Formula 18 World Championships in Italy - Day 2
by Formula 18 World Championships 10 Jul 2013 00:51 BST
5-12 July 2013
Three heats were competed today in the Formula 18 Worlds which run at Marina di
Grosseto, the home waters of the Compagnia della Vela, until Friday, July 12th 2013. The
star of the day was British sailor Hugh Styles who leap-frogged to the top of the standings
ahead of French sailors Francois Gabart and Gurvan Bontemps who are within two points
of each other.
Tomorrow brings the final two qualifying heats before the finals which the
Committee is hoping to get started by afternoon The Marina di Grosseto racing waters, currently hosting the Formula 18 Worlds 2013, delivered a splendid day's racing
today.
After yesterday's rain forced the committee to halt the action after just one start, today a 9 to 15-knot westerly and a calm sea served up the perfect conditions for the 161 teams entered to showcase their talents. The race committee successfully started all three races planned for today for each of the two groups into which the large fleet of Formula 18
catamarans is divided, delivering both public and crews a truly unique day's sailing.
The undisputed star of the whole day, however, was Brit Hugh Styles (crew Richard Mason) on GBR 7, who, thanks to one win, one second and a third place, shot all the way up to the top of the overall standings with just 5 points. After a second position garnered yesterday, the British team today proved they are capable of delivering superbly consistent
results, securing their reputation as one of the two favourites to take overall victory.
Now lying second in the overall standings, on 6 points, are Francois Gabart and Matthieu Vandame (FRA 301), courtesy of one win and one third-place finish from today (the BDF in race 2 was cancelled out by the discard). This means that the French team now lies ahead of their fellow countrymen Bontemps-Amiot (FRA 004) who are currently on 7 points and thus take the third step on the podium ahead of a third French duo, Besson-Lagarrigue (FRA 1796).
Mitch and Jordi Booth (ESP 1910), however, slipped down to seventh position on 15 points as, after yesterday's win, they could only manage an 8th, a 6th and an 11th (discard) today.
Mischa Heemskerk (OLA 1796) also had a fantastic day, taking home two wins and an 18th-place finish. However, the Dutchwoman also paid a high price for her disqualification from yesterday's race 1, slipping down to 11th in the overall standings.
The best performance of today from the large group of Italian teams racing came from Bissaro-Cesari (ITA 13) who, thanks to a 4th, a 14th and a 9th position, are now in 13th position, while De Paoli-Stella (ITA 3) are 17th and RadmanCioni (ITA 23) are 22nd.
Results: www.compagniadellavelagrosseto.it
Information: 2013.f18worlds.com
Photos: www.sailingandtravel.it/gallery-f18
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MondialiVela2013
Update on disqualification situation
The race committee made the decision overnight to remove the disqualification slapped on
Mischa Heemskerk and Bastiaan Tentij (NED 1796) for a contact with its own boat at the
finish in race 1. This sent the team flying to the top of the standings in the Compagnia della
vela Grosseto's Formula 18 Worlds with Gabart and Styles still hanging on in second.
The change came in the course of the night when the race committee accepted the request for redress made by Mischa Heemskerk and Bastiaan Tentij (NED 1796) regarding their disqualification from race 1 for touching off the race committee boat at the finish.
The Dutch team, which had race committee boat at the finishbeen lagging behind in the
standings until yesterday, now finds itself with an extra second place in hand and one disqualification less. The result is that it has bounced up to the top of the overall standings with four points in four races. Francois Gabart hangs on to
second position (6 points), while yesterday's leader, Brit Hugh Styles has dropped down to third (6 points).
"A request for redress for the disqualification was made", chairman of the race committee Costanzo Villa declared. "Although the race committee boat at the finish was anchored, it wasn't holding well and was using engine power to try to maintain its position, with the result that it wasn't completely still. As a result, it wasn't the competitor's boat that hit it but the other way around. Once these facts had been verified, the competitor's boat's original position was reinstated".
"Obviously, we're very happy" commented Bastiaan Tentij, bowman of NED1796. "This morning we found ourselves facing a not-bad ranking. We were hoping for this decision as we were sure we were right. We're really delighted with the ruling and now we're focusing on the two last races today before the finals".