Pindar leads on penultimate day

The 18ft Skiff European Grand Prix in Carnac is being convincingly lead by Pindar Radii

Day two of the European 18ft Skiff Grand Prix in Carnac dawned as predicted with clear blue skies but a flat calm sea. It took until midday for signs of the sea breeze to stir itself, and by 1pm there was a steady six to eight knots to go racing - this was eventually to build to a reasonable 10-12 knots by the end of the day's racing, with the race officer managing to squeeze in four races to keep the crews on their toes.

Race one saw the on-form Danish team of Bodotex pick up form the previous day with some great speed. They got away from the pack early on, and contrary to the days previous first race, they managed to hold onto that lead until the end. Pindar Radii (GBR) crawled through the fleet the finish up second while UTI (SUI) hung onto third place chased by the second Danish team of GP Covers.

A pattern of oscillating shifts was emerging in the building sea breeze, and big gains (and losses) where made by getting the shifts spot on. Pindar Radii managed to do that in the second race, and although put under pressure from Bodotex who were clearly finding the conditions to their liking, they held onto their second win of the series. Stephan Rueger in UTI was putting in some consistent results and slotted into third while Gill Wet and Wild (GBR) got their act together to finish fourth. Meanwhile previous days front runners PICA (GBR) and GE Commercial Finance (GBR) were having a terrible start to the day not managing to break into the top five in either race.

Race three saw the breeze get up to its peak not after a big shift to the right just before the start as the sea breeze finally dialled into the prevailing direction. This changed the tactics a bit as teams started to take account of the current that was now starting to swirl round Quiberon Bay, making the shore a inviting option - the shifts, however, were to prove more important. Gill Wet and Wild got away to lead at the top mark of the third race chased right on their heels by Pindar Radii. Gill managed to hold off Andy Richards and his team until the second upwind where they spotted a shift rounding the leeward mark and managed to slot past Gill at the next crossing holding onto their lead to the end. Gill kept the ever consistent UTI at bay to finish second, with the Swiss team holding onto third as PICA started to find their form in fourth.

The last race of the day was held in perfect conditions as the breeze finally arrived to provided three stringing conditions all the way round. Pindar Radii revelled in these conditions to lead from the start and built up a huge lead by the end of the race. Bodotex were obviously finding the conditions to their liking as well finishing second just ahead of Gill Wet and Wild. So at the end of the day Pindar Radii and built up a comfortable lead with up to three races to go, but the race for second place is really hotting up as the overall results were turned upside down from the previous day - there are only five points between the second and sixth placed team. The final days racing is forecasted again to be light with the chance of racing resting on another sea breeze building in time.

Results:

1-Pindar Radii (GBR) Andy Richards, Andrew Fairley, Dave Richards, 9pts
2-Gill Wet & Wild (GBR) Ed Browne, Mark Addison, Graeme Oliver, 20pts
3-Bodotex (DEN) Saugman Broendum, Jan Saugmann, Martin Friderichsen, 21pts
4-UTI (SUI) Stephan Rueger, Ueli Marti, Res Schurd, 22pts
5-PICA (GBR) James Mears, Simon Hiscocks, Stewart Mears, 23pts
6-GP Covers (DEN) Flemming Clausen, Thomas Ebler, Soren Clausen, 25pts
7-GE Commercial Finance (GBR) Mason Woodworth, Ding Brown, Si Hamilton, 36pts
8-Wet Protect (GER) Werner Gieser, Jan Dicks, Max Freidrich, 42pts
9-G18 (SUI) Pierre Yves Pfirter, Patrick Peyrot, Raphael Pieroni, 52pts
10-Space Model (GER) Dennis Gehulein, Latzi Meissuer, Thomas Eggersclarfer, 58pts