Robert Scheidt takes lead at Garda Trentino Olympic Week

Trentino, Italy (May 7, 2014) – The Eurosaf Champions Sailing Cup got underway today with the launch of the first stop on the four event series. Nine of the ten Olympic events and all three Paralympic events are competing at Garda Trentino Olympic Week on Lake Garda. Current Laser World Champion Robert Scheidt (BRA) posted a steady 2-1-4 to lead over Britain’s Nick Thompson who won two of the three Laser races.

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2014 EUROSAF Champions Sailing Cup
Trentino Garda Olympic Week, Lake Garda, Italy – May 7-11
Delta Lloyd Regatta, Medemblik, The Netherlands – May 20-24
Sail for Gold, Weymouth & Portland, United Kingdom – June 2-6
Kieler Woche, Kiel, Germany – June 21-25

EUROSAF Champions Sailing Cup series website: www.championssailingcup.org.

Report provided by event host..

The Garda Trentino Week has started and is the only Italian leg of the ‘Eurosaf Champions Sailing Cup’ organised by Vela Garda Trentino in collaboration with the sailing clubs of the Alto Garda .A good start was made by the Italians.

A particularly gloomy day for the start of this week of racing but luckily with enough wind for some action involving some of the best current Olympic sailors drawn from nearly 50 nations.

At the opening ceremony the President of Eurosaf Marco Predieri said, “I am very happy with the development of this Champions Sailing Cup, every year we have an increasing number of participants and for this edition we see in contention the crews who are seeking to represent their countries in the Rio Olympics of 2016. It is a fantastic opportunity for the competitors to race against testing opposition here in European waters. This year we have also managed to bring the Paralympic classes to Garda for the first time and this is an area where we are hoping to grow the attendance in the coming years.”

The South wind was most consistent in the areas where the 49er and 49er FX were racing in the early stages of the afternoon (maximum 12 – 14knots). In contrast the other classes were experiencing a bit less wind until later in the afternoon when the wind built to a fairly consistent 14 knots. The 49er, Laser Standard , Windsurfer RSX and Nacra 17 managed to complete 3 races whereas the Laser Radial, 470 male and female and Paralympic classes managed only 2.

470 M and F , 2 races, wind from 6 -10 knots – location Fraglia Vela Riva

There was a light wind for the 470’s and the first results were not in line with the provisional rankings at the start of the regatta. In the lead are the Italians Desiderato – Trani with a first and a tenth. In second place with a ninth and a third were the Swiss Braunchil – Hausser, Third were the Russians Sozykin – Gribanov with a twelfth and a first.

In the Female 470 category the Swiss Fahri – Siegenthaler set their dominance with two joint firsts and have a 9 point lead over the Italians Komatar – Carraro who were fairly consistent with a sixth and a fifth. One point behind are the other Italians Caputo – Sinno

49er, 49er FX – 3 races – wind from 12 to 14 knots- location Fraglia Vela Riva

Russia, France and Italy occupy the first three positions in the fast 49er. With a 9th, 5th and 1st are leading the Russians Kalinchev – Karachov followed two points behind by the French D’Ortoli – Delpech (2,9,6) and in third place Luca and Roberto Dubbini who after a 7th place managed a very good second place and then unfortunately followed in the third race with an eleventh. When the next race is completed tomorrow the worst result can be then be discarded which will leave the other Italians Plazzi – Molineri in a better place having carded a 3 and 1 in the first two races and then a disappointing 22 in the last race.

There was a very even situation in the female 49er FX with in command, the Dutch Bekkeering – Didetz (always in the first five in the last two rounds of the World Cup) followed with only a one point margin by three crews the Danes Hansen – Salskov , the New Zealanders Maloney – Meech (second in the Hyeres round of the World Cup) and the dominating force from the last two rounds of the World Cup the Brazilians Grael Soffiatti – Kunze with 15 points. A bad start for the Italians Conti – Clapcich, a hand injury to Giulia Conti forced them out during the first race and after a subsequent medical examination they will be able to assess if they are able to race tomorrow.

RSX M/F- 3 races – wind 8 -10 knots and 14 knots in race three – Location Circolo Surf Torbole

The Olympic windsurf board started races late in the afternoon when the wind had picked up. Although the numbers participating is not very high, 8 of the thirteen competitors come from as far away as China, Japan, Oman and Thailand. In the lead is the Croatian Mornar who after two third places won the third race outright. Second place was taken by Federico Esposito (2,1,5) and third by the Thai Boonsawad. In the Womens division it is a battle between sailors for the eastern and western hemisphere with the Italians Tartaglini e Fanciulli against the Japanese and Thais who are their only adversaries. In the lead is Komine Megumi (2,1,3) but Flavia Tartaglini after a first and a second pulled out of the third race after a rather exhausting training session in the morning had sapped her energy.

Nacra 17 – 3 races – location – Fraglia Vela Malcesine

The Italians leading the ISAF ranking Vittorio Bissaro – Silvia Sicouri didn’t disappoint their fans with a second and two third places to lead and are followed by the French Vaireaux – Manon (3,4,6). Third are the other French Backes Inglrid and Olivier, who had a first place followed by a ninth and a fifth. The New Zealanders Jones and Saunders took the win in the second race . A compromising OCS in the second race for a premature start for the Italians Federica Salva – Francesco Bianchi left them out of the reckoning although they managed to follow a thirteenth and the OCS with a first in the last race. The same fate struck the Australians McNicol – Whitty (14.OCS,2)

Sonar – 2 races – Location Fraglia Vela Malcesine

The paralympic boats present for the first time in the ‘Garda Trentino Olympic Week’ involve all three of the boats contested in the Olympics . even though the numbers are small . In the Sonar equal first place and on identical points are the Germans Kern – Kirsch and the English D’Agaro – Bachisio Pir.

2.4 – 2 races – Location Fraglia Vela Malcesine

In the 2.4 in the lead is Kol Barend who after a first place followed with a second; at his back is the German Bodler (3,1) and third the Italian Squizzato consistent with (2,3).

Skud 18 – 2 races – Location Fraglia Vela Malcesine

In the lead of the provisional classification the English Rickham – Birrel (2,1) are on equal footing with the Italians Gualandris – Zanetti, who had exactly the opposite results. (1,2). Third the Dutch Voorbach – Van essenveld.

Laser Standard: 3 races – wind 10 – 14 knots – Location Circolo Vela Arco

The laser fleet is the biggest with 79 competitors and is the only one divided into two batteries. The wind was fairly light in the first two races but built up to 14 knots for the third and final race at the end of the day. The Brasilian Robert Scheidt who has chosen lake Garda as his preferred training ground and home started in his usual emphatic fashion by taking the lead with a (2,1,4) and has a five point advantage over the Englishman Nick Thompson. Third is the Italian Alessio Spadoni on equal points.

Laser Radial – 2 races – wind 10 -12 knots- location Circolo Vela Arco

Close together and somewhat at a distance from the rest of the fleet are the first three women in Laser Radial. In the lead the Dane Rindom (4,2) with a two point lead over the Italian Silvia Zennaro and only one point behind her the Frenchwoman Riou.

VIDEO: http://youtu.be/XnBzQ77SeQM