Monday, July 20, 2009
photo credit: Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race
Youth Worlds Final:
The seven Youth Worlds titles available went to seven different nations with Australia, France, Great Britian, Singapore, Brazil, Hong Kong and New Zealand athletes eaching taking turns on the top step of the podium. The final day saw one race held in each event with solid conditions available across all fleets. The French team took home the Volvo Trophy for the top performing Nation.
Our Canadian contingent had solid final days to wrap up the event with Isabella Bertold posting a 3rd in race 8 to secure 4th overall in a tightly fought battle in the Girls Laser Radial Class. Alexander Heinzeman completed a solid second half to the event with a 10th in the final race to move up to 21st overall, while Jacob Chaplin Saunders and Joss Warren wrapped things up with an 18th to end up 19th overall. The team is to be congratulated on their efforts during the event with a special thanks to Team Leader Marcia Macdonald and Coach Oliver Bone.
Full results and details can be found at www.isafyouthworlds.com
Day 6
Day 5
Racing was cancelled due to lack of winds. Fleets were sent out with a goal of completed 2 races however, the winds never materialized above 3 knots. The race comittee called it a day at 1600 hours. Everyone in Buzios will be keeping their fingers tightly crossed that today's forecast of brighter skies and northerly winds of 12-14 knots materializes.
Day 3
Buzios, Brazil
Hello race fans! Day 3 of the Volvo Youth World Sailing Championships was an interesting one. We have certainly had our share of mixed conditions. After an hour and a half postponement due to the wind shifting through a range of 90 degrees, the wind finally settled from the south at a 5-7 knots range. On the laser course, both races were very shifty. On the 420 course, the first race had more breeze on the left while the second race the breeze became very shifty.
Jacob and Joss struggled to get off the line in the first race to then play the right side of the beat. Unfortunately they found themselves in the low 20’s at the windward mark and were unable to climb up through the fleet. Second race they had a better start but chose the wrong strategy and sailed out of phase in search for clear lanes. With today’s conditions, there were no real speed advantages to be had upwind with the flat water and light wind. Downwind the boys were able to make up a few boats to round out 17th in the race. Good news is that the boys are sailing as fast as most of the top nations; they just struggled with strategies today.
Over on the laser course, Alex was getting off the line well and sticking to his strategy of playing the shifts and staying away from the corners. Unfortunately, the last shift at the top mark came in from the right while Alex was on the left. Good news is that he is getting off the line well and sticking to his strategies.
For Isabella, today’s racing was difficult as well. She found herself sailing in the corners while the wind was oscillating. Thankfully her speed was able to keep her away from any serious trouble. Isabella is in 6th sitting 4 points out of 2nd.
Only a third of the regatta has been sailed therefore the regatta is far from over. Just about every competitor has a discard on the score sheet.
Things will be very interesting as racing resumes after tomorrow’s layday.
Stay tuned!
Marcia Macdonald and Oliver Bone
Day 2
Buzios, Brazil
Saturday's predicted forecast for Sunday was for the cold front to arrive, and bring light, shifty winds from the South. Sunday morning's forecast for racing was for 13 knots from the south-south-west. The low behind this cold front which was blowing out to sea, was to follow the cold front and steer it’s 30 knots winds clear from Buzios.
Walking down to the club, the breeze had already built to a solid 15 knots. Come launch time, the postponement went up with the wind steadily increasing well over 20 knots. The race committee kept all fleets ashore until 14h45. Finally the day was called off as the wind was reaching 34 knots!
So far Buzios is proving to be a wild venue with big winds and huge seas. Racing will resume today.
Check out the dockside interviews from Brazil at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEy9bDGgGJg.
Stay tuned!
Marcia Macdonald and Oliver Bone
Leading up to the event we have had 2-3 meters waves, 13-20 knots, sunny skies, and warm water. PERFECT! Today was to be similar yet the waves were up to 4 meters with winds ranging from 10-14 knots. Mid-way through the second race, the cold front that was to arrive tomorrow arrived a little early and switched the wind a complete 180 degrees. They abandoned both the Laser radial women’s race and 420 men’s race. It was re-sailed right as soon as the courses were reset. This gave the sailors exceptionally challenging conditions to sail in.
On the laser course the right side was favored. Alex had a good start, went right on the first beat, but rounded in the 20’s. Unfortunately a collision and penalty turns dropped him to 36th. The second race, Alex had a great start at the pin and rounded with the top group at the windward mark, but an OCS had him pulled out of the race. Not a fantastic start to the event, but Alex is sailing fast so a good overall finish is still within reach.
After doing split tacks with Alex before racing, Isabella had a similar strategy with thoughts of the right side paying. Unfortunately, the pin was very favored and those starting there had a 30-meter jump on the competitors at the boat end. At the first windward mark she was in the top 20, and was able to grind back wonderfully to 6th place. Now, with the monstrous swell coming in from the opposite direction to the offshore wind, the race leaders were constantly changing. Isabella was able to finish with a decent 8th and is now tied for 2nd overall.
