Worlds Day Two - Light and Shifty

17 September 2013

Swiss Claude Mermod and Ruedi Moser first to beat the Brits

Finally, after today's races it doesn't look like Portorož is hosting the British Nationals any longer! Wind conditions were again on their lowest end, not picking up more than 10 knots and dropping to around five, with huge wind shifts. It was one of them that was responsible for the general recall of the first of today's race. The second start was quite exciting, with lots of forbidden body-pumping and the jury proved to be efficient. Slovenian crew Marko Kocjančič and Aljaž Jadek were the first to round the upwind mark, but lost some places until the end of the race and finished sixth after GBR Ian Dobson and Ben Ainsworth. European champions, GBR Matt Burge and Richard Wagstaff were second and GBR's Dave Wade and Tim Hartley came in as third.

Huge wind shifts postponed a start to the second race for almost an hour. There were two crews over the course line unfortunately, Slovenians Marko Kocjančič and Aljaž Jadek, who sailed a very good second race and would, without the OCS, finish fourth, and the leaders from day one Chips Howarth and Vyv Townend, who would without the OCS finish fifth. It's been a bad day for the four times world champions today, since they had a collision just after the first start and had to clear a penalty. Anyway, these are still early days of this championship and we're pretty sure the two experienced sailors haven't said their last word yet. The win of the second race went to a non-British boat, Swiss Claude Mermod and Ruedi Moser, GBR Alan Krailing and Tim Linsell finished second and GBR Ian Dobson and Ben Ainsworth as third.

There are new names in the lead after four races: Christian Birrell and Sam Brearey hold first with 17 points from Alan Krailing and Tim Linsell (23 points) and Tom Gillard with Simon Potts in third with 24 points.

Claude Mermod and Ruedi Moser: "It's great to win the race and it's too bad that we had to do the 720 in the first race due to a penalty. We had a very good start in the second race, a good lift on a first leg and were second on the top mark behind the Slovenian boat. The second reach slowed the whole fleet down, so the whole pack was there together at the leeward mark, then we got some good shifts and could control the other boats. We won with a big lead, safely. We hope the wind will last and grow stronger in the following days. So far the organisation is great and we're looking forward to more racing. We'd like to finish this Worlds in the top ten and I wanted to win one race, at least, and it worked!"

Marko Kocjančič and Aljaž Jadek: "We had a good first start, worked the shifts well and rounded the first mark first. After that they were only our mistakes that cost us places. We dropped to sixth in a first race and to fourth in the second. Unfortunately we were a bit too fast on the second start, the jury saw us and we earned the OCS. The British sailors are very good competition, but this is just a beginning of this championship and everything is still possible. We haven't been training a lot in heavy winds, so we hope for lighter conditions in the future races. Anyway, we can't be good with the OCS's."

SUI Claude Mermod and Ruedi Moser: »It's great to win the race and it's too bad that we had to do the 720 in the first race due to a penalty. We had a very good start of the second race, a good lift in a first leg and were second on the top mark behind the Slovenian boat. The second reach slowed the whole fleet down, so the whole pack was there together at the leeward mark, then we got some good shifts and could control the other boats. We won with a big lead, safely. We hope the wind will last and grow stronger in the following days. So far the organisation is great and we're looking forward to more racing. We'd like to finish this Worlds in top ten and I wanted to win one race, at least, and it worked!«

 SLO Marko Kocjančič and Aljaž Jadek: »We had a good first start, worked the shifts well and rounded the first mark as first. After that they were only our mistakes that cost us places. We dropped to sixth in a first race and to fourth in the second. Unfortunately we were a bit too fast on the second start, the jury saw us and we earned the OCS. The British sailors are very good competition, but this is just a beginning of this championship and everything is still possible. We haven't been training a lot in heavy winds, so we hope for lighter conditions in the future races. Anyway, we can't be good with the OCS's.«