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Welcome!
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Day 7- Medal Race
Byte Boys Medal Race
Tweeters Chai Xun & Dawn Liu
Having completed 11 races, the Byte CII boys went into their medal race with Ian BARROWS (ISV) leading by 12 points after 2 discards and Florian HAUTE (GER) second with a 2-point lead over Kaarle TAPPER (FIN). Also fighting for podium positions were Just van AANHOLT (AHO), Owen SIESE (BER), Darren CHOY (SIN), and Pavlo BABYCH (UKR).
Storm-influenced winds in the morning were blowing 10 knots from the east but this died and swung back to the gradient southwest direction, with 5 knots at start time. After one general recall, the boys got a clear start when the race committee put up black flag. A large line sag gave the boats at the corners great advantage over the rest of the fleet, which paid off for Just van AANHOLT (AHO), who started near the pin end. He led the race from the start.
Coming off from a good starboard end start was Zan Luka ZELKO (SLO), who made it round the top mark in second place, followed closely by Ian BARROWS (ISV) and Florian HAUTE (GER). A yellow flag on the downwind dropped ZELKO to fifth position, but he regained ground on the upwind to sail the reach in 3rd spot behind BARROWS. Meanwhile HAUTE dropped to 6th after being covered by BARROWS, who was protecting his position.
ZELKO (SLO) fought hard to overtake BARROWS (ISV) and managed to do so just before the downwind mark. AANHOLT (AHO) finished the race first, with ZELKO (SLO) in second, and BARROWS (ISV) third.
With TAPPER (FIN) finishing 10 positions behind, AANHOLT (AHO)’s win in the medal race secured him a bronze medal in the regatta.
‘I’m really, really happy,’ said AANHOLT. ‘I didn’t expect this. I thought it was impossible for me to win a medal because I had dropped during the regatta, first to fourth, then to ninth. Then I thought I would just sail my best and try to get as close to the top as I could. This last race I just got a good start and was leading from the beginning. And it has paid off!’
Florian HAUTE (GER) finished in 7th position, which suited his strategy for the day. He said, ‘I sailed today very conservatively, in the middle because I didn’t want to lose my silver medal.’
Having won now, HAUTE was excited for himself and his teammate, Constanze STOLZ (Byte CII Girls): ‘I’m happy that both of us will win medals.’ He was also pleased with his performance as he had not sailed the Byte for 8 months leading up to the regatta. ‘I had been training in Laser Radial prior to this regatta and it gives me very good practice. I will go back to Laser Radial after this regatta.’
Gold medallist Ian BARROWS (ISV) is also headed for the Laser Radial after this regatta.
‘I’m very happy to win this,’ said BARROWS. ‘I’m going to convert to Laser Radial after this and the Youth Worlds next year will be my next big competition.’
Byte Girls Medal Race
Tweeters KOH Ling Ying, HO Airiel and Daniella NG
The day started with great winds of about 12 knots, but soon died down by noon. The new winds managed to fill in fast and came from a direction of 250 degrees. The race committee started the outer loop course for the girl’s race and after a general recall; the committee raised the black flag on the second attempt.
GU Min (CHN) had a good start at the pin-end together with Sofiia LARYCHEVA (UKR) and Lara VADLAU (AUT) was windward of them. CHN and URK sailed fast but were losing lateral distance to AUT. Natasha Michiko YOKOYAMA (SIN), Daphne VAN DER VAART (NED) and Sarah DOUGLAS (CAN) started in the middle of the course and went early to the right side of the course.
CAN rounded the top mark first with Claudia MAZZAFERRO (BRA) hot on her heels. SIN manages to catch up to first place on the downwind leg and rounded the port gate while CAN went for the starboard gate. The starboard gate was more favoured and CAN was in the lead after a crossing to SIN.
The leader’s tactics was to sail fast and make as little tacks as possible. SIN kept cover over NED the whole upwind, and NED rounded mark 2 a boat length behind SIN. CHN went towards the right side of the course, but did not catch up many boats.
Unfortunately for SIN, she got a flag on the last downwind mark, the same spot that she did the past few times, and eventually lost out to third.
Lara Vadlau (AUT), who has been leading the regatta since day 2, only needed a top ten finish for this last race to keep her gold medal, and she finished a comfortable fourth. She “feels great” having won the YOG, and believes that she should not rest on her laurels. She usually sails the 420 class and now being the inaugural Youth Olympic Games Gold medalist in the Byte CII, she is eyeing the 2016 Olympics in the 470 class. She is definitely one of the future stars in the sailing scene.
The first runner-up, Daphne VAN DER VAART (NED) displays remarkable perseverance in this regatta. She climbed slowly but steadily up the ranks after a disappointing 2nd and 3rd day. She shares with us a few tips from her coach which she feels are key to this success. Her coach told her to “Focus on your racing and let others make the mistakes.” After this regatta, she tells us that she is targeting the laser radial. We wish her success in her future endeavours.
As for the second runner up, Constanze STOLZ (GER), feels ‘great’ and when asked what she plans to do next, she jokes ‘first, I have to go home!’ with a bright smile on her face, showing her excitement to see her family back in Germany. She would like to focus on her studies as her school term would be starting soon and after which she would continue sailing the laser at her national championship in autumn.
The top Asian sailor, Natasha Michiko YOKOYAMA (SIN) says that she would like to concentrate on her studies first as she will be taking a major examination this year. In the meantime, she will be keeping a lookout for a 420 partner to further her sailing career.
Techno 293 Boys
Tweeters LO Manyi & Jeddy TAN
Going into the final race of the regatta, we have RAFIC Mayan (ISR) at the top of the scoreboard with 18 points, CHENG Michael (HKG) in 2nd with 26 points, and MARTIN Kieran (GBR) in 3rd with 31 points. It was crucial for them all to sail a good last race as the final race cannot be discarded. With 32 points, KIM Chaneui (KOR) was only 1 point behind MARTIN Kieran (GBR) and it was a pretty close fight for the bronze medal.
The race started in about 8-10 knots and the boys were all pretty cautious at the line with them all pretty far behind the line. GBR had one of the better starts in the fleet, pumping hard and within a few minutes, he was already ahead of the pack. He rounded the top mark in first place with a comfortable lead and managed to maintain his position the whole way to the finish line to secure his Bronze medal. Despite having a poor start and dropping his sail at the start, CHENG Michael (HKG) made a huge comeback in the race to eventually finishing in 5th place to secure his Silver medal. RAFIC Mayan (ISR) sailed a safe race, finishing in 4th place to secure his Gold medal.
