Búzios, Brazil (March 6, 2013) – Today was the last day of the RS:X World Champion in Búzios. Despite the good weather, the sailors have to wait for almost an hour to do the medal race. It was about 13h (1600GMT) when the race committee started the men’s race.

The British Nick Dempsey was the leader of the competition, nine points ahead the Dutchman Dorian Von Rijsselberghe, in second. On the water, each sailor did their own race, and Dorian could manage better the shifty winds and won the race, finishing second on the championship. Nick was second on the race, adding four more points on the overall results, enough to ensure his second world title. Curiously, it is the inverted podium of the last Olympics when Dorian was gold and Nick silver in his homewaters in Weymouth.

“I’m very happy. The race was really difficult because of the wind and I was a little anxious, but everything was good at the end”, said Nick Dempsey, the first man to secure two world titles in the RS:X board.

Who was also happy was the Greek Byron Kokkalanis. He, local Ricardo “Bimba” Winicki and the Israeli Nimrod Maschia went to the race with the same 41 points. So whoever finished the race in the front would ensure the bronze medal. Kokkalanis ended the medal race in third, celebrating a lot after the finishing line.

“It was really hard, I had to fight with Bimba and luckily this was my turn. I knew he was going to fight to be third so my goal was to end in front of him. I had a lot of problems in the past year, lost the European Championship on the tiebreaker and the third place on the Worlds by one point, so today was my day”, celebrated Kokkalanis.

Bimba was racing at home and was considered one of the favorites to win the race today, but the fight with Kokkalanis put him in 6th on the race and 4th at the championship.

“Everybody had the same chances and I needed to put the Greek and the Israeli behind me. I got rid of Nimrod on the start, but Kokkalanis sailed really well, on my neck and finished two positions ahead”, said Bimba.

On the girls fleet, the Israeli Lee El Korsiz did a great job yesterday, opening 21 points from the fellow Maayan Davidovich, ensuring the third world title in a row. Despite that, she sailed the medal race, ending it in 8th. The winner, for the cheer of the local crowd, was the Brazilian Patrícia Freitas. “I’m so happy that I cannot explain my feelings. Brazil has a great energy and it was essential for me to win”, said Lee, the three times RS:X world champion.

The 7th RS:X World Championship is sponsored by the city of Búzios, ProLagos, Institute Equipav, Aegea, Institute Equipav and Aegea. Is supported by Brazilian Federal Government and has the aid of: Wöllner, Rider, Hannover Wines and Bodega Ruca Malen.

Event website

Final results:

Men’s Fleet
1. Nick Dempsey, GBR, 30 pontos perdidos
2. Dorian Van Rijsselberge, NED, 37 pp
3. Byron Kokkalanis, GRE, 49 pp
4. Ricardo Winick, BRA, 53 pp
5. Piotr Myszka, POL, 57 pp
6. Nimrod Maschiah, ISR, 59 pp
7. Shahar Zubari, ISR, 77 pp
8. Ivan Pastor, ESP, 78 pp
9. Pierre Le Coq, FRA, 84 pp
10. Louis Giard, FRA, 87 pp

Women’s Fleet:
1. Lee-El Korsiz, ISR, 44 pontos perdidos
2. Bryony Shaw, GBR, 60 pp
3. Maayan Davidovich, ISR, 67 pp
4. Tuuli Petaja-Siren, FIN, 71 pp
5. Charline Picon, FRA, 77 pp
6. Qiaoshan Weng, CHN, 81 pp
7. Blanca Manchon, ESP, 88 pp
8. Patrícia Freitas, BRA98 pp
9. Olha Maslivets, UKR, 100 pp
10. Hayley Chan, HKG, 119 pp

Pictures by Gonzalo Arselli/Velassessoria