatiana Drozdovskaya (BLR) and Krystal Weir (AUS) sit third and fourth on 30 points.
Fredrik Loof and Max Salminen (SWE) have opened up a five point gap over Flavio Marazzi and Enrico De Maria (SUI) in the Star class. With two races sailed on the third day, the Swedes finished second and third whilst the Swiss pair came sixth in both, discarding one. Diego Negri and Enrico Voltolini (ITA) are down in seventh place meaning the Swedish duo are on track to take second place in the Star ISAF Sailing World Cup Standings.
Peter Kruger-Andersen and Nicolai Thorsell (DEN) have taken the lead in the 49er following another solid day on the water. Their 39 points sees them lead Tobias Schadewaldt and Hannes Baumann (GER), on 45 points, and compatriots Allan Norregaard and Peter Lang who are third on 49 points.
The Quarter Final spots in the Women’s Match Racing competition were decided on the third day. Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) will face Nicky Souter (AUS), Ekaterina Skudina goes up against Anna Kjellberg (SWE), Silke Hahlbrock (GER) meets Genny Tulloch (USA) and Olivia Price (AUS) will race Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen (DEN).
Heiko Kroker (GER) maintains her lead in the 2.4mR after a first and second place finish. Megan Pascoe (GBR) remains in second trailing the German by two points.
Kieler Woche