Techno 293 Girls Medal Race
Tweeters : Lesley DE CRUZ, KO Jia Yun, Siobhan TAM
Coming into today’s racing, KAEWDUANG-NGAM Siripon (THA) was confident of a gold medal finish, as she was a full 20 points ahead of FANCIULLI Veronica (ITA), COHEN Naomi (ISR) and SERIGOS Valentina (ARG). The three girls were tied with 38 points, followed by YONG Audrey Pei Lin (SIN) with 40, and LAGOA Lara (ESP) with 41. The final and non-discardable race would determine the medal placing and it was going to be a close fight between the five of them.
The race started in 6 knots with FANCIULLI Veronica (ITA) and MAN Ka Kei (HKG) having superb starts. Audrey (SIN) and Naomi (ISR) were both covered a short while after the start and they had to recover quickly to get a chance at the bronze medal. Veronica (ITA) rounded the top mark in 1st place followed by Siripon (THA) and IDZIAK Hanna (POL). Audrey (SIN) was neck to neck with Naomi (ISR) and Valentina (ARG). By the second upwind, Siripon (THA) had lost out going inshore where there was little wind. Veronica (ITA) maintained her lead and VALKEVICH Anastasiya (BLR) squeezed her way into 2nd all the way to the finish. With a 1st place finish, Veronica (ITA) had secured her silver medal.
Audrey (SIN), Lara (ESP) and Siripon (THA) rounded the mark together and they pumped their hearts out to the finish. Eventually, Audrey (SIN) finished the race in 3rd which put her in bronze medal standing. When asked for some concluding words, Siripon (THA) was just over the moon and kept repeating, “I’m so happy! I’m so happy!” Congratulations Siripon, our 1st YOG Windsurfing Girls event CHAMPION! Audrey (SIN) who jumped from 5th to 3rd place in the final race is elated as well saying, “This is pretty damn awesome!!” Audrey’s win will definitely revive Singapore’s competitive windsurfing scene.
Event Manager of the YOG Sailing event, and Executive Director of SingaporeSailing, Edwin LOW said, “We’re glad that the event had run smoothly and that Singapore was able to get something out of it.” We have come to the end of the YOG Techno Girls’ event. It has been an exciting YOG and congratulations to all winners! Good luck to all the girls in their future Olympic campaigns!
The final standings for Techno Girls:
1st KAEWDUANG-NGAM Siripon (THA) 22 points
2nd FANCIULLI Veronica (ITA) 39 points
3rd YONG Audrey Pei Lin (SIN) 43 points
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Day 6
Byte CII Boy
Tweeters CHAI Xun & Dawn LiuAfter days of AP and waiting for the wind to fill in, a tantalising 12-knot breeze called out to the sailors in the morning of day 6 of the regatta. Conditions looked promising for 3 races in excellent wind, until start time, when the wind died to about 5 knots. Nevertheless, the race committee managed to get racing underway on time. Fortunately the wind remained constant between 5 to 10 knots and the race committee efficiently pulled off three back to back races.
Racing on the Byte CII boys’ course saw some surprises today as many of the current fleet leaders finished out of top 5 placing in the three races. Shifty winds, strong current decreasing over the day, and gusts across the course made for tricky conditions for the sailors. The strategy for each race varied: in Race 9, the left side paid enormous dividends for sailors who made an investment there on the upwind. In Race 10 and 11, as the current died off, shifts and gusts took precedence.
Among the top performers of the day were Pavlo BABYCH (UKR) with a 1st, 8th, and 4th and WANG Zili (CHN) with a 2nd, 5th, and 6th. Both have jumped up enormously on the scoreboard to slip into 7th and 11th place respectively, from original positions outside of the top 20.
Finishing first in the second race was also a surprise leader, Juan Ignacio BIAVA (ARG), who took initial race leader Ian BARROWS (ISV) on the final downwind to nail a win – impressive for BIAVA, who is currently in 20th position overall.
However, the winner for the day had to be Ian BARROWS (ISV), who finished with an 8th, a 2nd, and a 1st. This result puts him in first place overall with 41 points after 2 discards – 12 points clear of second-placed Florian HAUFE (GER).
Said BARROWs of his performance, ‘I had decent starts, good boat speed, and played the shifts in the oscillating wind. Current wasn’t really a big factor except in the first race, where staying on the left was better.’
The medal race will be sailed tomorrow. This is a non-discardable final race which could well determine the outcome of the entire regatta.
Byte CII Girl
Tweeters Sara TAN, Airiel Ruth HO & Daniella NGRace 9
Lara VADLAU (AUT) and GU Min (CHN) headed towards the left side of the course while Constanze STOLZ (GER) and Daphne VAN DER VAART (NED) went for the right. NED managed to get a last minute shift on the right side and led throughout the whole race. Khairunneeta AFENDY (MAS) managed to catch up a lot by going left on the second upwind as the wind shifted left with a gust. Celine CARLSEN (DEN) and Natasha Michiko YOKOYAMA (SIN) who was 3rd and 4th coming into the regatta on day 6 did a bad race and were not able to catch many boats.
Race 10
This race starts just as the winds were slowly picking up and marks the start of a thrilling race with many place changes. Due to the strong current, RIPLEY Tu’lemanu (ASA), SOBRAL Ines (POR), and SIN were stuck together before the gun goes and were having difficulty starting.
Eventually, SIN pulls away and manages to have an average start whilst the other two had a less than satisfactory start. Off the start, we witness majority of the fleet heading off to the right side of the course as it was evident that it was paying in the previous race. However, boats such as ABASCAL VAN BLERK Irene (GUA), KAYNAR Pinar (TUR), ESTEBAN Paloma (DOM), MAS and POR remained on the left. Their efforts paid off as a gust hit them soon after that and they had better wind and was in lifter.
SIN, AUT, and GER who were leading on the right side tacked to consolidate their position and DOM managed to cross SIN on port tack. GER tacked again and when the wind swung right, she crossed the whole fleet to round the top mark first. Her efforts were in vain as she was unable to maintain her first and dropped to a disappointing 17th position after the inner loop.
NED hits hard right and crosses the whole fleet just like how GER did the previous round. SIN, DOUGLAS Sarah (CAN) and DOM rounds after her and were at least 10 boat lengths ahead of the 5th boat who was AUT. At the end, SIN catches up to first and CAN gets flagged just as she was attempting to round the last mark. After SIN were NED, then DOM (who impresses as this is her best race so far), CAN and finally AUT.
Race 11
There was oscillating winds throughout the race and both upwind were favoured each time. A big leftward shift on the second upwind meant that almost the entire fleet overlayed the top mark on both upwind legs. NED has yet another good race as she catches up tremendously whilst the rest of the fleet overlays the top mark.
DEN capsizes as she approaches the last mark, causing her to lose a couple of positions. Simultaneously, SIN gets flagged a third time in this regatta, due to this unexpectedly turn of events, and NED’s strong performance in today’s racing (1,2,4), these 3 boats are now in contention for the bronze medal.