The 420 boys had a down and up day. The first race they had a great start down by the pin end. They played the left side of the course and rounded the top mark in 5th. They struggled a bit on the reach and down wind rounding the bottom mark of the out loop trapezoid in 10th. Unfortunately, a close cross and tack found Jacob swimming after the leeward mark rounding, costing them 14 boats. They ended up finishing 24th. The second race saw even more challenging conditions created by the 180 degree wind shift. Again, the boys started down by the pin and showed great speed on the upwind rounding the top mark in 6th. They gave up one place on the reach to the GBR boat. They managed to stay in 7th in a dying breeze. Jacob and Joss are showing promise if they can stay out of trouble.
Stay tuned!
Marcia Macdonald and Oliver Bone
Saturday, July 11th, 2009
The Athletes registered on Thursday, got their new boats and spent most of the day getting ready for practice sail on Friday. Marcia Macdonald, Canadian Team Leader, has made special mention of the great accommodations and food in Brazil. The weather has been hot and approx. 15 knots of breeze. Friday was practice race day followed by opening ceremonies. Hundreds of people lined the streets for the parade. Saturday is the first official day of racing. Stay tuned for more reports, pictures and results!
Monday, July 6th, 2009
Set up has begun for the 38th edition of the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship will showcase the future stars of the sailing world at Buzios, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil from 9-18 July. Over 280 sailors from 59 nations are set to arrive in Brazil this week, looking to make their mark at the first-ever edition of the Youth Worlds to be held in South America.
Hello race fans! Day 3 of the Volvo Youth World Sailing Championships was an interesting one. We have certainly had our share of mixed conditions. After an hour and a half postponement due to the wind shifting through a range of 90 degrees, the wind finally settled from the south at a 5-7 knots range. On the laser course, both races were very shifty. On the 420 course, the first race had more breeze on the left while the second race the breeze became very shifty.
Jacob and Joss struggled to get off the line in the first race to then play the right side of the beat. Unfortunately they found themselves in the low 20’s at the windward mark and were unable to climb up through the fleet. Second race they had a better start but chose the wrong strategy and sailed out of phase in search for clear lanes. With today’s conditions, there were no real speed advantages to be had upwind with the flat water and light wind. Downwind the boys were able to make up a few boats to round out 17th in the race. Good news is that the boys are sailing as fast as most of the top nations; they just struggled with strategies today.
Over on the laser course, Alex was getting off the line well and sticking to his strategy of playing the shifts and staying away from the corners. Unfortunately, the last shift at the top mark came in from the right while Alex was on the left. Good news is that he is getting off the line well and sticking to his strategies.
For Isabella, today’s racing was difficult as well. She found herself sailing in the corners while the wind was oscillating. Thankfully her speed was able to keep her away from any serious trouble. Isabella is in 6th sitting 4 points out of 2nd. Singapore who is now leading has received 1 yellow flag; anymore more and she will be disqualified from those races.
Only a third of the regatta has been sailed therefore the regatta is far from over. Just about every competitor has a discard on the score sheet.
Things will be very interesting as racing resumes after tomorrow’s layday.
Stay tuned!
Marcia Macdonald and Oliver Bone
Hello race fans! Day 3 of the Volvo Youth World Sailing Championships was an interesting one. We have certainly had our share of mixed conditions. After an hour and a half postponement due to the wind shifting through a range of 90 degrees, the wind finally settled from the south at a 5-7 knots range. On the laser course, both races were very shifty. On the 420 course, the first race had more breeze on the left while the second race the breeze became very shifty.
Jacob and Joss struggled to get off the line in the first race to then play the right side of the beat. Unfortunately they found themselves in the low 20’s at the windward mark and were unable to climb up through the fleet. Second race they had a better start but chose the wrong strategy and sailed out of phase in search for clear lanes. With today’s conditions, there were no real speed advantages to be had upwind with the flat water and light wind. Downwind the boys were able to make up a few boats to round out 17th in the race. Good news is that the boys are sailing as fast as most of the top nations; they just struggled with strategies today.
Over on the laser course, Alex was getting off the line well and sticking to his strategy of playing the shifts and staying away from the corners. Unfortunately, the last shift at the top mark came in from the right while Alex was on the left. Good news is that he is getting off the line well and sticking to his strategies.
For Isabella, today’s racing was difficult as well. She found herself sailing in the corners while the wind was oscillating. Thankfully her speed was able to keep her away from any serious trouble. Isabella is in 6th sitting 4 points out of 2nd. Singapore who is now leading has received 1 yellow flag; anymore more and she will be disqualified from those races.
Only a third of the regatta has been sailed therefore the regatta is far from over. Just about every competitor has a discard on the score sheet.
Things will be very interesting as racing resumes after tomorrow’s layday.
Stay tuned!
