Tricky wind conditions continue in Helsinki
Weather continued to cause problems at the Open Europeans on Wednesday. The sailors had to wait for the first start of the day almost an hour in very calm wind conditions.
“I can’t afford another day like this in the remaining fleets. I just have to find my previous form and keep myself calm”, said Van Acker.
Second in the Laser Radials is China’s Olympic bronze medallist Lijia Xu. Tina Mihelic of Croatia is currently third, with just one day of sailing to go before the medal race.
In Laser Standards it was even more difficult. The sailors started their second race twice, but both of them had to be stopped because the wind died completely. In the end they could only finish the first fleets.
After seven races, Croatia’s Tonci Stipanovic is in the lead before Poland’s Jonas Stelmaszyk and Austria’s Andreas Geritzer.
“I had a good start today and was lucky to have chosen the right side. So it went well for me, as have gone the whole Championships so far”, told Stelmaszyk.
“The waiting is familiar to all of us. And at least we had the opportunity to soak up the sun”, grinned Finland’s Pierre Collura. He is currently 26th overall.
In Star class the excitement builds up before the final day. Fernando Echavarri and Fernando Rodriguez Rivero of Spain squeezed their way past Emilios Papathanasiou and Alexandros Dragoutsis of Greece. Only one point separates the two.
Japan’s Kunio Suzuki and Daichi Wada are third, 11 points behind the Greek team. The medal race will be held on Thursday starting at 12 o’clock.