DOM had a very good day today, her best performance for this regatta. We thus await tomorrow’s medal race to determine outcome of this fiercely-fought regatta.
Techno 293 Boy
Tweeters: LO Manyi & Jeddy TANThis morning the wind looked promising at about 12 knots. The windsurfing boys left shore for the first start at 12.However, by the time the committee boat was ready to start the first race of day 6 the wind dropped to about 4 knots which was not racing condition. After about an hour wait out in water, the committee boat decided to put the AP over H flag. The windsurfers headed back to shore for a short break. About 30 minutes later, the AP flag went down and the windsurfers are back in action again.
Race 9 started in about 6 knot. The start was clear and everyone had a decent start. KIM Chaneui (KOR) worked upwind through the middle which had the most pressure and rounded upwind 1st followed by PUR and to RAFIC Mayan (ISR). RAFIC Mayan (ISR) had a great downwind and managed to overtake PUR and closed up the gap between him and KIM Chaneui (KOR). By the 2nd upwind RAFIC Mayan (ISR) rounded 1st and maintained it all the way to the finish line with KIM Chaneui (KOR) 2nd and Michael CHENG (HKG) in 3rd place.
Race 10 started quite late after having a break due to lack of wind. Race 10 started in about 6 to 8 knots. PUR had a great first upwind and rounded 1st with a 15 meter lead over MURASHEV Artem (RUS). However, on the 2nd upwind, MURASHEV Artem(RUS) caught up to 1st with his good wind reading skills. At the upwind mark, MURASHEV Artem(RUS) rounded 1st followed by Michael CHENG (HKG) and then JPN and closely by KIM Chaneui (KOR). KIM Chaneui (KOR) had a nice downwind catching up to 3rd. MURASHEV Artem(RUS) finished first and then it was either KIM Chaneui (KOR) or Michael CHENG (HKG) as both of them were really close to each other.
Techno 293 Girl
Tweeters: Lesley DE CRUZ, KO Jia Yun, Siobhan TAMWhen Race 9 started, the wind was about 6 knots and the current was shifting to the direction of west to east. The start was starboard biased with many windsurfers crowded around the committee boat. KAEWDUANG-NGAM Siripon (THA) and YONG Audrey Pei Lin (SIN) both had good starts and lead the race after the start. YONG Audrey Pei Lin (SIN) managed to get into first position half way up the first upwind leg however she was unable to maintain her lead and after dropping her sail twice rounded the downwind mark in fourth keeping that position to the finish. From the first mark KAEWDUANG-NGAM Siripon (THA) led and remained in that position for the rest of the race. Throughout the entire race, FANCIULLI Veronica (ITA) and LAGOA Lara (ESP) were very close and fighting to overtake one another. In the end FANCIULLI Veronica (ITA) managed to claim the second place with LAGOA Lara (ESP) in third.
In Race 10, the wind remained at 6 knots however it became much shiftier. KAEWDUANG-NGAM Siripon (THA), YONG Audrey Pei Lin (SIN) and ISR were leading after the start but the wind took a big shift to the right and the three leaders lost out to LAGOA Lara (ESP), BLR, , FANCIULLI Veronica (ITA) and ARG all who had tacked right after the start. By the first mark KAEWDUANG-NGAM Siripon (THA) managed to catch up a great deal and by the downwind mark she was in third position with ESP and BLR still in first and second. However KAEWDUANG-NGAM Siripon (THA) had great speed on the upwind and managed to round the windward mark first followed by ESP. These two had a great 50m lead over the rest of the fleet but in the end KAEWDUANG-NGAM Siripon (THA) finished with another first followed by ESP in second and ARG in third.
That was the end of racing for today with only two races due to the light winds. Tomorrow will be the day of the medal race which cannot be discarded. Tomorrow’s race should prove to be exciting as it will decide who will be the champion of the first ever Youth Olympic Games.
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Meet the Tweeters. Again!
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Day 5 – Race 7 & 8
Byte CII Boys
Tweeters Chai Xun and Dawn LiuThe winds at the National Sailing Centre (NSC) on day 5 of the Byte CII boys racing event looked promising early in the morning. However as a storm approached NSC from the south easterly direction, the wind speed slowly decreased. This decrease was sufficient enough for the race committee to postpone the races. At about 1.00pm, the AP flag came down and all the sailors eagerly launched.
The course was laid efficiently and the first got under way very quickly. Leading the race out of the start was Peter BATHO (HUN) who started at the starboard end which was biased. Sailing conservatively was what Jack COLLINSON (NZL) did during the first race of today, race 7. “I was hovering between second and fourth throughout the race, but at the last mark I managed to surf past a wave and steal the first position, so I am really happy.” Remarked Jack with a grin.
As race 7 came to a close, the wind gradually increased in strength and by the start of race 8, the wind speed had increased to 10 knots from about 7 knots in race 7. An optimistic race committee looked at the good winds and set an I3 course for the Byte CII boys. It was looking to be a tiring race for the boys as Darren CHOY (SIN) got the best start, again off the starboard end which was biased. “Even though I got 21st for the second race today, I still felt it was well sailed because initially I was 26th but then again at the bottom mark I managed to gain five positions by rounding on the outside of the cluster of boats.” quipped Jack COLLINSON (NZL). This goes to show how it is the process that matters, not the outcome of the race.
Summing up the day, Jack COLLINSON said “The wind and sailing conditions in Singapore are really actually very nice, it’s just that the winds are not that consistent. However when they are, it’s just like any other international sailing venue.”
Byte CII Girls
Tweeters KOH Ling Ying, Airiel Ruth HO and Daniella NGWith winds coming from a different direction today, the sailors had to get used to the new conditions and check the course. Unsure of which side to head towards, the fleet was evenly spread out throughout the course. The starts proved to be extremely important as the leaders all had clear starts on either ends.
Niki BLASSAR (FIN) had the best start, with a boat length lead right after the start; she played the middle of the course, and as the fleet went both ways, was not able to keep her first position start. AUT went more towards the right, with Constanze STOLZ (GER) and GU Min (CHN) on the left side of the course.
The left side of the course was better and the boats on the left such as CHN and GER crossed ahead and finished first and second respectively. Mark 2 was shifted to port on the second upwind as the wind shifted. It was a very long sail on starboard and positions in that race did not change much. Third boat to finish the race was Daphne Van Der VAART (NED).
For race 8, the first mark was laid considerably closer to the start line than previous races and the sailors knew that a good start would be key to rounding the first mark in a good position; hence they pushed the start line. Unfortunately, Sofiia LARYCHEVA (UKR) was caught being OCS and got called back for this race. It was a pity as she was doing well that race (top ten). The leading fleet for this race was highly competitive.
