Yesterday we told you that local hero, Youth Olympic medal winner Alexandros Kalpoginnakis, was predicting some pretty heavy conditions for the week ahead.
Today in Varkiza we had more of a wet weekend in Blackpool than the sunny skies of Greece. Drizzly grey skies all day long, driven along by a stiff breeze maxing at about 22 knots. Enough to keep everyone damp but interested, [more]and enough time left in the week to have no pressure to race all day in the wet. Lots of happy faces at the end of a grey day. Tomorrow’s forecast is for the sun and wind our excellent Greek hosts promised us!
The Race Committee were kind in the conditions. Nevertheless all 4 fleets had 2 more rounds of racing today, keeping the scoreboard and rankings moving in the vital accumulation of points for the podium places.
In Junior Girls it’s pretty much as-you-were, the Israel 1-2 of Mika Kafri and Amit Segev still leading, with Russia’s Daria Bannaya sliding into third place. Similar story in Junior Boys, overnight leader Poland’s Konrad Machura retaining his lead over Italy’s Alessandro Melis, with Britain’s Boris Shaw moving up to third.
Konrad was definitely happy with his performance during the championship so far – “It was a very good day for me and I’m still in the lead. This place is very similar to my home-spot in Sopot and I’m ready for these conditions. I also like the wind a little stronger, as we have had it here during the first two days of racing. There is a heavy day predicted during the week and I enjoy sailing in over 20 knots, so I’m looking forward to that.”
A few surprises in Youth Girls, with the Russian Youth Olympic medalist Yana Reznikova having a shocker and sliding down to seventh. It’s still France’s Manon Pianazza in the lead, with Israel’s Sharon Kantor now in second, and another strong British showing with Izzy Adcock’s consistency moving her into third.
Form is temporary, class is for ever. And home boy, Greece’s Alexandros Kalpoginnakis showed his Youth Olympic class by racing to the top of the Youth Boy rankings, 3 wins and a second place after his 20th place opening effort. Pushing overnight 1-2, Israel’s Roi Hillel and Daniel Basik Tashtash into tonight’s overnight 2-3.
Four more racing days to go at the Dole Techno293 European Championships, another great day and sun tomorrow, everything to play for in all the fleets … What more could you want?
Event website – http://europeans2018.techno293.org
Results – http://europeans2018.techno293.org/results
Photos – http://europeans2018.techno293.org/gallery/photos
Videos – http://europeans2018.techno293.org/gallery/videos
