Reigning J/80 World Champion, Rayco Tabares (ESP), stamped his authority on the
2017 J/80 World Championship, with two bullets and a second to open up a
commanding lead for the regatta, but it was a game of snakes and
ladders for the rest of the fleet.
Simon
Moriceau (FRA) has climbed to second place after an 8-3-1 today, and
Luke Patience (GBR) put into two great races, but slipped up in the last
race to remain in third place. J/80 UK National Champion, Kevin Sproul
(GBR), had a shocker dropping eight places after a 19-24-13. 2012 J/80
World Champion, Jose Maria Van Der Ploeg (ESP) had a good day, scoring a
5-2-5 to move up to fourth. Whilst last year's runner up, Eric
Brezellec (FRA), was called OCS in Race Four, and slips down to
fourteenth.
PRO
Stuart Childerley and his team, set three good races, resulting in a
highly competitive starts and mark roundings. It was a tough day on the
Solent for the 48 competitors in the J/80 World Championship, a low
pressure system brought poor visibility and rain for much of the day.
With the wind oscillating in speed and direction, making the correct
tactical decisions was difficult.
“We
had good speed today, especially downwind, and we made the right
tactical choices.” commented Simon Moriceau. “Today we worked well as a
team, and there was good communication. When we were down in the fleet
we remained calm, and just concentrated on passing one boat at a time.
Coming from Brittany, we are used to this kind of weather; it is not a
problem for us.”
Jose
Maria Van Der Ploeg (ESP) had a great day on the water scoring a 5-2-5
to finish the day in eighth place, which is likely to improve once the
discard kicks in tomorrow. Among their crew is the youngest competitor
in the championship, Luis Miro, just 12 years old. “Jose Maria is a good
friend of my family, I sail Optimist normally, so this is very exciting
for me!” smiled Luis. The current French National Champion, Simon
Bertheau, scored an impressive 4-6-6 to place fifth.
Royal
Southern YC Rear Commodore Sailing, Robert Vose, welcomed competitors
to the Royal Southern Pier for complimentary food and refreshments, and
officiated at the daily prize giving, sponsored by Ocean Rope.
For live updates from the 2017 J/80 World Championship, including video and pictures from the race course: www.facebook.com/J80Worlds2017 For more information visit: http://www.royal-southern.co.uk |
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