The sailors stuck to their previous tactics regardless of whether they did well or not, i.e. GER and CHN heading to the left and Lara VADLAU (AUT), Natasha YOKOYAMA (SIN), Celine CARLSEN (DEN), Pinar KAYNAR (TUR) heading to the right. With an O3 course, meaning a total of three upwind leg to be sailed, sailors who did not get such a good start like Ines SOBRAZ (POR), SIN, and Elise BEAVIS (NZL) managed to catch up to the leading pack.
The left side which was initially the favoured side, proved to be different for this race and the right side paid off due to a last shift to the right on the third upwind.
A third race (race 9) was attempted for the day. Stephanie LOVELL (LCA) and CHN had a great start in this race at the pin-end. The duo managed to keep their lead and rounded mark 1 second and third respectively, closely behind AUT. LCA managed to keep her position till mark 2, and eventually lost out to GER by one boat length rounding mark 3 in third place.
The storm that hovered over the land caused wind to die out at sea. We witnessed a scene of confusion and despair (for those sailors who were doing well initially but lost out) Boats were heading in all sorts of directions, and the race committee decided to raise the N (abandon race) flag over A (no more racing for the day).
Techno 293 Boys
Tweeters Jeddy TAN & LO ManyiThe first race of the day started at about 1.00pm after an hour of postponement due to light winds. By the time the boys started, it was blowing at about 10 knots with pretty strong current. Mayan RAFIC (ISR) had a good start to the race with full speed off the line, bow ahead, placing himself in a good position off the start. There was an individual recall after the start with Maxime LABAT (FRA) and Alejandro Luis MONLLOR PACHECO (PUR) being scored OCS. Mayan RAFIC (ISR) went on to win the first race with a comfortable lead. In second place was Michael CHENG (HKG) and finishing third was Kieran MARTIN (GBR) who sailed a fantastic downwind, being the only board planning, catching two positions half way down the last leg to the finish.
Race 8 started in about 12 knots with Kieran MARTIN (GBR) making a brilliant start with great acceleration off the start line at the pin end. However, there was an individual recall again after the start which led him to suspect himself being OCS. He then went back to round the pin end after sailing on for about 10 boat lengths. By the time he re-started, he was already quite a long way back in the fleet. However, he did not give up and fought back hard to sail an exceptional upwind to round the top mark in second place. On the second upwind mark, he rounded in fifth place and sailed another fantastic downwind being the only board planning again, to eventually finish in third place. Winning the race again was Mayan RAFIC (ISR) and in second was Maxime LABAT (FRA).
Techno 293 Girls
Tweeters : Lesley DE CRUZ, KO Jia Yun, Siobhan TAMRace 7 started with relatively good wind, considering what we’ve been getting here on the East Coast of Singapore, of about 7-8 knots. It continued to pick up and shift slowly to the right. MAN Ka Kei (HKG) had a fantastic start with KAEWDUANG-NGAM Siripon (THA) right below her. Majority of the fleet headed to the left side of the course leaving IDZIAK Hanna (POL) as the only windsurfer that took a risk and went to the right. The current was flowing from the left side of the course to the right; therefore the girls opted to go against current inshore where the current was weaker.
KAEWDUANG-NGAM Siripon (THA) had superior speed and quickly overtook HKG to take first place around the windward mark and extended her lead even further on the downwind. There was some incident between YONG Audrey Pei Lin (SIN) and FANCIULLI Veronica (ITA) which resulted in both girls dropping their sails. Veronica was fortunate to have recovered pretty quickly.
Race 7 ended with THA in first place, followed by COHEN Naomi (ISR) and ITA.
In Race 8, the wind had picked up to 12 knots and the sea got slightly choppier. THA once again sailed a great race and finished first with a 50 metres lead. ITA who looked very comfortable in the medium wind finished in second place with SERIGOS Valentina (ARG) in third.
After 8 races, THA is first with 16 points, followed by ISR and SIN with 27 and 28 points respectively. Light-weighted and soft spoken Siripon (THA) sailed here in Singapore just last year, during the Asian Youth Games where she won comfortably. If she continues to perform, we might be looking at our first winner.
However, right now, it is still anyone’s game. As we go into the last two days of the regatta, the girls must really keep their game up to get consistent results and there will be little room for mistakes.
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Day 4 – No racing
By Siobhan TAM
Today, the winds were incredibly light and the sun did not come out. The race committee flew the AP over A at 4.00pm and the sailors all headed back to the village. Principal Race Officer, Ross Wilson said, “It is disappointing that we had to wait all day with no wind at all.”
While waiting on shore, many sailors from different countries mingled around and played some games together in the athlete rest area. It’s great to see everyone have fun even though it was a rather unfruitful day with no races.
“We are now four races behind schedule, the race committee plans to do three races on Monday instead of the planned two,” said Wilson. “Only a maximum of 12 races can now be sailed before the medal race on Wednesday. However, looking at the wind in the past few days, it might be unlikely for the Techno courses to complete all 12 races.”
Tomorrow is a lay day for the sailors and officials. The last time Wilson was in Singapore, was back in 1983. “A lot of changed since then and it’s good to be back. Everyone is friendly and it’s a pleasure to be here in Singapore.”
Racing will resume on Monday, 23 August. We hope for better weather and more exciting racing.
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Day 3 – Race 5 & 6
Day 3 – Race 5 & 6
Byte CII Boys
(Tweeters Dawn LIU & CHAI Xun)The rain was more forgiving on Day 3 of the sailing events as it stopped early enough to allow the race to start punctually. An added bonus the rain early this morning gave us was the cool weather that lasted throughout the day.
The drizzle did little to dampen the athletes’ enthusiasm and at 12.00 pm, the first race for the day finally got under way. Kaarle TAPPER (FIN) took an early lead for race 5 and easily held on to it till the end. “Good wind. I like the strong wind…I am quite big sized.” Quite is an understatement for this 70 kg and 1.85 meters tall Finnish lad. Ian Barrows (ISV) played a great tactical game today and managed to come from behind to win Supakon PONGWICHEAN (THA) who came in third. In this race, the left side of the course almost always paid for the sailors as the wind has been steadily shifting towards the left.
The winds steadily picked up from 7 knots during race 5 to about 12 knots in race 6. The 1.83 meter-tall Zan Luka ZELKO (SLO) had a great start off the starboard end of the start line. Managing to keep a 10 boat length lead all the way to the upwind mark, SLO was sailing a very good race. However with immense pressure put on him by Florian HAUFE (GER), SLO capsized on the downwind leg. This gave GER the lead he needed to win the race. Comfortable with the strong winds, ZELKO sailed well and managed to finish second, one position ahead of Darren CHOY (SIN).
Race 7, scheduled to be completed this afternoon had to be postponed after light and shifty winds came into play.
The discard after race 5 saw a vast number of place changes in the overall rankings with Just van AANHOLT (AHO) dropping to fourth position from first. This also saw Kaarle TAPPER (FIN) jumping to first position from fifth.
