It
was another day of light winds and sunny skies on Biscayne Bay. But the
early news was that Giles Scott (GBR) had managed to improve his points
from Monday, when after having been called early over the start line in
the first race, he later had the penalty overturned when the race
committee were deemed to have made a procedural error.
After
a long wait, race 3 got away after 17.00, so there was only ever going
to be one race. Luke Lawrence (USA) started mid line and broke out to
the left before coming back to round the top mark with a small lead on
Scott, Alexey Selivanov (RUS), Michele Paoletti (ITA) and Jorge Zarf
(BRA). Lawrence headed right downwind as he had done on Monday, while
Scott and Zarif pushed out to his left. At the gate, Lawrence still held
the lead from Scott and Selivanov. Most of the leaders immediately
headed out to the right.
Lawrence
and Scott almost matched each other tack for tack on the second upwind,
but Lawrence kept his lead at the top from Scott and Paoletti. With
three legs to the finish and a very tight fleet there was plenty of
scope for place changing, but Scott, who had rounded very close to
Lawrence sailed past him early on the reach and then extended on the run
to win the race, just over 20 seconds ahead of Lawrence. Ivan Kljakovic
Gaspic (CRO) scooped third after Enrico Voltolini (ITA) was scored OCS
and Paoletti ended up fourth. Regatta leader Oliver Tweddell (AUS) was
back in 10th.
Lawrence commented on his race. "The
breeze was soft and we finished under a beautiful sunset on Biscayne
Bay. I was very excited with a second place. I led most of the way
around the track, but I let Giles set up high of me for the reach, which
turned fatal half way down. My goal was a solid top five in the race so
I didn't find it logical to chase him and risk third. I held my
position strategically to hang on to second. All in all I am happy and
have moved from fourth to third, so a red jersey for me tomorrow. I hope
to keep it together and qualify for the US Team."
Tweddell
added, "I rounded the top mark in fifth, and made a poor decision to
gybe out to the left straight away. I hit a wall of dirty air and lost a
lot of ground and places. I managed to keep my cool and chip back some
spots, but that was the fatal mistake."
Current
World Champion Zarif is in seventh place after placing fifth in the
race. "I had a ok start in the middle of the line, and I was planning to
go to the right because before the race it was paying a lot. I couldnt
go as far as I wanted but I was lucky, the windy changed 10-15 degrees
to the left so i was able to be top four in the first upwid. I already
had a yellow yesterday and today I was worried about getting a second.
So the downwnds were bad. I think this was the biggest thing I could
change."
Racing
in Miami continues until Saturday when the medal race for the top 10
will be sailed. Racing can be followed online with 2D and 3D tracking
options available through the event website.
Results after three races
1 GBR 41 Giles Scott 3
2 AUS 261 Oliver Tweddell 3
3 USA 40 Luke Lawrence 5
4 RUS 1 Alexey Selivanov 7
5 EST 11 Lauri Väinsalu 7
6 CRO 524 Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic8
7 BRA 109 Jorge João Zarif 12
8 ITA 146 Michele Paoletti 13
9 CAN 5 Gregory Douglas 14
10 ITA 66 Enrico Voltolini 14
2 AUS 261 Oliver Tweddell 3
3 USA 40 Luke Lawrence 5
4 RUS 1 Alexey Selivanov 7
5 EST 11 Lauri Väinsalu 7
6 CRO 524 Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic8
7 BRA 109 Jorge João Zarif 12
8 ITA 146 Michele Paoletti 13
9 CAN 5 Gregory Douglas 14
10 ITA 66 Enrico Voltolini 14
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento