A deceptively calm and misty start to Day 4 but the wind forecast came true and excellent races were run in 20-25 knots! [more] Today was the chance for many, who up until now had been wallowing in the light winds, to show their form. Whilst some fell, others revelled in the stronger winds. Quite a shake-up and emotions will be running high as the change in conditions has had a dramatic effect on the results! In the under-17 girls fleet, leader Marta Maggetti was challenged by Patrycia Lis from Poland who took two bullets and Maelle Guilbaud from France who took the third bullet today. Zuzanna Czurylo has been kicked smartly off the podium, Zohar Ben Hayoun has moved up into silver position and Emma Labourne has overtaken her team mate to step up into the bronze slot. A similar story for the under-15 girls. Italian Guilia Alagna still leads but Lucie Pianazza took all three race wins and now sits just one point behind Guilia in silver position. And Sarah Labourne has been knocked off the podium by Israeli Maya Morris. Drama for the u-17 boys now sorted into gold and silver fleets. It was a disastrous day for Ofek Elimelech, booted off the top slot and now seventh overall after today’s three races! Fellow countryman Yael Paz has moved up to take his place. Adam Sosnowski took the bullet for races 6 and 8, propelling him right up to second overall. And Michele Cittadini steps up to third overall. Whilst he doesn’t appear in the top ten (yet!) Artiom Javadov from Belarus will be incredibly happy to have won race 7. Just two races for the under-15 boys. Tom Monnet still holds the top spot but these conditions are obviously well suited to the Brits as James Hatcher, who has struggled with the light winds, scored a first and third. Antonino Cangemi, winning the second race, has jumped onto the podium in silver place. Yoav Cohen really didn’t have a good day and is now third overall. Boys u17 / Boys u15 / Girls u17 / Girls u15 Four good races were run for the Raceboard Fleet in 20-25 knots! Whilst Joao Rodrigues still tops the leaderboard he conceded race wins to his closest rival Ivan Pastor and 18 year old Huig Jan Tak from the Netherlands who had not had good results until today when he stormed through the fleet! Curro Manchon from Spain has now moved up two places to knock Max Wojcik off the podium. Juha Blinnika is still first Grandmaster and has widened the gap between himself and Fernando de Lamadrid Rodriguez. Murashev Artem from Russia clearly revels in these conditions and has shot up the leaderboard to take first youth and Pawel Frydrychowicz from Poland is now first veteran. The first possible start has been brought forward for the final day, aiming for the maximum possible number of races. Tension builds – will these winds hold out and continue to shake up the rankings? Or will the light wind specialists win the day? Stay tuned for the final day of these European Championships.