Byte CII Girls
(Tweeters KOH Ling Ying, HO Airiel and Daniella NG)Heavy rains from the wee hours of the morning caused doubts about whether there will be racing today. Winds were on our side and we managed to do two races in reasonable 8 to 10 knots. The first race started slightly after 12 noon.
In Race 5, Natasha Michiko YOKOYAMA (SIN) had a solid start with Niki BLASSAR (FIN) to her windward side. Initially they were the leading boats and SIN managed to pull away from FIN. The fleet was spread out quite evenly throughout the course even though the leading boats came from the middle and the left side.
Although SIN was leading at the start and 10 boat lengths to mark 1, she was flagged right before the first mark and lost a few places. Celine CARLSEN (DEN) rounds first followed by Daphne VAN DER VAART (NED), Constanze STOLZ (GER), YOKOYAMA (SIN) and Lara VADLAU (AUT). It was a competitive race where boats had to work hard to maintain their position in view of the planing conditions.
The second upwind passed without much drastic changes to the leading boats but the excitement came when the boats were on the downwind. DEN, AUT, SIN and NED were fighting hard for their place displaying superb skills to get ahead of each other.
At the last gate mark however, SIN got flagged a second time and had to do her turns before the mark, she rounded the mark and DEN called for room to round. She also had a collision with DEN and unsure if DEN had room had the mark, does another 2 turns dropping to fifth position. AUT rounds first safely and finishes followed by NED then DEN.
The girls cooperated at the start of race 6 and even with the strong current pushing them over the line, managed to have a clear start. Unfortunate for Tu’lemanu RIPLEY (ASA) who capsized 100 meters after the start, AUT, GU Min (CHN) and GER led the fleet by going to the left side of the course.
Many boats were unaware of the strength of the current and overlayed the starboard layline to mark 1. On the second upwind, CHN opened up the course and went towards the right side and caught up to third position.
The leading boats today in race 5 and 6 are DEN, SIN and AUT.
Singapore’s Byte Coach Mark PLUMMER was very pleased with Natasha’s performance and tactics such that “she’s making me look bad, I have nothing to say, she’s sailing perfect”.
The results for today’s racing after one discard and in first place is AUT, second is DEN and GER in third place.
Techno 293 Boys
(Tweeters LO Manyi & Jeddy TAN)The windsurfing boys managed to start on time today at 12 noon with good winds averaging at about 12 knots in the first race. There was a general recall after the first start as majority of the fleet was over the line before the last minute gun went off. The next start was a clear start which saw the boys pumping hard and aggressively off the line. Mayan RAFIC (ISR), Kieran MARTIN (GBR) and Michael CHENG (HKG) started well in clear air with good acceleration off the line. In the end it was Kieran MARTIN (GBR) who was the star of the race, leading the pack at the first rounding around the top mark and eventually winning the first race of the day in 15 minutes with half a leg lead over the fleet.
Race 2 started in about 10 knots and saw the wind easing off slightly throughout the race. It was a much more intense and exciting race as the top five boards where all very close to one another and there were many changes in positions throughout the race especially in the last downwind leg to the finish. In the end, after a very close and tough fight, it was Michael CHENG (HKG) who managed to pull away from the pack in the last 20 metres to the finish, winning the race in style. He was followed closely by Chaneui KIM (KOR) in second and Maxime LABAT (FRA).
Techno 293 Girls
(Tweeters : Lesley DE CRUZ, KO Jia Yun, Siobhan TAM)A huge storm in the early morning threatened the possibility of starting the race on time. However, the wind remained pretty consistent after the rain subsided and the windsurfers started at the scheduled 12.00 pm. The wind was shifting left throughout the day and the left side was definitely advantageous.
Race 5 commenced in a good 10-12 knots of wind and the windsurfers were just beginning to plane. Veronica FANCIULLI (ITA) was zooming in the conditions that obviously suited her. She moved fast and finished in first place with a comfortable lead. It was a close fight between Siripon KAEWDUANG-NGAM (THA) and Anastasiya VALKEVICH (BLR) who changed positions with each other every leg of the race. Unfortunately for Audrey Pei Lin YONG (SIN), dropping her sail twice in the race had put her in fourth position despite a strong start. Eventually, THA finished second with BLR close behind in third.
By the time Race 6 started, the wind had dropped to 6 knots. All the girls were aggressive at the start line which resulted in seven OCSs in an 18-board fleet. The competition tamed down a notch after the OCS boards were eliminated from the race. It was definitely a disappointment for Anastasiya VALKEVICH (BLR) who reached the top mark ahead, as well as Naomi COHEN (ISR) who was the leader going into today’s racing. Siripon KAEWDUANG-NGAM (THA) and Audrey Pei Lin YONG (SIN) rounded the top mark with a good gap between them and the rest of the fleet. THA finished in first place, followed by SIN and POL..
After two good races today, Siripon KAEWDUANG-NGAM (THA) is now in first position overall with 14 points. She is definitely satisfied with her performance today saying, “I’m very glad. I would like to participate in the Olympic Games in future.” Audrey Pei Lin YONG (SIN) is in second place with 15 points, and Naomi COHEN (ISR) now sits in 3rd place with 16 points.
The competition is getting intense and at this stage, anything can still happen. That concludes Day 3 of the YOG sailing event and we hope for good winds tomorrow.
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A Shout Out to our Unsung Heroes – Part 1
Organising a mammoth event like the Youth Olympic Games requires an army of volunteers. Today, we would like to give a shout out to the beach marshals and race management student volunteers from Mayflower Secondary School led by teacher-in-charge Mrs Era Sidhu. Thank you for your efficiency laying the race marks on water, assisting the race officials, and ensuring smooth launching and recovery for the YOG sailors!
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Day 2, Race 3 & 4
Check results here at the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games
Byte CII Boys
(Tweeters: Dawn LIU & CHAI Xun)Stormy clouds blew in from the west in the late morning, prompting the category one storm warning to be raised and forcing race officials to postpone the races for today. Unable to launch, the sailors busied themselves with card games and an early lunch on shore. However at 1.30pm the AP flags went down and the sailors rushed out to sea… only to be sent back in again, as the wind died to nothing.
Racing finally got underway at 3.00pm in light, 5-knot breeze and slowly strengthening current. In the first race of the day, an enormous and unexpected left-hand shift during the Byte CII boys’ first upwind brought Kaarle TAPPER (FIN) to first position, a lead, followed closely by Marti LLENA (ESP) and Just van AANHOLT (AHO). LLENA sailed an excellent downwind to take first by the end of the leg. Owen SIESE (BER) capitalised on a gust to close in on the leaders and managed to edge into second place on the next upwind briefly before TAPPER closed back up. However on the final downwind, SIESE pipped TAPPER to the bottom mark, rounding inside and taking second position. TAPPER followed in third.
