Steyaert and Arapov lead after day one

Jeff Martin reports from the Laser World Championship in Forteleza, Brazil

The opening parade of 137 sailors from 37 countries was both colourful and
moving as all the sailors hoisted their national flag to the sound of the Brazilian National Anthem. Following this a sailor from each country poured a flask of water, symbolising their home water, into a collecting vase. This vase was then poured into the sea by the three Olympic medallists from Athens - Robert Scheidt, Andreas Geritzer and Vasilij Zbogar - to symbolise a joining of the waters of the world.

The ceremony over, an otherwise perfect Day 1 was spoilt by the sad withdrawal of the young Australian, Tom Slingsby, because of stress injury to his leg. Coincidently Brazil's number one soccer team was in town, staying at the regatta hotel, and Tom was kindly attended by the club's doctor who broke the sad news to him. Slingsby was one of the new group of rising stars looking to take over from seven time Laser World Champion, Robert Scheidt BRA.

Out on the race course a 10 to 14 knot oscillating south easterly wind, tested the world's best Laser sailors under bright blue skies. Split into two fleets of 68 it was important to get a good start and hit the first shift. In the first fleet a group bunched at committee expecting the right to be favoured as it had been in training but today the leaders came from the left hand, seaward side of the course. Among these was bronze
medallist Vasilij Zbogar SLO who took a yellow flag penalty 200 metres after the start but recovered from last to round the first mark in 30th.

Diego Romero ARG said "I rounded the first mark with Luca Radelic CRO and Zbogar and we all made places on the downwind. Luca caught and passed Adonis Bourgiouris GRE and Aron Lolic CRO to take the winning gun."

In the second fleet, sailing the inner loop of the trapezoid course, Roope Suomalainen FIN held the lead at the halfway stage. He said "I started at the pin and sailed for 200 metres and the got a shift to cross the fleet. It was a great feeling but I am not sure if I can do the same in stronger winds." Suomalainen was passed by another member of the strong Croatian team, Mate Aropov on the next down wind leg and went to take
the winning gun.

In the second race for the yellow fleet got away at the first attempt. Again the pin end boats came out on top which included, Andrew Murdoch NZL, Radelic, Zbogar, and Giles Scott GBR. Murdoch rounded first and stretched his lead throughout the race to finish 100 metres of Scott.

The Race Committee struggled to get the Blue fleet second race away as the shifting wind favoured first the pin and then the committee boat. Eventually it was a clean start under a black flag with the Swiss, Christian Steiger port tacking the fleet. However left was the way to go. Jeremie Steyaert FRA said "I started in the middle of the line and played the shifts on the left. I had a good downwind and took the lead but I was watching Robert Scheidt BRA who had moved up to second. We both went right on the next windward leg and I am pleased I was able to stay ahead of him until the finish"

Steyart is tied with Aropov at the top of the leader board but there is a long way to go in this 14 race series. Defending champion, Robert Scheidt, was one of a number of established names who had a mixed day. "I had a bad start in the first race and made a few mistakes and my start in the second race was not much better but at got the shifts right," he said.

Positions:

Pos	Name	Sailno	R1	R2	Tot
1	Jeremie Steyaert	FRA 185065	4	1	5,0
2	Mate Arapov	CRO 185040	1	4	5,0
3	Luka Radelic	CRO 185044	1	5	6,0
4	Giles Scott	GBR 185075	6	2	8,0
5	Vasilij Zbogar	SLO 185124	4	4	8,0
6	Alexander Schlonski	GER 185084	7	3	10,0
7	Tobias Schdewaldt	GER 185083	5	6	11,0
8	Diego Emilio Romero	ARG 185005	5	7	12,0
9	Bernard Luttmer	CAN 185033	9	5	14,0
10	Gustavo Lima	POR 185120	8	6	14,0
11	Andrew Murdoch	NZL 185110	14	1	15,0
12	Nick Thompson	GBR 185076	3	12	15,0
13	Robert Scheidt	BRA 185022	17	2	19,0
14	Adonis Bougiouris	GRE 185085	2	17	19,0
15	Roope Suomalainen	FIN 185057	2	18	20,0
16	Milan Vujasinovic	CRO 185046	10	10	20,0
17	Mathieu Murati	FRA 185062	14	7	21,0
18	Bruno Fontes	BRA 185013	12	9	21,0
18	Michael Bullot	NZL 185108	12	9	21,0
20	Mathias Del Solar	CHI 185039	11	14	25,0
21	Mark Powell	GBR 185073	7	20	27,0
22	Paul Goodison	GBR 185071	17	11	28,0
23	Brendan Casey	AUS 185006	15	13	28,0
23	Thomas Le Breton	FRA 185060	15	13	28,0
25	Andreas Geritzer	AUT 185009	19	10	29,0
26	Aron Lolic	CRO 185042	3	29	32,0
27	Julio Alsogaray	ARG 185001	21	11	32,0
28	Yoichi Iijima	JPN 185093	13	19	32,0
29	Mathias Rieck	GER 185082	8	25	33,0
30	André Delanhesi Streppel	BRA 185016	9	24	33,0
31	Daniel Mihelic	CRO 185043	27	8	35,0
32	Mark James Howard	GBR 185072	6	31	37,0
33	Thomas Tassilo Reger	GER 185080	11	26	37,0
34	Arvid Claeson	SWE 185126	19	19	38,0
35	Felix Pruvot	FRA 185063	36	3	39,0
36	Tonko Kusmanic	CRO 185041	16	23	39,0
37	Charles Baillie Strong	GBR 185066	29	12	41,0
38	Marc De Hass	NED 185102	25	16	41,0
39	Ho-Kon Kim	KOR 185097	13	30	43,0
40	Fredrik Westman	FIN 185058	10	34	44,0
41	Eduardo Van Vianen	NED 185105	22	22	44,0
42	Simon Grotelueschen	GER 185078	18	27	45,0
42	Michele Regolo	ITA 185092	18	27	45,0
44	Javier Hernández	ESP 185053	20	25	45,0
45	Michael Leigh	CAN 185031	22	23	45,0
46	Evangelos Chimonas	GRE 185086	28	18	46,0
47	Alejandro José Foglia	URU 185129	32	15	47,0
48	David Weaver	NZL 185111	34	14	48,0
49	Johan Wigforss	SWE 185128	41	8	49,0
50	Alex Muscat	ESP 185054	33	17	50,0