Windless Second Day at F18 Worlds

Despite the efforts of the Race Committee, no races possible yesterday at the 2009 F18 World Championships in Knokke-Heist, Belgium due to the very low pressure causing light and shifty winds.

After a long wait ashore under AP flag, the organisers did seize the opportunity to send the 173 boat fleet on the water by 14:00, when spells permitted both sun and wind to come.

Unfortunately, after many attempts for implementing a proper course in a very variable wind direction, PRO Bob Leclerc decided by 17:30 to postpone all remaining qualification races to Wednesday.

So the provisional positions remain the same after the first two qualification races that were sailed on Monday, the reigning champions Coen DE KONING and Thijs Visser (NED) taking the lead, followed in a very narrow point difference by the very best top F18 sailors compromised of the mixed crew of Reindert-Jan VAN DER MEULEN and Carina KNOL (NED).

The multiple World Championship silver medallist Jean-Christophe MOURNIAC, crewed by Alexandre GUYADER (FRA) lie third with seven points ahead of promising French team of Billy BESSON and Arnaud JARLEGAN in fourth and the father and son team Greg and Brett GOODALL (AUS) in fifth.  Previous winners of the Texel Race Mischa HEEMSKERK and Bastiaan TENTIJ (NED) are tied on ten points with the rookie team compromised of François MORVAN and Matthieu VANDAME (FRA) whilst the US team of Robbie DANIEL and Gary CHU finish off the top eight.

Happily enough, the weather forecast for Wednesday is pretty good, and should allow to sail four more qualification races, and to complete a double round robin, hence to allow two full days racing days to the Gold and Silver Finals. 

Event Website

Click here for the latest results
Click here for live tracking