| Van Rijsselberge and Alabau secure lead of the 2009 RS:X World Championships |
| Monday, 07 September 2009 17:51 |
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The three-time European Champion again set a blistering pace out in Portland Harbour, comfortably winning her first race of the day before leaving all others in her wake in race two, which she won some two and a half minutes ahead of nearest rival, Marine Rambaud of France. Marina Alabau maintains her overall lead in the women’s standings, and is joined just behind by teammate Blanca Manchon, who also picked up two race wins in the women’s blue fleet to ensure a Spanish one-two at the halfway stage of the championships. Rambaud completes the top three spots heading into Monday’s layday. Skandia Team GBR’s Bryony Shaw recovered well in her first race of the day on Sunday, finishing fifth after a trailing in 12th at the first turning mark. Shaw attempted to edge past Rambaud on the slalom run in to the finish line, but lost ground after making contact with the French sailor’s board and having to take a penalty turn. The Olympic bronze medallist got a better start in race two, with Shaw and Rambaud locked in a close battle for second and third after Alabau had already gained over a minute’s lead by the first mark. Shaw eventually had to settle of third, four seconds behind her French rival, and sits in ninth place overall heading into the layday. Great Britain’s RS:X Youth World Champion Izzy Hamilton proved she could hold her own among the experienced sailors, with two eighth places seeing her in 23rd overall and booking her slot in the gold fleet for the start on the final series racing on Tuesday. Another faultless display by Dorian Van Rijsselberge (NED) saw him extend his lead to three points over Skandia Team GBR’s Nick Dempsey on the men’s leaderboard. The Dutchman had Brazil’s 2007 World Champion Ricardo Santos over his shoulder in both of Sunday’s races, but held off to make it four wins of the six races so far, while Dempsey showed solid form to pick up two second places and keep him in the hunt for a world title on home waters The 29-year-old Dempsey narrowly missed out on taking the gun to Israel’s Nimrod Mashich in race one, before Portugal’s five-time Olympian João Rodrigues claimed the win in the second race of the day. Dempsey is just one point ahead in the overall standings, with Mashiah just one point further behind in fourth. Skandia Team GBR youngster Richard Hamilton also put in a laudable performance on Sunday, with a seventh and a sixth from his two races putting him in 15th place overall heading into the business end of the regatta. “The race committee has done a good job in some pretty tough conditions, and we’ve managed to get in three days of great racing in so far,” said RYA Event Director David Campbell-James. “We’ve seen some impressive performances out on the water and are looking forward to gold fleet racing after the layday, where the competition is sure to step up a gear.” Racing at the 2009 RS:X Windsurfing World Championships will resume on Tuesday (7 September) after a layday for competitors on Monday. The final Medal Races will be held on Thursday 10 September.
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