Phipps and Glover dominating

The British team leads the way in the Hobie 16 at the Youth World Championship

Day two of the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships saw the sailors competing in perfect conditions, with winds averaging 15 knots all afternoon for the young talent in Weymouth Bay.

Italian domination of the RS:X windsurfer’s fleet carried on today with Laura Linares having a perfect day with two firsts, giving her a five point separation to Isreal’s Maayan Davidvich. Davidvich is certainly not out of the running though with two seconds, Linares has to keep looking over her shoulder. Linares was ecstatic with her performance, “Today the weather was better for me, as I prefer a bit more wind to get the board planing. With my good start and good mental preparation, I felt confident out on the water. It was a fantastic day!”

Emotions are running high at the top of the RS:X male fleet with Polish Lukasz Grodzicki staying at the top of the table for a second day, but he has Frenchman Pierre Le Coq, closing in on him. Both of these sailors have been in this exact position before in 2005, when the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships were held in Korea. Grodzicki took gold and relegated Le Coq to silver. Le Coq certainly does not want this to happen again. “I want to beat him this year and it is possible but I will have to work very hard for it. Today was very tactical with everyone making big gains and losses depending on their rig and finn position. I’m happy with my result but hope tomorrow I will have a better day.”

Also in the fray at the top of the RSX fleet is Italian male entry, Fabian Heidegger, with a second and fourth today, which allows him to sit comfortably in third. Weymouth 2006 is Heidegger’s first and last possible Youth World’s because of his age, so he hopes to stay in a medal position. “I’m happy with today, I know I need more wind to better my results but hopefully that will come. I love Weymouth, the course is just like sailing at home and the Academy is so impressive, I’d love to come back here in 2012.”

The 420 double handed dinghy class saw a change in the leader today with the Israeli team sailing superbly, gaining a first and fourth, allowing them to pass the Argentinia’s Sebastian Peri Brusa and Santiago Masseroni. Peri Brusa and Masseroni are both from Buenos Aires where they have been training hard the past year in preparation for the Youth Worlds. “I feel comfortable racing here and know we are getting better. We came 13th last year in Korea and 20th the year before in Poland so second isn’t bad; there still is a long way to go.”

Australian 420 ladies team, Belinda Kerl and Chelsea Hall have set a high standard in their class, with a 17 point separation from second placed Israelis. Hall admitted it was a hard day until the breeze settled in but they soon got into the swing of it. “The first race wasn’t good. There was a big wind shift on the downwind leg and we were on the wrong side but the second race we brought it back.”

Another fleet, which has total domination at the top on day two is the Hobie Cat 16’s. British team, Tom Phipps and Richard Glover have three firsts, a second and fourth under their belts. The Singaporean team of Melcolm Huang and Pei Quan Chung were close on the tail of the British boat at the end of yesterday but fell back today after a 11th in the first race of the afternoon. Huang explained their feelings, “We’ve had our ups and downs so far and although the first race was bad we brought it back with a third in the second. I like this weather, let’s hope it lasts all week.”

Positions are tight at the top of the Laser class, with Swede Emil Cedergard and Canadian Luke Ramsay locked with joint points. The Swede is currently in first on count back but the next few days will determine who comes out in pole position. Third placed Pavlos Kontides from Cyprus must also be watched carefully as this is his third Youth Worlds and he is still only 16 years old. Like his rivals he has been training hard for this event and feels it’s all paid off. “I do like the strong breeze because I am a bit heavier. I had an unlucky first race when I capsized at the mark but in sailing you have to deal with those bad moments and move on.”

In the Laser radial fleet Tina Mihelic from Croatia had another great day, but with potentially seven more races in this championships she knows her position is not safe. Second placed Maiken Foght Schutt from Denmark is hot on her heels. This is her first Youth Worlds and she is enjoying the event immensely. “It’s great here. Everyone is so friendly and helpful, I didn’t think it would be like this at all. I had a bad first race. I sailed down the middle of the course on the first downwind leg and should have chosen a side and stuck with it. I did make up places though so it was a medium day for me; tomorrow is another day.”

Puerto Rican Laser Radial sailor, Angela Albela is an ISAF supported sailor in the Athlete Participation Programme (APP), which has allowed her to come to the last three Youth Worlds. The 18 year old wants to carry on after this event with her sailing despite living in the middle of the Puerto Rican countryside. “Like everyone else here I would love to go to the Olympics and thanks to the support of my dad, driving me to the water to go sailing, I may get there. I am a bit disappointed with my 25th placing but there are lots more races. After my dramatic first race where my tiller extension came off rounding the mark, I still ended up having my better day. Things are looking up.”