Laser Radial Youth Worlds gets underway

Medemblik, Netherlands (August 13, 2017) – The 2017 Laser Radial Youth World Championships got underway today as 379 sailors from 46 countries began the qualifying stage of the 6-day event. Spread across 6 fleets, two races were held under sunny skies and light wind on the iconic sailing waters of IJsselmeer.

The first race of the day on Course B was briefly postponed due to light and shifting winds, but as the breeze slowly filled in, the green fleet took to the race course first. All races got off to a smooth start, with only one General Recall for the yellow fleet on Course A.

In today’s light breeze, getting clear air was important and sailors who took an early lead were usually able to extend their position to the finish. Holding a lane upwind in the light breeze and sometimes choppy conditions proved challenging with most fleets being well separated by the end of the race.

Lin Pletikos from Slovenia got it right today and she is currently leading the 106-boat girls division with a total of 3 points, followed by Germany’s Julia Buesselberg with 5 points, and Annabelle Westerhof of the Netherlands in third with 9 points. Fourth place is claimed by Germany’s Florence Permantier who horizoned the fleet to wind the first purple fleet race.

Racing is tight in the 273-boat boys division, with a three way tie for first overall. With only four points after two races, Australia’s Caelin Winchcombe, Nicholas Bezy from Hong Kong, and Matias Dietrich of Argentina all mastered today’s conditions. Bezy scored a bullet in the second race by port tacking the entire green fleet off the start, and held onto first place through the finish. Dietrich similarly put on a clinic to win today’s first red fleet race by a sizeable margin.

In the top ten for North America are Norman Struthers (CAN) in 7th and Lillian Myers (USA) in 10th.

Qualifying continues tomorrow with two more races scheduled. Racing is for sailors from 15 to 18 years of age and is planned for August 13 to 18.

Boys preliminary results after 2 races:
1. Caelin Winchcombe AUS 4pts
2. Nicholas Bezy HKG 4pts
3. Matias Dietrich ARG 4pts
4. Maor Ben Harosh ISR 5pts
5. Lorenzo Masetti ITA 8pts
6. Yaël Poupon FRA 9pts
7. Norman Struthers CAN 12pts
8. Marko Smolic CRO 13pts
9. Pandelis Kirpoglou GRE 13pts
10. João Emilio Vasconcellos BRA 13pts

Girls preliminary results after 2 races:
1. Lin Pletikos SLO 3pts
2. Julia Buesselberg GER 5pts
3. Annabelle Westerhof NED 9 pts
4. Florence Permantier GER 10pts
5. Justine Van Tongel BEL 10pts
6. Emma Savelon NED 10pts
7. Ekaterina Bereza RUS 10pts
8. Valeria Lomatchenko RUS 10pts
9. Matilda Nicholls GBR 11pts
10. Lillian Myers USA 12pts

Event details – Results – Facebook

Source: International Laser Class Association