2024 Open Skiff Youth World Championships at Circolo Vela Arco - Day 2
by Elena Giolai 30 Jul 2024 21:47 BST
28 July - 2 August 2024
Open Skiff Youth World Championships at Lake Garda Day 2 © Elena Giolai
2024 Open Skiff Youth World Championships ©Elena Giolai
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If the first day of the OpenSkiff World Championship scheduled on Garda Trentino until 2 August went well, the second went very well.
The wind arrived punctually and more intensely than on Monday, and the fleets were able to start even today at the stroke of 1pm, but with a southerly wind already nicely stretched over the race course, at 12-16 knots. Practically the perfect day for the 300 young helmsmen, who after two days have already sailed six races in all three categories under 12, under 15 and under 17. For the largest fleet, the under 15s, from Wednesday the top third will be grouped in the gold fleet and the best will be able to have a direct confrontation after the qualifying races of the first two days, contested in three different batteries.
At the Circolo Vela Arco, organiser of the event together with the Italian and international OpenSkiff class and the Italian Sailing Federation, everything is going very well and it is a real spectacle to see the boats leave the beach near the mouth of the Sarca River. At this world championship there is no shortage of illustrious presences, camouflaging themselves among the coaches: Russell Coutts follows the 19 New Zealand kids on Garda, with daily pre-start briefings and then going out on the water to watch the races.
His commitment to young people, after having won the Olympics and no less than 5 America's Cups, is based on spreading sailing in a competitive form, but with the aim of first of all making them have fun, so that they will continue sailing in the years to follow. And the OpenSkiff Class responds perfectly to this educational and sporting vision, with an approach to racing based on fun, without detracting from technical and tactical skills.
The rankings in all categories did not see any change in leadership: among the under-12 junior athletes, the home athlete Samuel Piantoni is defending the tradition of Circolo Vela Arco, which in recent years has always won important international podiums in the OpenSkiff class. Samuel has not stopped in collecting partial victories, accumulating 6 so far and suggesting that the category title is well within his reach, considering the gap he gives to his opponents at each race.
Behind him, the Sardinian Fabio Serra (3-3-9 Italy), second, is trying to fight for the podium, followed in turn by the Tuscan Gabriele Lizzulli (5-2-5, Italy), just one point behind him; first of the girls is Vittoria Silvestri (Italy), fifth overall.
The same goes for the under-15s, a category in which New Zealand's Ewan Brazle is leading with six partial victories, but he is pursued by France's Gavinet and Cagliari's Antonio Simbula (Italy), who is tied with the other Sardinian Gianluca Pilia (Italy), just three points behind him. First female Vittoria Berteotti (Italy), tenth overall. From Wednesday it will be very interesting to watch the under-15 Gold fleet, with all the firsts in the general classification racing in the same battery.
Among the under-17s, the gap between the first two is minimal: Italy's Federico Poli (5-2-1, Italy) is still in the lead, followed by Poland's Hubert Staron at two points, while the third placed Spaniard Pepe is 12 points behind the second.
Wednesday's start is also at 13:00.
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