8:31 PM Wed 31 Mar 2010 GMT
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'Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofia Mapfre - Photo from Tuesday's cancelled racing'
Robert Deaves
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Rafa Trujillo (ESP) remains at the top of the Finn fleet after three intense races were completed on Wednesday at the Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofia Mapfre.
Race wins went to Jonathan Lobert (FRA), Giorgio Poggi (ITA) and Ed Wright (GBR), with many sailors having a mixed day to keep the points very close at the top.
After a second day lost on Tuesday due to strong winds, both the Finn sailors and the race committee were keen to start catching up to schedule.
The first race, with great sailing conditions up to 15 knots was won by Jonathan Lobert (FRA). Paoletti Michele (ITA) sailed well to place second, with another good finish for regatta leader Rafa Trujillo (ESP) in third.
Race four was sailed in similar conditions, with the wind tailing off towards the end. This time it was Giorgio Poggi (ITA) taking the race win from Zach Railey (USA) and the ever improving Andrew Mills (GBR).
Railey, the 2008 Olympic Silver medalist has been struggling so far in this regatta, not helped by a black flag in race one. However his second place in race four still now gives him a fighting chance of making the medal race. He said, 'The second race went OK today. I think I made some good decisions in the race and constantly improved my position from around ninth at the first mark to finish second. The big key was really just getting to the top mark in the first group most of the races so far I have been rounding pretty far back in the fleet. I just have not made the correct decisions all the time on the first upwind and have had to play catch up in all the races but the second race today.'
Railey concluded, 'The plan for tomorrow is to just go out and work on trying to put up two good solid races. Hopefully they will be enough to get me into the medal race. All I can control is posting some good scores and we will see where the points fall.'
The wind then all but disappeared but a third race was finally attempted with Skandia GBR Team mates Ed Wright (GBR) and Mills in first and second, and Daniel Birgmark (SWE) in third.
Mills, who broke his mast in Tuesday's extreme conditions said, 'I snapped a mast yesterday on the way in and today was using a spare one courtesy of Giles Scott. I seemed to be going relatively quick so it was not a problem.'
'But it was nice to race today especially in some relatively normal conditions with only one very tricky last lap in race two. The key factors were getting a clean start and then getting the main shifts right - with a little bit of luck. It was very gusty and patchy in first two races due to wind direction.'
Mills was the only sailor to manage two top 3 finishes today.'In the last race I came from the left and Ed [Wright] came from the right and we had a good margin over the fleet, with Ed in first. Ed led relatively easily throughout the race with a decent lead. I was third at the first leeward mark then second at the next top mark and then held this position to the end. It was unlimited pumping on the last run, which meant that Ed and I could pull away to relatively comfortable 1, 2.'
While Trujillo maintains his overall lead, albeit by a smaller margin, Lobert had an excellent day with a 1-4-4 to move from 11th up to second, while an 8-3-2 moves Mills from 16th to third.
Trujillo summed up the day.'The conditions this year in Palma have been very challenging. To do well you need to be very patient and pick the right moment to cross the race course. I am very happy with my first race today but in my last one I made a huge mistake that cost me dearly. Today was very tough and though I am still leading, if I do not improve my starts I will have a tough time in tomorrow's races.'
All the top players now have a significant discard each, so Thursday's final qualification races will be crucial to determine the final line up for the medal race on Friday.
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Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofia Mapfre - Photo from Tuesday's cancelled racing - Robert Deaves
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Results after five races:
1 ESP 100 Rafael TRUJILLO 16
2 FRA 112 Jonathan LOBERT 20
3 GBR 85 Andrew MILLS 20
4 CRO 524 Ivan KLJAKOVIC GASPIC 22
5 GBR 11 Ed WRIGHT 24
6 FRA 115 Thomas Le BRETON 26
7 SWE 11 Daniel BIRGMARK 33
8 GBR 88 Mark ANDREWS 33
9 GBR 41 Giles SCOTT 34
10 POL 7 Rafa SZUKIEL 39
Event website:
www.trofeoprincesasofia.org
Class website:
www.finnclass.org
by Robert Deaves
Click on thumbnails to enlarge and find more photos:
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