49er class at Semaine Olympique Française, Hyeres

49er class at Semaine Olympique Française, Hyeres - Day 1

by 49er class association 24 Apr 2006 16:30 BST

A soft and shifty breeze on day one of the Semaine Olympique Française de Voile 2006, Hyeres © Gilles Martin-Raget

Brits and Danes dominate first frustrating day

Light winds made for a long and frustrating first day for the 49er fleet at the Hyeres Olympic Regatta in France, and few teams came off the water with a smile on their face. However the young British team of Paul Campbell-James and Mark Asquith had plenty to grin about after winning their first race and coming third in their next – a rare example of consistency in the 54-strong fleet.

It was a day when many unfamiliar faces appeared at the front, and Austrian team Florian Kohout and Juergen Brandstoetter appeared all set for a famous victory until they discovered that they had been given OCS for breaking the start line early. And so victory when to Campbell-James and Asquith. For Asquith this marks another step in his slow and painful journey back to the front of the 49er fleet. Having come 3rd and 4th in successive World Championships leading up the Athens Olympics in 2004, a bad motorbike accident nearly ended his sailing career two years ago. But having recovered from his injuries and now teamed up with top match racing talent Campbell-James, Asquith looks set to challenge the other Brits for selection for China 2008.

It was a good day generally for the Anglo Saxons, with British and Danish teams dominating the top 10 at this early stage. Talented Danes Jonas Warrer and Martin Kirketerp are sitting in second place overnight followed by a young British team John Pink and Alex Hopson in third. In sixth place are the Olympic Bronze Medallists Chris Draper and Simon Hiscocks, and in seventh fellow Brits Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes.

Rhodes, who came fifth in last year’s 49er Worlds, said it was a difficult and nasty day out. “There seemed to be a light sea breeze blowing on to every shore of the bay, and we were stuck in the middle of the bay, so you had to bang a corner and hope it was the right one. We were out there a long time too, about seven hours for two short races, so we’ll be out there first thing tomorrow to catch up on the schedule.”

Top German sailor Marcus Baur was disappointed with his day, finishing with a 12th and 5th. The 12th could have been much better if he hadn’t gybed off in the opposite direction from the fleet when he was sitting comfortably inside the top 10. “I can’t afford to be so stupid,” he admitted. “The sailing was bad today though. The courses were pretty single-sided. More than ever you had to have a good start and to be fast. The forecast is for better wind tomorrow, maybe 10 to 15 knots, but the rest of the week looks like it will be light.”

The tall Italian brothers, Pietro and Gianfranco Sibello, enjoyed a good set of results to hold fourth place overall, but they will appreciate an increase in breeze more than most as they are proven performers in the stronger winds. But everyone who has competed at the French Olympic Regatta knows Hyeres is a venue that demands patience and persistence. Quite often the wind is either too light or too strong, with not much in between. So if the wind does come in as Marcus Baur suggests it will be a rare thing indeed, and it will be a golden opportunity for the race officer to catch up on an already lagging schedule.

Provisional Results after two races: