Light breeze on day 3 of the Christmas Race

A light SW breeze blew in the bay of Palamos since the early morning with enough strength to get sailors to the racing areas for today’s races. After waiting for two days for the wind to arrive, the Race Committee did not hesitate to go afloat just after the forecast briefing to ensure racing could start in accordance with the schedule. The first starts of the day were made at around 11:30 but the wind was tricky throughout the day.

The Laser could finally sail three races today and Spanish sisters Fatima and Lucia Reyes are first and second in the Laser radial overall results with a great performance today. Third place is for Francesca Clapchich from Italy.

Brothers Federico and Arturo Alonso from Spain are leaders in the 49er standings with a total of seven races sailed since the beginning of the event. Second place is for Portuguese team Bernardo Freitas and Francisco Andrade (Buondi Caffè) followed by James Peters and Edward Fitzgerald (Ocenair) from Great Britain.

The lead in 470 women is still for Spanish team Tara Pacheco and Berta followed by British sailors Hannah Mills and Katie Archer and SophieWequelin and Sophie Ainsworth (Grainmarket properties) in second and third place respectively.

Start of the 49er race. Palamós, 20 December 2010. Photo copyright Alfred Farré / Christmas Race

German sailors Jasper Wagner and Tobias Bolduan are at the top of the 470 men standings with 11 points advantage over British team Ben Saxton and David Kohler (Rola-Trac). Third place is also for Germany, with team Denny Naujock y Nils Schröder (Jonny).

Finn sailor Florian Raudaschl from Austria is now leading the Finn results followed by Ukranian sailor Olexiy Boryson, at just two points and third place is for Jan Kurfed (Audi STG) from Germany.

The Dutch teams dominate the Laser standard results with Sierk Jan ter Haar and Douwe Broekens (Sigma Medic) in the lead with nineteen points. Third place is for French sailor Rodrigue Cabaz.

Tomorrow will be the last day of racing before the Medal Race to be held on Wednesday.

The weather forecast announces SW wind 15 to 20 knots with possibility of rain at midday.

RESULTS (After the third day)

Laser Radial
1. Fátima Reyes (ESP), 4-2-1-3, 10 points
2. Fatima Reyes (ESP), 3-4-6-2, 15 points
3. Francesca Clapchich (ITA), 2-1-8-5, 16 points
4. Michelle Broekhizen (NED), 10-5-4-1, 20 points
5. Marie Menaldo (FRA), 1-6-7-6, 20 points

Laser Standard
1. Sierk Jan Ter Haar (NED), 1-4-2-12, 19 points
2. Broekens (NED), 2-1-11-5, 19 puntos
3. Rodrige Cabaz (FRA), 5-19-6-1, 31 puntos
4. Ronan Cull (IRL), 13-13-5-4, 35 puntos
5. Mattis Naud (FRA), 4-17-4-13, 38 puntos

Finn
1. Florian Raudaschi (AUT), 2-5-3-1, 11 points
2. Olexsiy Borysov (UKR), 5-3-2-3, 13 points
3. Jan Kurfeld (GER), 3-1-1-DNC, 16 points
4. Alex Muscat (ESP), 9-2-4-2, 17 points
5. Miguel Fernández Vasco (ESP), 6-4-5-6, 21 points

470 Men
1. Jasper Wagner/Tobias Bolduan (GER), 2-1-5-3, 11 points
2. Ben Saxton/David Kohler (GBR), 12-8-1-1, 22 points
3. Denny Noujock/Nils Schröder (GER), 17-2-2-2, 23 points
4. Niklas Dackhammar/Fredrik Bergstrom (SWE), 10-3-15-8, 36 points
5. Marc Terrasa/Toni Terrasa (ESP), 5-4-18-9, 37 points

470 Women
1. Tara Pacheco/Berta Betanzos (ESP), 1-3-1-6, 11 points
2. Hanna Mills/Katie Archer (GBR), 4-5-2-2, 13 points
3. Sophie Weguelin/Sophie Ainsworth (GBR), 2-2-5-4, 13 points
4. Marjalilsa Umb/Elise Umb (EST), 5-1-6-3, 15 points
5. Marina Gallego/Ana Lobo (ESP), 3-6-7-5, 21 points

49er
1. Federico Alonso/Arturo Alonso (ESP), 4-1-1-(6)-3-6-2, 17 points
2. Bernardo Freitas/Francisco Andrade (POR), 2-5-6-(BDF)-2-4-1, 20 points
3. James Peters/Edward Fitzgerald (GBR), (16)-6-3-3-1-3-6, 22 points
4. Mathieu Frei/Yann Rocherieux (FRA), 3-7-2-1-(13)-8-5, 26 points
5. Axel Silvy/Ulysse Hoffmann (FRA), (14-3-4-7-8-1-3,27 points

No wind, no race on day two of the Christmas Race

The wind decided not to appear on day two at the Christmas Race so there was no racing today. The day started with rain and around midday the clouds began to disappear and a SSW breeze was expected to start blowing in the bay. But it did not happen and after five hours ashore, teams went home with no races sailed.

