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9:28 PM Sun 5 Apr 2009 GMT
The first day of the Princesa Sofia Mapfre Trophy, third event of the ISAF World Cup, was blessed with light and stable wind allowing great racing in all ten classes in the Bay of Palma.
Marina Alabau (ESP) in the RS: X class and Pietro Sibello (ITA) with his brother Gianfranco in the 49er, had a faultless start winning all races.
The Spanish windsurfer, ISAF ranking leader has started her post Olympic year with a series of regatta victories, including the second ISAF World Cup event, the Rolex Miami regatta and the South American Championship. She continues on her good form with two bullets collected in a very talented fleet.
"I'm happy because I've seen the results of all the physical training I did for the Olympics. Before, the light winds weren't my favourite conditions and today I've won the first race, in which we had low winds (6-8 knots). The level here is very high, we're are all here, but you can see that people are more relaxed after the Olympics." declared Marina Alabau.
The Spaniard has a small three point lead over French Eug?nie Ricard second overall after scoring a second and a third.
The Sofia Mapfre marks the return to international sailing for the Sibello brothers, in the 49er class. Ranked second in the world, the Italian team excelled in today's light conditions to take three bullets. However, their outstanding performance only place them three points ahead of British pair of John Pink and Rick Peacock who collected top three scores.
Class newcomers didn't prove to be a threat yet! Ex-Tornado Olympic medallist and world champion Darren Bundock from Australia with current 49er World Champion Ben Austin are placed 32nd despite a promising first race when the new pair placed tenth! This was their first races together and in a 49er for Bundock.
Same fate for Pim Nieuwenhuis (NED) who went from Tornado crew to 49er helm with new partner Ferdinand van West.
"This is the first time I am at the helm since the Optimist!" explained Nieuwenhuis before racing. I sailed a 49er as a crew between 2000 and 2006. This is totally different but real fun! We have sailed may be five times together and this is our first event, so we don't have any expectations!"
The Dutch team passed the test today with a third in the first race and an overall position of 13 in a fleet of 50 boats!
470 Junior World Champions have proven their ability at senior level in both men and women fleets! Steven Le Fevre and Steven Krol (NED) have mastered the conditions in a strong 76 boats fleet. They won the first race and placed second in the following. In the women division, Hannah Mills and Katrina Hughes (GBR) ended the day with a victory. An 18th place in the first race bring them in 9th position overall while the regatta lead go to Penny and Saskia Clark (GBR).
The Star class is back this year at the Yacht Club de Palma, shared with the Dragon sailors. Mark Medelblatt and Mark Strube from the US and German team of Robert Stanjek and Markus Roy won a race each with the Germans taking the lead on equal points with class newcomers, Johannes Polgar and Tim Kroger (GER). This most unusual pair has got opposite backgrounds! Johannes has competed in the Tornado during the last ten years while Kroger has shared his time between Volvo around the World race, and two America's Cup, one with the French D?fi Areva and Shosholoza!
"We really enjoyed the light and sunny conditions today.", says Polgar, "We are still some 12 kg underweight". The ex-Tornado skipper went from 68 kgs during the Olympics in China to 85kg! "I still need to add some and go to the gym!"
The new German Star team has started last November but has trained during most winter time in Palma with other German teams.
New start also for Carolijn Brouwer (BEL) who has chose the Laser radial for her next Olympic campaign. "I had not raced the radial for 16 years! It is hard to get back to it, but I am glad we had these light conditions. It is a big change compare with the Tornado, but probably easier tactically, now I have time to think before taking a decision!!"
With a seventh and a nineth , Brouwer places sixth overall while team mate Laura Maes (BEL) is in second position two points from Paige Railey. The American is coming back in top form winning the first race and placing fourth in the next. Anna Tunnicliffe has a slower start in the event but makes it to the top ten in nineth overall.
It was a Dutch affair in the 2.4 with Andr? Rademaker taking two bullets in front of Olympic medallist Thierry Schmitter while Barend Kol is placed third.
Tonci Stipanovic leads the 134 Laser sailors, divided in three fleets. With racing starting at 2pm, they were the last off the water.
It was tight racing among the RS:X men. Fabian Heidegger (ITA) and Shahar Zubari (ISR) are sharing the lead on equal points, while the top ten are within close reach.
Michael Maier (CZE) and Andrew Mills (GBR) took a race each in the Finn class. Young Finnish sailor Tapio Nirkko raced consistently to place first overall after scoring a fifth and a second place.
The Princesa Sofia Mapfre Trophy is the first major event in the Finn class for ex-Laser sailor, Denis Karpak. The Estonian had a good start in the Finn unfortunately a disqualification in the second race sent him from fourth to 24th.
Racing starts at 11am on Monday for the 49ers and 12am for the other classes.
by Corinne Rolland-McKenzie
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