Two days into the 2004 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships and RYA Team GBR are putting in a strong performance, they are currently leading one class and in podium positions in three others.

  The event got underway over the weekend in Gdynia, Poland with a total of 249 youth sailors, representing 52 nations, competing in seven disciplines.

 

This prestigious event, which has been dubbed the youth Olympics, has paved the way for many of the sailing stars of today with many going on to medal success at the Olympic Games. Many of the 2004 British Olympic Team made a name for themselves at this event including Ben Ainslie, Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield, Sarah Ayton and Nick Dempsey.

 

The conditions in Poland are proving testing for the young sailors with strong winds on the first day followed by a more moderate 8-16 knots on day two. However, the conditions seem to be suiting the British Hobie 16 pairing of Tom Philips (Falmouth) and Jonathan Cook (Falmouth) who sailed a faultless day today and won all three of their races. Added to a second place from yesterday, they are leading the class by three points from second placed Juan Maegli and Jason Hess of Guatemala.

 

Fellow British sailor Nick Thompson (Lymington) also had a good day in the boys Laser fleet which is the biggest fleet with 41 boats competing. Thompson, who has been training for the event by sailing with the British Senior Laser Squad, won the final race of the day which has pushed him up to second place overall one point behind Norbert Wilandt of Poland.

In the girls’ Laser Radial fleet, Team GBR sailor Charlotte Dobson (Helensburgh) also won the last race of the day. A third and a second in the first two races of the day has seen her jump up the scoreboard into third place overall in the 32 boat fleet. Sarah Steyaert of France currently leads the fleets by four points from Jo Aleh of New Zealand.

In the boys’ Mistral fleet, Richard Potter (Nottingham) continued to put in consistent results in the class. With a score line including two first places, he is currently lying in second place overall, just two points behind Federica Esposito of Italy. In third place is Corey Plant of Australia.

 

Jonathan McGovern (Hollingworth Lake) and Stuart Bithell (Rochdale) put in a steady day in the boys 420 fleet. As a result, they have moved up from ninth to fourth place overall. Fellow 420 sailors Pippa Wilson (Lymington) and Harriette Trumble (London) are currently eighth in the girls’ fleet.

 

Today all the fleets have been scheduled a further three races, with the exception of the boys’ Mistral class who are scheduled two.  If the race committee manage to meet this schedule the fleet can look forward to a lay day on Tuesday 13 July. The event concludes on the 16 July.

 

Results (after day two)

Hobie Cat 16

1, Tom Philips/Jonathan Cook, GBR (2,1,1,1) 5 pts

2, Juan Maegli/Jason Hess, GUA (1,2,2,3) 8 pts

3, Julien Villion/Martin Bataille, FRA (DNF,3,3,2) 20 pts

 

Mistral girls

1, Zofia Klepacka, POL (1,1,1,1) 4 pts

2, Sophie Anne Le Page, FRA (2,4,3,3) 12 pts

3, Laura Linares, ITA (3,2,5,4) 14 pts

GBR

10, Jilly Bromley (DNF,9,10,DNF) 49 pts

 

Mistral boys

1, Federica Esposito, ITA (6,2,6,1,2) 17 pts

2, Richard Potter, GBR (1,4,8,5,1) 19 pts

3, Corey Plant, AUS (4,14,1,3,6) 28 pts

 

Laser girls

1, Sarah Steyaert, FRA (1,1,8,2) 12 pts

2, Jo Aleh, NZL (2,5,1,8) 16 pts

3, Charlotte Dobson, GBR (17,3,2,1) 23 pts

 

Laser boys

1, Norbert Wilandt, POL (1,4,2,3) 10 pts

2, Nick Thompson, GBR (4,2,4,1) 11 pts

3, Simon Groteluschen, GER (2,9,3,6) 20 pts

 

420 boys

1, Nathan Outteridge/Iain Jensen, AUS (1,2,1,4) 8 pts

2, Thomas Rahier/Mathieu Rahier, FRA (3,3,2,8) 16 pts

3, George Vasilas/Evaggelos Mitakis, GRE (2,11,5,3) 21 pts

GBR

4, Jonathan McGovern/Stuart Bithell (9,5,8,5) 27 pts

 

420 girls

1, Elise Rechichi/Tessa Parkinson, AUS (1,1,2,1) 5 pts

2, Emmanuelle Rol/Sophie Anne Thilo, SUI (4,16,9,2) 31 pts

3, Dawn Lui/Siobhan Tam, SIN (9,3,16,6) 34 pts

GBR

8, Pippa Wilson/Harriette Trumble (2,20,14,8) 44 pts