Some sailors had fun playing football while others sat at Palamos pier waiting for the wind.

Carles Palomares, the race manager explained “we tried everyhting possible, even the Race Committees went afloat but there was hardly any wind so it was impossible to give a start to any race".

There have been no changes in the results from day one. Meteorologist Enric Agud has forecasted a SW wind around 10 knots at midday increasing to fifiteen throughout the afternoon.

Shifty winds mark opening day of Christmas Race in Palamós

[Source: Christmas Race] Day one in Palamos woke up with clouds and grey skies with SSE winds forecasted to start blowing from midday. A calm morning with no wind left all sailors ashore. Shyly, the sun peeped through the clouds around midday and the wind seemed to start making its way through. The Race Committee decided to send the Laser and Laser radial fleet to the racing area but as soon as the decision was made the Race Committee reported that the wind had dropped again and all classes were again postponed ashore. It wasn't until 14:00 hrs that a sudden shifty 160-170 wind, 5 to 6 knots took the bay of Palamos by surprise and racing began.

The first to sail out was the 49er fleet that was followed by all other classes. The changeable wind conditions put the Race Committee to the test and finally only the 49ers, 470 and Finn managed to sail today. In Charlie area the Laser standard and radial started race one but it had to be abandoned shortly after the start due to an important wind shift and the fleet was sent ashore. After 2 races in the 49er, GBR team Richard Mason and Tom Partington take the lead followed by Bernardo Freitas and Francisco Andrade from Portugal and French sailors Mathieu Frei and Yann Rocherieux.


In Bravo area, the 470 men and women and Finn completed only one race. After finishing second at the 2010 Skandia Sail for Gold regatta last August, 470 women Spanish sailors Tara Pacheco and Berta Betanzos had an excellent start of the event winning today’s race. Second place was for British team Sophie Weguelin and Sophie Ainsworth who have finished second overall at the 2008 and 2009 editions of the Christmas race. Spanish team Marina Gallego and Ana Lobo were third. Swedish team Victor Bergström and Marcus Dackhammar won today’s race in the 470 men, followed by Jasper Wagner and Tobias Bolduan from Germany who have just arrived from a victory at the Imperia Winter regatta. Third place was for French sailors Louis Moysan and Baptiste Berthier.

Win for Andrii Gusenko from Ukraine in the Finn class and second place for Austrian sailor Florian Raudaschl from Austria who won the International Finn Cup in Malcesine last October. Third place was for Jan Kurfeld from Germany.

Tomorrow is expected to start cloudy again, with some drizzles and NW wind, 4 to 7 knots in the morning changing to SSW wind 6 to 12 knots from midday.

ker Martínez/Xabi Fernández (49er) join Rafa Trujillo (Finn) as leaders at Christmas Race

Olympic medallists Iker Martínez/Xabi Fernández (Grand Krust-Movistar) and Rafa Trujillo (+39) have confirmed their condition as favourite teams and lead the 49er and Finn standings respectively.

Martínez/Fernández have had a great start at the Christmas Race after the four races (4-3-4-1) sailed today and are the leaders in 49er. Second place is for Spanish team Federico/Arturo Alonso (Alfa Romeo) and third place is also for a Spanish crew Alberto Padrón/Javier de la Plaza (Audi Canarias). Undoubtedly, a great start for the Spanish pre-Olympic team.

In the Finn class, Rafa Trujillo (+39) maintains the lead with a comfortable advantage over the other competitors. Second classified, at five points, is Italian competitor Giorgio Poggi (Harken) while third place overall is for Michael Maier (+39) from the Czech Republic.

Spanish team Gallego/Tutzó in 470 Women are down to third place overall after today’s at only one point from the new leaders, French team Camille Lecointre/Gwendolyn Lemaitre (Vecteur +) and tied with equal points with second team Giulia Conti/Giovana Micol from Italy.

The leader in Laser radial is Tatiana Drozdovskaya (Transbunker) from Bielorrusia followed in second place by Bristish sailor Alison Young (Skandia Team). Third place is for Spanish competitor Alicia Cebrián de Lagos (Caja Canarias).

The leadership in 470 men is still for the top classified team of the ISAF World Sailing Ranking lists Gabrio Zandonà/Andrea Tani (Joe Fly) from Italy at only 1 point difference from French team Dreano Ronan/Floch Ronan. Third place overall is also for French team Alexandre Pallu de la Barriere/Aymerich Challe (Big Ship).

With only two points difference over second classified Mark Powell (GBR), the leader in the Laser class is for Polish sailor Marcin Rudawki. Third place is for Dutch competitor Marc de Haas (Triple-P).

Today competitors have enjoyed an excellent day of racing. Moderate North wind conditions (10-15 knots) changing to NE (9-12 knots) in the afternoon throughout the day have made it possible to complete the schedule of races.

The forecast for tomorrow annouces low temperature for tomorrow with NE wind, 20 to 25 knots.