Race 4 of the series for the boys began soon after and the fleet, learning from the previous race, took to the left. Harald FAESTE (NOR) won the start and led the fleet in, along with Pavlo BABYCH (UKR). A close fight downwind kept FAESTE ahead and BABYCH second, with the rest of the boats in top ten close by.
The second upwind of the race was when most of the changes took place: a gust and starboard lifter took WANG Zili (CHN) into the lead by miles, rounding at least 20 boats ahead of number 2.
‘I think I sailed well,’ said WANG. ‘The key was to just concentrate on my strengths.’
The fight for second place was hard fought on the downwind between FAESTE (NOR), Peter BATHO (HUN), and Darren CHOY (SIN), the latter of whom fought back after a disappointing 24th-place finish in race 3 and a yellow flag on the downwind, to pull ahead of FAESTE and BATHO just before the bottom mark and finish second. BATHO won inner position on FAESTE and took third place for race 4.
With four races down, the next day is scheduled as a lay day and sailing will resume on Friday, August 20, 2010.
Byte CII Girls
(Tweeters: Daniella NG, KOH Ling Ying and Airiel Ruth HO)Storm clouds and rain filled the National Sailing Centre just as the conditions were looking good for sailing. The race committee launched but was called back to shore soon after due to lighting warning. A few boats that were highly enthusiastic launched along with the committee but alas, their spirit was not rewarded as there was high lightning activity and they were soon called back to shore.
The postponement flag (AP) was flown and the sailors were asked to seek shelter. Sailors and coaches filled the multi-purpose hall as they waited for the storm to pass, and AP to come down. There is a “doodle wall” next to the race control office and sailors have been spending their time decorating the wall with drawing of the country flag, themselves sailing and things that represent them. It was heart warming to see young athletes from other countries bonding with their competitors through their drawings. It is an active platform for sailors of the various countries to interact and strengthen their friendship. Mayan RAFIC (ISR) proudly declared his artwork as his masterpiece whilst other sailors looked on impressed.
The AP flag came down as soon as the rain stopped and all boats; power and sail, rushed out to sea, eager to complete a race. But lady luck was not on our side and the winds quickly died from 8 knots to a pathetic 2 knots. The wind came from a different direction than yesterday and the practice race day, possibly due to the storm clouds all around. The wind was very unstable and the race committee decided to fly AP over H, where sailors have to wait on shore for further instructions. The situation was unfortunate and some sailors expressed disappointment. Nevertheless, the weather is something no one can control and days with little wind is part and parcel of sailing.
The storm clouds cleared considerably, but it was still generally cloudy, making it cooler than previous days. The wind was blowing 6-8 knots with small oscillating shifts ranging from 210-230 degrees.
Constanze STOLZ (GER) had good start in the pin end for Race 3 with Lara VADLAU (AUT) and Lamia Feriel HAMMICHE (ALG) tacking to the right side of the course soon after the start. The fleet was mostly on port tack but VADLAU (AUT) tacks to starboard and tries to cross the fleet.
A slight shift to the right allowed VADLAU (AUT) to gain while Daphne van der VAART (NED) continued sailing to the right. UKR, DEN and GER went to the port lay line and managed to cross the fleet while FIN got flagged and lost her second position.
Celine CARLSEN (DEN) managed to gain the lead when Sofiia LARYCHEVA (UKR) got flagged on the reaching leg. On the whole, going left was a better option even though the current was stronger further out at sea. STOLZ (GER) who was top ten after the leeward mark sailed a very good second upwind by deciding to tack away for clear wind even though she was very near the left lay line, and caught up to second place. The top three finish for Race 3 is CARLSEN (DEN) followed by STOLZ (GER) and MAZZAFERRO (BRA).
In race 4, there was line sag due to the strong currents and the pin end was very crowded. Several sailors, including Natasha Michiko YOKOYAMA (SIN) and STOLZ (GER) did not manage to get a good start out of the favoured side due to the crowd. SIN opted to go for the left corner in view of her poor start while STOLZ (GER) decided to play the shifts in the middle. YOKOYAMA (SIN) managed to gain on those who went to the right side of the course, when STOLZ (GER) kept her position. GU Min (CHN) headed to the left soon after the start. Leaders at mark one were GU (CHN) followed with VADLAU (AUT) and MAZZAFERRO (BRA). The positions until the last mark towards the finish were still unclear. Till mark 3, VADLAU (AUT) had room over GU (CHN) and though there was a little shouting at the mark, AUT rounds the mark clear ahead of GU (CHN) and finishes with a second bullet to end off the day. Following VADLAU (AUT) and GU (CHN) were MAZZAFERRO (BRA), MOHD Afendy (MAS), and KAYNAR (TUR). This concludes the end of racing for the second day.
Techno 293 Boys
(Tweeters: LO Manyi & Jeddy TAN)There were a few hours of delay due to stormy weather in the morning and light winds which followed after in the early afternoon. APs were flown both on shore and on water till about 3.00pm when the sailors started launching again.
Race 1 of the second day started at about 3.25pm. The wind was slightly stronger today at about 7-8 knots and the start was clear with the boys pumping hard off the line. There was a pretty big change in positions throughout the race as KIM Chaneui (KOR) caught up from fifth place at the first rounding at the top mark to eventually winning the race with a comfortable lead.
Race 2 of the day started with a chaotic start as the strong current was pushing the boys back behind the line. Mayan RAFIC (ISR) attempted a pin end start on port, but was unsuccessful and ended up with a bad start to the race. However, showing good sportsmanship, he did not give up and fought back hard and ended up rounding the upwind mark in first place and eventually extending his lead to the finish line!
The biggest winner for the day goes to RAFIC (ISR) who sailed a fantastic consistent second day with a second in Race 3 and a bullet in Race 4.
When asked how he felt about racing today, Michael CHENG (HKG) said, “The wind is very light, current very strong, very tough racing, but I like it!”
Techno 293 Girls
(Tweeters: Siobhan TAM, KO Jia Yun & Lesley DE CRUZ)Day 2 of the YOG Sailing events started with the AP flag up again. This time, it was due to stormy weather and heavy downpour of torrential rain. Singapore’s weather and winds are highly affected by the tropical storms that come through rather frequently. The organizers did a great job and quickly got the sailors out of the water/open and into safety when the Category One warning signal was given.
While waiting for the rain to stop, the Techno 293 girls spent their time in the common area for the athletes eating lunch and having fun socializing. We managed to speak to Singapore’s windsurfing coach, TC CHUA, who acknowledged that “the competition is tough and will only get tougher.” When asked of Audrey Pei Lin YONG’s (SIN) chances and performance, he said, “She is perfectly poised to give her best.”
At 1pm, the AP came down and the sailors were off only to be sent back to shore again when the wind died completely. Finally the wind came in at 3.00pm, and the windsurfers quickly launched for the start in 6 knots.
