Hoegh-Christensen takes the lead

Points are still extremely close at the Finn Gold Cup

Consistent racing with only top five positions in the last six races and a win today places Jonas Hoegh-Christensen from Denmark in the lead of the 2006 Finn Gold Cup in Split. Yesterdays leader, Rafael Trujillo, is ranked second, only one point behind the Dane after collecting his third victory and an eighth. 
 
Emilios Papathanasiou and Ed Wright are placed third and fouth respectively eight points behind the Spaniard (ten points for Wright.) However, a pending disqualification for the Greek after an incident on the starting line could cost him third place.
 
Perfect conditions provided two good races in a strengthening westerly wind. After a general recall penalising Olexiy Borisov (UKR), Junior Sailor Bartek Szydlowski (POL) and Piero Romeo, the race was started with a stable ten knot breeze on a windward leeward course. The “usual suspects” dominated the race with a victory for Jonas Hoegh Christensen (DEN) followed over the finish line by Emilios Papathanasiou (GRE), Ed Wright (GBR) and +39 helmsman Iain Percy.
 
The wind increased to 18 knots in the second race, and the committee changed the course to a triangle with an upwind finish. The Dane was first at the top mark but lost his lead to finish third. “I had a good start on the left then I covered the fleet in the middle. I didn’t want to go too far on one side with so many boats. I was leading at the windward mark but then I couldn’t find the mark and my usual rhythm downwind,” he explained.

Peter-Jan Postma from Holland passed the wing mark in the lead but could not keep the fast Athens Silver medallist, Trujillo behind. The Spaniard passed him at the leeward mark and conserved his position until the finish where he collected his third bullet. Peter-Jan Postma (NED) managed to stay in second place moving him up to tenth place overall.
 
The Croatian sailors are back into their usual form with Ivan Kljakovitch Gaspic in 13th position overall (after discarding an OCS) and Karlo Kuret climbing to 14th after finishing in sixth place twice today. “I was a bit rusty on the first two days” explained Kuret. “Now I am finding my mechanisms and marks in the boat.”

Like Iain Percy, Karlo Kuret is only sailing for the fun. “I could not think about having a Finn Gold Cup at home and just watch!” A Team +39 sailor, Kuret has his mind set on the America’s Cup but has been training actively in Valencia with his team mates to prepare for this regatta.
  
After catching up with the racing programme, the sailors, happy with the great sailing conditions but tired, quickly disappeared from the Yacht Club to find some rest before tomorrow’s two scheduled races.
 
Results:

Pos	Helm	Nationality	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Tot
1	CHRISTENSEN JONAS HOGH	DEN 2	2	4	2	*5	1	3	12
2	TRUJILLO RAFAEL JOAQUIN	ESP 100	*9	2	1	1	8	1	13
3	PAPATHANASIOU EMILIOS	GRE 7	4	1	5	10	2	*DSQ	22
4	WRIGHT EDWARD	GBR 111	1	*10	7	2	3	10	23
5	BIRGMARK DANIEL	SWE 11	11	6	3	8	*15	4	32
6	PERCY IAIN	GBR 54	7	3	*21	12	4	8	34
7	TILLANDER JOHAN	SWE 736	12	5	13	6	7	*14	43
8	HOWARD MATT	GBR 550	6	13	6	*68	9	13	47
9	GUILLAME FLORENT	FRA 73	*19	11	12	11	16	5	55
10	COOK CHRISTOPHER	CAN 41	*21	7	10	13	14	11	55
11	POSTMA PIETER JAN	NED 842	8	23	4	*39	19	2	56
12	SLATER DANIEL	NZL 1	3	8	*OCS	19	12	18	60
13	KLJAKOVIĆ GAŠPIĆ IVAN	CRO 524	5	12	*OCS	18	10	17	62
14	KURET KARLO	CRO 11	*37	20	26	7	6	6	65
15	MOBERG PEER	NOR 1	10	9	14	*32	11	25	69
16	VINČEC GAŠPER	SLO 5	*BFD	29	8	22	13	7	79
17	RAUDASCHL FLORIAN	AUT 271	16	*34	19	4	27	16	82
18	NOSSITER ANTHONY	AUS 221	*25	14	22	20	17	9	82
19	SZUKIEL WACLAW	POL 12	32	28	*38	3	5	26	94
20	TAPIO NIRKKO	FIN 216	23	15	9	27	*34	24	98
21	ARRARTE PABLO	ESP 310	27	25	*29	17	23	12	104
22	ISMAEL BRUNO	FRA 972	15	22	31	14	22	*43	104
23	GOODBODY TIMOTHY	IRL 5	26	*37	16	9	31	31	113
24	MAIER MICHAEL	CZE 1	34	16	*47	16	26	23	115
25	SZUKIEL RAFAL	POL 7	17	18	*33	29	29	22	115
26	RAILEY ZACH	USA 4	22	21	27	*71	20	27	117
27	GREIG ED	GBR 625	38	26	11	*52	36	15	126
28	DRAGOUTSIS ALEXANDROS	GRE 8	18	31	*48	15	32	32	128
29	O'GRADY AARON	IRL 10	31	19	35	*42	25	19	129
30	HRUBY MICHAL	CZE 9	39	33	17	21	21	*DNC	131
31	MIŠURA MARIN	CRO 25	28	17	34	36	*44	20	135
32	GUZYS GIEDRIUS	LTU 7	14	30	30	*43	41	21	136
33	ANDREWS MARK	GBR 88	24	27	24	34	*35	29	138
34	POGGI GIORGIO	ITA 117	29	39	20	*50	28	36	152
35	WILLEMS SENDER	NED 80	13	*BFD	15	60	40	30	158