Miarczynski Takes Early Men’s RS:X Stranglehold In Kiel
Diego and Negri (ITA) take off on day one in the Star. Image copyright Kieler Woche.
by Hermann Hell
With two bullets and a third place finish in the Men’s RS:X, World #6 Przemyslaw Miarczynski (POL) has taken an early advantage on the opening day of Kieler-Woche, the final ISAF Sailing World Cup Regatta in Kiel, Germany.
In the 44-boat fleet, the Polish sailor finished third in the opening race of the day behind Thomas Goyard (FRA) and Toni Wilhelm (GER). But he hit back in perfect fashion with back to back bullets to take a two point lead over Wilhelm into the second day.
Goyard started the day well but faded in Races 2 and 3 finishing tenth in both and ends the opening day down in fifth place. Meanwhile Wilhelm sits second on seven points and, Miarczynski’s compatriot Michal Majewski is third on 11 points.
Like Miarczynski, Amanda Ng (SIN) also recorded double bullets on the opening day of the Women’s RS:X. However the Singaporean finished 19th in the second race to slip down the leader board leaving top place to another Polish sailor in the form of Agata Brygola.
Brygola was the most consistent Women’s RS:X sailor in Kiel with a card of 4-2-4 to lead Moana Delle (GER) by three points and Jessica Crisp (AUS) by four points. ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Blanca Manchon (ESP) had an up and down day finishing first, second and fourteenth to sit out of the podium places in fourth place. But with plenty of racing to come it is all to play for with Manchon and Ng looking dangerous.
Just four points separate the top six in the Laser but Simon Grotelueschen (GER) came out on top after the opening three races as he ended day one on nine points. Grotelueschen is yet to finish on the podium in the 2010-2011 ISAF Sailing World Cup series, but after the opening day he is hoping to pick up not only his first medal but his first ISAF Sailing World Cup Regatta victory. Following the German is Milan Vujasinovic (CRO) on ten points and one point behind the Croat is Josh Junior (AUS), Phillip Buhl (GER) and Tom Burton (AUS) who are all tied on 11 points.
Paige Railey (USA) is well on the way to taking third place in the ISAF Sailing World Cup Laser Radial Standings after she opened up a seven point gap over Tatiana Drozdovskaya (BLR). The American, who needs to finish fifth or better to secure third spot in the Standings, won two races on the opening day and finished third in the other. Krystal Weir (AUS) ended the first day of sailing in Kiel one point behind Drozdovskaya on 13 points.
With double bullets and a fifth place finish Jonathan Lobert (FRA) leads the Finn on seven points. World #1 Zach Railey (USA) sits second on 12 points and Thomas le Breton is a point behind the American in third.
It was a great day for Germany in the Women’s 470 as five teams occupy the top ten with two taking podium places early on. Annika Bochmann and Anika Lorenz (GER) lead with ten points followed by Erin Maxwell and Isabelle Kinsolving (USA) in second and Annina Wagner and Marlene Steinherr (GER) in third. The American girls are on track to clinch the Women’s 470 ISAF Sailing World Cup title as they require a sixth place finish or better in Kiel.
Meanwhile in the Men’s 470 the Australian duo of Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page showed exactly why they are ranked #1 in the world after they won two races out of a possible three. The 470 World Champions have a 12 point lead over Jan Jasper Wagner and Tobias Bolduan (GER). In third place, on 20 points, is Sime Fantela and Igor Marenic (CRO) who started the day well with a bullet and a fifth place finish but faded in Race 3 coming 14th.
Nico Delle-Karth and Nikolaus Resch (AUT) require a 14th place finish or better to claim the 49er ISAF Sailing World Cup title and after the opening day the pair sit 15th. After a bright start the Austrians slumbered in Race 3 and 4 to slip down the leader board. The title will go the Peter Kruger-Andersen and Nicolai Thorsell (DEN) if the Austrians finish out of the top 14 and the Danes are in the top eight.
Sam Phillips and Will Phillips (AUS) ended the opening day at the helm of the 49er leader board on nine points closely followed by Charlie Ekberg and Kalle Torlen on 11 points. Allan Norregaard and Peter Lang (DEN) are tied on 16 points in third place with Kruger-Andersen and Thorsell.
In the Women’s Match Racing Ekaterina Skudina (RUS), Genevieve Tulloch (USA) and Olivia Price (AUS) recorded four race wins. Whilst Nicky Souter (AUS), Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) and Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen (DEN) each won three races. The eleven teams will continue tomorrow in the round robin format before the top eight move into the Quarter Finals.
Flavio Marazzi and Enrico De Maria (SUI) finished 2-1 in the Star to lead Germany’s Johannes Babendererde and Timo Jacobs (GER), who finished 3-2. On seven points in third place is Eivind Melleby and Petter Morland Pedersen (NOR).
And in the 2.4mR Heiko Kroger (GER) and Megan Pascoe (GBR) are tied on four points apiece following a race win and a third place finish each.
Racing is set to start at 11:00 local time tomorrow.
Kieler Woche