Race 3 started and we saw Siripon KAEWDUANG-NGAM (THA) take the lead with a great start. Naomi COHEN (ISR) was close behind on the upwind, along with Audrey Pei Lin YONG (SIN) and Valentina SERIGOS (ARG). Light-weight KAEWDUANG-NGAM (THA) had great speed and soon gained a comfortable lead which she maintained all the way to the finish. Race 3 ended with KAEWDUANG-NGAM (THA) in first place, followed by Naomi COHEN (ISR) in second, and Valentina SERIGOS (ARG) in third place.
Race 4 was a lot more exciting as the wind was gusty and shifty. After a great start off the port end of the line, Siripon KAEWDUANG-NGAM (THA) tacked in and crossed the fleet. However, her lead did not last long due to a substantial wind shift to the left of the course putting Anastasiya VALKEVICH (BLR) in the lead with Lara LAGOA (ESP) a couple of metres behind. Early leaders found themselves caught in the middle of the course with little wind. Eventually BLR finished first followed by ESP and ARG.
The turn of events in the second race of today may see a drastic change in the leader board. After four races, Naomi COHEN (ISR) will likely take first position overall with 11 points. With two good races today, Valentina SERIGOS (ARG) is currently tied with Audrey Pei Lin YONG (SIN) with 17 points but SIN will take second place as she has one 1st place finish.
There will be no racing tomorrow as it is scheduled as a lay day for the athletes to rest and recover for Friday’s races. Two or three races may be carried out depending on the conditions as today’s planned three races were not accomplished.
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Day 1, Race 1 & 2
Day 1, Race 1 & 2
Results from Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games Website
Byte CII Boys
(Tweeters: Dawn LIU & CHAI XUN)Light airs in the morning saw racing get off to a late start on the first day of the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games. However racing got underway shortly after noon in 7 knot breeze and two races were held back to back as scheduled.
The first race for the Byte CII boys saw Portugal taking an early lead thanks to a right hand shift on the first work. Goncalo PIRES held his position all the way through the race despite a strong challenge from Netherland Antilles’ Just VAN AANHOLT to win the first race of the series. Australia’s Mark SPEARMAN started strong in third position, but was pipped to the finish line by Marco BENINI of Italy.
However, it was VAN AANHOLT who proved to be the winner of the day. A good start at the port-biased end allowed him to cross the fleet early and come round the top mark in second place behind Bermuda’s Owen SIESE. A well-sailed reach and downwind brought him to first position by the leeward mark and he continued to extend from there, finally ending the day with a win.
With a 2nd and 1st, it is likely that VAN AANHOLT will top the scoreboard on this opening day.
‘It was a surprise,’ said VAN AANHOLT of his performance. ‘I was not expecting it; I would be happy with a top 10. The winds are good for me – there was wind, but not too strong.’Meanwhile, the next five spots behind Netherlands Antilles were hotly contested in the second race. The positions changed continuously on the second work and downwind, with Singapore and the Virgin Islands first overtaking Bermuda and third-placed Kaarle TAPPER of Finland, then missing out on a shift later in the upwind that brought SIESE and TAPPER back to second and third by the finish.
Byte CII Girls
(Tweeters: Daniella NG, Airiel Ruth HO & KOH Ling Ying)Starting the day with flat waters and no wind, we went around asking the sailors a few questions. Most of them found Singapore’s weather “hot” and was trying to get used to the weather here.
AP, the postponement flag, was up on shore but not for long! A cloud hovered over the National Sailing Centre which brought some wind along with it. The race committee was out on water and set the course quickly, so as to not waste any precious time.The first race of the day took three starts with two general recalls, this may perhaps be due to the general excitement of the fleet and thus they were pushing the line too hard. However the ever fearful black flag preparatory signal for the third start made the fleet stay back from the line and the start was clear with a line sag in the middle. The right side of the course seemed to be the more favoured side, however most of the fleet went left, and that paid off well as the wind shifted left. Lara VADLAU from Austria was the first boat on the right corner on the first upwind, but the fleet from the left crossed her by far, and she rounded mark one 10th. She sailed the second upwind well on the left side of the course, and managed to catch up, but leader Constanze SLOTZ from Germany was too far to catch.
The second race started off with a general recall again, with the pin end being more favoured as opposed to the first race where committee boat was more favoured. AUT had the best start off the line at the biased end. However, not long after the start, the wind shifted to the right and it looked like NED, DEN and AUS were in a good position while the initial leaders at the pin end were losing out. But the wind shifted back and the winner of the race took that opportunity to tack and cross the fleet, consolidating her position.
It was difficult to tell who was leading at the start of the race but it gradually became clear. AUT had a clear lead ahead of the rest followed by POR, GER and POL. The left side was more favoured throughout this race as shown by the leaders coming out from the left. After the downwind gate, AUT headed towards the left side again followed by SUI, GER (who tacked after rounding a different gate) These three boats came up tops at the first mark again with a clear lead ahead of the rest.
German byte girl sailor Constanze Stolz said, “I’m really excited and forward to the competition”, and when asked what her target was she humbly said “I’ll try my best”. She had a good start to the regatta with a first and second placing, considering that she is more used to sailing the Laser instead of the Byte, making her day especially impressive. She will be one you could look out for in tomorrow’s racing!
Speaking to the sailors this morning, many agreed that Singapore would have a home-ground advantage, both in terms of the hot weather and a better understanding of the wind conditions. Singaporean Natasha Yokoyama had a consistent day today with top-ten finishes for both races today.
GER is now leading the regatta with three points. She is three points in front of Rayroux from SUI who is in second place. AUT and NED are third and fourth respectively, tied at seven points. POL is in fifth place with nine points.
It’s a great start to the inaugural Youth Olympic Games, we have done two out of the 16 scheduled races today, and a great job to those who have done well today, and may those who did not do as well as expected do better tomorrow!
Techno 293 Boys
(Tweeters: LO Manyi & Jeddy TAN)
The wind was pretty light at about 3 knots early in the morning, so the AP flag was raised for both courses. We waited till about 12 noon and the wind picked up to about 7 knots. The AP flag was lowered and the windsurfers started to launch. However, when the windsurfers reached the course the wind dropped to about 5 knots. But the race committee decided to go ahead with the start for the Techno 293 boys. Being the first start of the regatta, it was not surprising to see the boys pushing the line which resulted in two boards being scored OCS (on course start). It was quite an intense first race as we saw a change of positions between the leaders throughout the race. GBR windsurfer, Kieran MARTIN sailed a brilliant first race to move up from fourth place to winning the race.After a quick rest from the first race, the race committee started the second race and this time the windsurfers were more conservative at the start with many of them further back on the line as compared to in the first race. Race 2 saw more excitement as there were some incidents during the race which resulted in some turns being done. The leaders of the race, Kieran MARTIN from GBR & Mayan RAFIC from ISR were both way ahead of the pack in the last lag to the finish.
