Spanish windsurfer Marina Alabau, ISAF ranking leader has started her post Olympic year with a series of regatta victories, including the second ISAF World Cup event, the Rolex Miami regatta and the South American Championship. She continues her good form at Spain’s Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mapfre, with two bullets collected in a very talented fleet. “I’m happy because I’ve seen the results of all the physical training I did for the Olympics. Before, the light winds weren’t my favorite conditions and today I’ve won the first race, in which we had low winds (6-8 knots). The level here is very high, we’re are all here, but you can see that people are more relaxed after the Olympics.” declared Marina.
The Star class is back this year at the Yacht Club de Palma and Mark Medelblatt and Mark Strube from the US and German team of Robert Stanjek and Markus Roy won a race each with the Germans taking the lead on equal points with class newcomers, Johannes Polgar and Tim Kroger (GER). These guys have very backgrounds. Johannes has competed in the Tornado during the last ten years, whilst Tim has alternated between the VOR and America’s Cup.
It’s also been a new start for Belgian Tornado sailor Carolijn Brouwer, who has chose the Laser radial for her next Olympic campaign. “I have not raced the radial for 16 years. It is hard to get back to it, but I am glad we had these light conditions. It is a big change compared to the Tornado, but probably easier tactically, now I have time to think before taking a decision” With a 7th and a 9th, Brouwer is 6th overall.
It was a Dutch affair in the 2.4 with André Rademaker taking two bullets in front of Olympic medallist Thierry Schmitter while Barend Kol is placed third. Tonci Stipanovic leads the 134 Laser sailors, divided in three fleets. In the RS:X men it was tight, with Fabian Heidegger (ITA) and Shahar Zubari (ISR) sharing the lead on equal points. It was Finn win in the Finns, with Finland’s number one Tapio Nirkko taking the overall lead. Pic from Nico Martinez and more here.
