The lighter breeze played more of a role on the finishing positions of teams on race day 3 at the 470 European Championships, with some new players popping out at the top of the fleet. The 110 teams from 35 nations have enjoyed yet another day of stunning racing conditions - it doesn't get better than this. 470 WOMEN All change at the front of the 470 Women fleet with Jo Aleh/Polly scoring a 12,7 to lose their yellow jersey today, which now moves onto the shoulders of defending European Champion Sophie Weguelin and crew Eilidh Mcintyre (GBR). The British pair have moved up to the top of the leaderboard, with a win from race 6 and the discard kicking in to knock out their 17th place in race 5 - and get a step closer to chasing Weguelin's second European Championship victory.
Olympic Champions Jo Aleh/Polly Powrie (NZL) seem to still be struggling to find their pace after a second day spent playing catch up with the front of the pack after a 12,7 scoreline. As Aleh acknowledged yesterday, there is not much difference between winning and being off the pace and the pair will be triple-checking the boat set up of their new steed "Gonzo" to tweak settings ahead of tomorrow.
A battle to the end in the day's opening race 5 today, as two former team mates from Poland and Austria went head to head. The advantage ultimately went to Poland's Agnieszka Skrzypulec/Natalia Wojcik who managed to out sail the challenge from Skrzypulec's former crew Jola Ogar, who is now sailing for Austria with Lara Vadlau.
Delighted with their success today, 2012 Olympic helm Skrzypulec is looking for similar form for tomorrow's two races, saying, "It was amazing. It was very tough and we had to fight until the last mark with the Austrian team - with my former crew. We were the only two boats and were fighting with each and finally we won so I am extremely happy with that. This is the first race we have won with my new crew, so this is the first day of our wins. We hope for the best tomorrow."
Skrzypulec and Wojcik partnered up at the beginning of 2013, with Wojcik stepping over from an RS:X campaign to the 470. They went on to have a first leg in the second race and were top 5 in the first upwind, but lost pace downwind, an area they readily acknowledge as a weak point to finish in 9th. The Austrians claimed another second place to move up the leaderboard to fourth overall.
Commenting on the on-water rivalry with her former helm, Ogar said, "We are still really good friends and nothing has changed. I think everything is going in a good direction and Aga feels better with her new crew, because she is more calm and I think changing crew was a really good idea." Reflecting on teaming up with Vadlau, Ogar continued, "We have a really good understanding of each other and and we have the same goals and character. We are fighters. It is great and fun to sail with Lara." Ogar laughed as she explained the team's goals, saying "Lara - of course Lara wants to win everything that is possible. But here we want to be in the Medal Race and be really close to a medal position and hopefully fighting for a medal."
The strong racing from the Austrian and Polish teams has significantly closed their points margin to the top three on the leaderboard. A few new faces move up to the top 10 with Cassandre Blandin/Charlotte Mery De Bellegarde (FRA), Anne Haeger/Briana Provancha (USA) and Alisa Kirilyuk/Liudmila Dmitrieva (RUS) all claiming a top 5 result and aided by the race discard which kicked in for the fleet after race 5. 470 Women - Top 10 Overall 1. Sophie Weguelin/Eilidh Mcintyre (GBR) - 11 pts 2. Camille Lecointre/Mathilde Geron (FRA) - 12 pts 3. Jo Aleh/Polly Powrie (NZL) - 16 pts 4. Lara Vadlau/Jolanta Ogar (AUT) - 22 pts 5. Agnieszka Skrzypulec/Natalia Wojcik (POL) - 25 pts 6. Annina Wagner/Elisabeth Panuschka (GER) - 28 pts 7. Cassandre Blandin/Charlotte Mery De Bellegarde (FRA) - 39 pts 8. Anne Haeger/Briana Provancha (USA) - 47 pts 9. Afrodite Kyranakou/Anneloes Van Veen (NED) - 55 pts 10. Alisa Kirilyuk/Liudmila Dmitrieva (RUS)