What a great way to start the regatta with a first and second for race 1 and 2 respectively for Kieran MARTIN!
When asked how they felt about sailing today both RAFIC and MARTIN replied, “Good, but it is really tough because it’s very hot. The wind for the second race picked up and there was a little planning on the left. It will get better for sure it will.”
That is all we have for you today from the windsurfing boys course! We’ll be back tomorrow with live updates on the action at the second day of racing at the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games!
Techno 293 Girls
(Tweeters: Siobhan TAM, KO Jia Yun & Lesley DE CRUZ)The day started off with AP flag being raised on shore so a few of us went around asking the athletes some questions. MAN Ka Kei from Hong Kong said, “I am looking forward to racing. It’s fun in Singapore even though the weather can get a bit hot sometimes.” The wind slowly picked up to a consistent 7-9 knots which proved to be better than that of the practice day. The windsurfers launched with the boys starting the race first. The girls’ race was postponed again during the start due to a 40 degree wind shift to the right and the race committee had to shift the upwind mark.
Finally the girls were able to start the first race of the day with Siripon KAEWDUANG-NGAM from Thailand leading right from the start. She had great speed and angle and was probably the lightest of all the girls at 48kg which gave her a great advantage in the light winds. She ended up leading the fleet by at least 50 metres. The finishing sequence for the first race is as follows: THA, ITA, ISR, SIN, ARG (Top 5 finishers).
However, the second race saw a turn of events for the leader board. The wind picked up a couple of knots to hold at 9. The race started with ISR having a good position over the fleet. Once again the left hand side of the course seemed to be more favourable with consistent gusts coming down along the port lay line. Siripon had a bad start in this race however she had managed to catch up on the upwind only to drop her sail twice after rounding the top mark. It was a close fight between the leaders consisting of SIN, ISR, ITA and BLR. There wasn’t much change in the positions during the second upwind and eventually SIN finished first followed closely by ISR, ITA, BLR and ESP.Stay tuned for more racing action tomorrow!
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Practice Day
BYTE CII BOYS
Text by: CHAI XunThe wind was nothing close to strong today with it dropping from 5 knots at the start of the Byte CII Boys race to about a mere 2 knots when the leader was halfway up the course. The current was also opposing the direction the sailors were supposed to head for in the upwind leg. These sailing conditions were going to push the patience and tactical prowess of our YOG sailors to the limits.
Even though these conditions weren’t ideal, the athletes all had a strong drive to try and get the best out of this practice race just one day before the real YOG races start. Half an hour before the start of the race, the sailors were already out on the water conducting their pre-race routines. This saw many of them pacing each other to check their boat speed, sailing up and down the course to check which side of the course is more favourable, checking for any line bias at the start lines, checking the speed of the current, etc. This list would be endless. Nevertheless as all the athletes launched early, they all had ample time to execute their drills.
The start during the practice race was a rather tricky one, with the wind shifting from 200 degrees to 200 degrees during the 5 minute countdown. What this meant was that the biased end of the start line shifted from the port side to the starboard side. This massive wind shift caught many sailors off guard and they ended up stuck on the less favourable side of the line as they couldn’t reach the starboard side on time. In the end, Hungary got the best start out of the fleet off the starboard side of the line.
Hungary looked like he was in a strong position to win the race, however 5 minutes after the start gun went, there came a slight left shift. This was sufficient enough to put China into the lead. Due to the Hungarian’s big frame, he was not a strong sailor in these light winds and as a result he dropped even further back as the race progressed.
Sailing closely behind Switzerland, was Singapore in third place. The Chinese, Swiss and Singaporean were all small built with their weights ranging from 55-58 kg. However as a small breeze of wind came in from the starboard side of the course, the 65 kg Malaysian was able to edge his way past China.
However soon after the Malaysian rounded the upwind mark, the race committee decided to abandon the race as the winds were getting too light and there was a strong current slowing down the sailors going upwind.
BYTE CII GIRLS
Text by: Daniella NG, Airiel Ruth HO, KOH Ling YingSailors started streaming in at 10 am this morning, getting ready to start the regatta and soaking in the atmosphere.
A storm passed by, bringing good winds of about 12 knots with choppy waters. However, it did not last long and the race started with winds of about 6 knots in the direction of 220 degrees.
Throughout the race, the winds gradually died down to about 2 knots. The start line at the alpha course was slightly pin-end biased and TUR got the best start out of the fleet. The fleet was fighting hard and there were a few penalties incurred.
With wind and current coming from the same direction, the right side of the course was very favoured after the start. The leading pack, those who had a better start, headed over to the right side of the course. Those who had a bad start headed over to the left side of the course, with CHN leading the pack.
Three quarters up the first leg to mark 1, the winds started shifting left and CHN gained on the left crossing the initial leaders TUR, MAS, POL and SIN at the top mark by 5 meters and eventually extended her lead by 10 times on her way to mark 2.
Before the race was abandoned, CHN had a clear lead with TUR and SIN rounding mark 2 together.
After today’s racing, here are some boats that you could look out for: CHN, TUR, POL, MAS and host country SIN.
TECHNO 293 BOYS
Text by: LO Manyi & Jeddy TANToday is practice race day of the very first Youth Olympic Games (YOG). The scheduled start time was at 3pm and we were out on water about 1.5 hours before the start. The windsurfers started coming out at about 40 minutes before the start and were all very excited to race. However, due to the lack of winds, the start was abandoned for the boys’ fleet in the last minute. The AP flag went up for about 30 minutes and the windsurfers were entertaining themselves by doing some free styles and jumping into the water to cool off. At about 3.40pm the AP over H flag went up which means racing is postponed and to wait on shore for further notice. Hence, the windsurfers started heading back to shore. Due to the time limit for the last start, the race committee decided to abandon all races for today and that’s all we have for today! See you tomorrow for more excitement here at the National Sailing Centre!
TECHNO 293 GIRLS
Text by: KO Jia Yun & Lesley DE CRUZToday’s conditions showed light winds (5 knots) and moderately strong currents flowing in from west to east. The windsurfer boys had initially started one race but the start was cancelled which could have been due to a wind shift though it was probably because of the light winds. The windsurfers were not able to start or complete the practice race today. The AP over H flag was then raised to tell them to head back to shore to await further instructions but in the end racing for today was cancelled. On another note, a few of the overseas coaches find Singapore to be hot, clean, green, new and beautiful…and they wanted ice cream. In addition, the windsurfers did manage to have a good time socializing and playing around with freestyle moves on the water.
Follow the racing on Twitter @s2010byteboy, @s2010bytegirl, @s2010technoboy and @s2010technogirl!