Giles Scott (GBR) took the overall lead
in the Finns for the first time on the third day at the Trofeo S.A.R.
Princesa
Sofía MAPFRE in Palma de Mallorca as the fleet heads into the finals
series on Thursday. There were race wins for Giorgio Poggi (ITA) and
Tomas
Vika (CZE) in less wind than the previous days, with several sailors
picking up high scores in the shifty conditions. With six races now completed the sailors effectively start again, taking their place in the opening series as the first
score in the final series. ISAF is trialling a new scoring system in Palma and so far the jury is still out on any benefits.
Race five got away in a tricky building
breeze, starting at around 8 knots and rising to 10 knots, with some pin
end
bias. The breeze was much stronger and bending round to the left. Those
that missed this picked up some the deep positions. Unlimited pumping
was on
but was borderline.
Giorgo Poggi (ITA) won race five from
Caleb Paine (USA) and Bruno Prada (BRA). Poggi explained, “Today in the
first race I had a good start four boats up from the pin. There was more
pressure on the left of the course and also a small shift to the left
that
helped me to round the top mark in third. On the downwind I moved up to
second place and then I just try to control my position. On the last
downwind
I closed the distance to Bruno [Prada (BRA)] and at the gate before the
finish he took the wrong mark and I won the race. So I also had some
luck.”
For race six, the breeze settled at
around 10 knots and was a little more steady. Andrew Mills (GBR) said,
“It
was classic Palma with the land effect making the left good. I came out
the pin and went all the way to the layline and rounded second from
Thomas
Vika (CZE) after going past the layline. The run was unlimited pumping
with Giles, Vasilij Zbogar (SLO, myself, Bruno Prada (BRA) and Tomas.
Tomas
pulled away nicely and sailed the second beat well for the win. I
rounded the second top mark in second closely followed by Vasilij and
Caleb, then
Vasilij got past on the run.”
“The proper racing starts tomorrow.”
Vika took the race win from Zbogar and
Mills. Leader into the day, Jonathan Lobert (FRA) had a difficult day
with a 17,
12 and dropped to fourth overall, while a 16, 5 for Scott was enough to
take the overall lead from Zbogar and Mills. The best performance of the
day
was Paine with a 2, 4 to move up to ninth, while newcomer Josh Junior
(NZL) continued his good form to end the day in eighth at his first
major Finn
event.
But a points difference at this stage make no difference as the sailors can only take their opening series positions
into the two day final series before Saturday's medal racing.
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