Please select your home edition
Edition
Crewsaver 2021 Safetyline LEADERBOARD

Finn class at ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami - Day 4

by Robert Deaves, International Finn Association 30 Jan 2015 05:16 GMT 26-31 January 2015

Joining up the gusts with Giles Scott

According to Giles Scott (GBR), Thursday at the Sailing World Cup Miami was all about joining up the gusts. And he should know as he has now taken a 10 point lead in the regatta with just three races to sail. Scott won the second race of the day and his fourth of the week to extend his lead over Jake Lilley (AUS) and Ioannis Mitakis (GRE). Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic (CRO) won the opening race.

It was all change again in Miami with wind back in the east at 13-15 knots all day. But the same faces were out in front, with the current World and European Champion Scott picking up the best score of the day with a 3, 1 to double his lead.

Starting at the earlier time of 10.00, Kljakovic Gaspic led the fleet in race 7, where the leaders came out of the right for a very congested top mark rounding. He had Björn Allansson (SWE) and Jorge Zarif (BRA) right on his tail, but sailed down the middle of the course and extended slightly. Scott rounded in ninth before breaking free of the group he was in and the chase was on. He was up to second by the gate, while Mitakis also showed some pace moving from 11th at the top to third.

Kljakovic Gaspic led the fleet back to the right with Scott leading another group closer to the middle, but also heading right. However Mitakis went further right and got past Scott and after the next downwind that was the order they finished.

The Croatian then sailed away for his first win of the week, while Scott and Mitakis kept everyone guessing. In the end Mitakis took second by a boat length from Scott, followed by Vasilij Zbogar (SLO) and Ed Wright (GBR).

The wind seemed much more settled for race 8, with little of the big places changes seen so far. Zarif rounded first from Scott, Michele Paoletti (ITA) and Lilley, again all coming from the right.

Scott had found his form again and was soon in the lead never to be headed. Zarif, the 2013 World Champion, was always there but could not get past and afterwards found out he was over the line at the start. Behind them nothing much changed. With Zarif out with a UFD (U flag disqualification) Lilley took second with Piotr Kula (POL) third, Oliver Tweddell (AUS) fourth and Paoletti fifth.

Wright summed up the day, "We had shifty conditions again today, and I didn't really make the most of it. If I was left it went right and if I was right it went left. It's a shame I picked up a RTD earlier in the week or I would be looking good now. However I am quite excited going into the last day of qualification tomorrow."

Kljakovic Gaspic described his race win. "At the first start I got clear lane after the start and kept on the right hand side. At some moments it didn't look so nice but patience paid in the end and I rounded the top mark just ahead of the fleet. On the downwind I got a bit of distance on the pack and then just controlled until the finish."

"But it was another tricky day in Miami. In the second race went to do the same but a big lefty came in and I rounded the top mark badly. Later I sailed fast and got back to the top again, finishing sixth."

Scott said, "The right was stronger than the left but there were routes out of the left. It was an oscillating day today with bands of pressure. It was a shift and position day, just trying to look where the breeze is and joining up the gusts. I was happy with the way today went."

Racing in Miami continues on Friday when the opening series will conclude. The medal race for the top 10 will then be sailed on Saturday. The cut to make the top 10 is very close, with four boats on similar points and another group within striking range.

The first start for Finns on Friday is scheduled for 10.00.

Results after Day 4: (top ten, 8 races)

1 GBR 41, Giles Scott, 16pts
2 AUS 41, Jake Lilley, 26pts
3 GRE 77, Ioannis Mitakis, 34pts
4 CRO 524, Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic, 41pts
5 GBR 11, Edward Wright, 46pts
6 AUS 261, Oliver Tweddell, 48pts
7 SLO 573, Vasilij Zbogar, 52pts
8 POL 17, Piotr Kula, 53pts
9 NOR 1, Anders Pedersen, 73pts
10 ITA 146, Michele Paoletti, 74pts

Full results here.

Event website at miami.ussailing.org

Live tracking at www.sailing.org/worldcup/multimedia/tracking.php

Related Articles

Finn Spring Series concludes at Bough Beech
'Hero to Zero' was frequent The final 2025 Finn Spring Series was held at beautiful Bough Beech on 12th April. This was the final event of the series following some fantastic sailing at Emsworth and Burghfield. It was a stunning day. Posted on 17 Apr
2025 Open Finn Europeans at Naples overall
Valerian Lebrun crowned champion after a in a drama packed final day Valerian Lebrun, from France, has won the 2025 Open Finn European Championship in Naples, Italy, after two final races on Saturday, in a drama packed day that nearly cost him his first major Finn title. Posted on 13 Apr
2025 Open Finn Europeans at Naples Day 4
Colaninno dominant on day 4, but Lebrun extends lead For the fourth day in a row, Valerian Lebrun, from France, is the top of the leaderboard at the 2025 Open Finn Europeans in Naples. For the second day in a row, Italy's Federico Colaninno was dominant on the water, going one better than Thursday Posted on 11 Apr
2025 Open Finn Europeans at Naples Day 3
Italy's Federico Colaninno made the best of the third day Italy's Federico Colaninno made the best of the third day at the 2025 Open Finn Europeans in Naples, Italy, with a first and a second, in a gradually veering breeze through the day. Posted on 11 Apr
2025 Open Finn Europeans at Naples Day 2
Valerian Lebrun extends lead on second day at Finn Europeans in Naples Valerian Lebrun, from France, has extended his lead at the 2025 Open Finn Europeans in Naples, Italy, to nine points. Estonia's Deniss Karpak is up to second with Italy's Arkadii Kistanov down one place in third. Posted on 9 Apr
2025 Open Finn Europeans at Naples Day 1
Valerian Lebrun takes early lead Valerian Lebrun, from France, has taken the early lead at the 2025 Open Finn Europeans in Naples, Italy, after two challenging races in a very unstable breeze. Posted on 8 Apr
Ullswater Yacht Club 2025 Preview
The calendar kicks off with the Magic Marine Daffodil Regatta Ullswater Yacht Club is delighted to announce both its open event calendar and Magic Marine's continued sponsorship and support for 2025. Posted on 8 Apr
Finn open at Burghfield
Beautiful blue skies and a puffy 10-20 knot breeze On 5th April a very good Finn fleet arrived at Burghfield for an event to be shared with the OK fleet. The weather forecast had been very promising and was even better than expected on the day: beautiful blue skies and a puffy 10-20 knot breeze. Posted on 7 Apr
Brisk opening to 2025 Open & U23 Finn Europeans
111 boats from 20 nations had been checked and registered ready for racing in Naples The 2025 Open Finn Europeans was officially opened on a brisk Monday morning with a flag raising ceremony overlooking the Gulf of Naples, which was buffeted by very strong winds, but in brilliant sunshine. Posted on 7 Apr
Sizzling start to 2025 Finn season
With Open & U23 Finn European Championship in Naples Under the imposing shadow of Vesuvius, the 2025 Open and U23 Finn Europeans opens this week in the Bay of Naples, Italy, for the first time in 58 years, with 125 entries from 20 nations. Posted on 6 Apr