Sunshine And Breeze At Men's Laser Radial Worlds

For the second day in succession the competitors in the Laser Radial Men’s World Championship woke up in sunshine and then arrived at the club to be greeted by a sea fog as a result of an unchanged weather system over most of the Baltic Sea.

The wait on shore for the fog to clear was worth it as the sun broke through an hour earlier than day one to reveal another clear blue sky and a 12 knot onshore wind from the north east.

Although lighter than day one there was still a left over swell big enough to ride downwind. But first the fleet had to start. It seemed that the lessons of the previous day were not remembered as the fleet were recalled twice and 6 DSQ’s under a Black Flag were necessary before the fleet got away on the third start. One of the major casualties of the Black Flag was overnight third place holder Martis Pajarskas (LTU).

In the lighter wind there were some new faces at the front of the fleet including another Lithuanian, Karolis Janulionis, who took up the reins to lead at the first mark from Alejandro Perez (ESP) who rounded next alongside Andrew Puopolo (USA). Championship leader Jonas Stelmaszyk POL was hot on their heels as were the rest of the fleet. By the end of the downwind leg Stelmaszyk was up to second place with Puopolo in third of the leading group that had pulled ahead of the pack.

By the end of the next lap Stelmaszyk had pulled through to lead Janulionis on the last reach and short beat to the finish line both well ahead of Puopolo who was defending a challenge from Perez; a challenge Perez eventually won.

The seaward side of the course had paid on the first race of the day and as the breeze built to 15 knots the course was changed 10 degrees to the left for the second race. The fleet got away at the second attempt under a black flag. Stelmaszyk was flying off the pin with Pajarskas on his windward side a little further back but pointing higher. These two seemed more intent in looking out for each other and were lucky to round the first mark in first and second as the left hand once again paid and helped Tadeusz Kubiak (POL) up to third ahead of William De Smet (BEL) and overnight second placed Marcin Rudawski (POL). The Belgium overtook Kubiak on the downwind as the other 3 places remained the same.

At the end of the second round the leaders had split into 3 separate groups with no change to first and second but Rudawski climbing from fifth to third just ahead of De Smet, Kubiak on his own in fourth with Australian Benjamin Gunther just ahead of his fellow countryman Tristan Brown.

By the time they reached the finish Rudawski had pulled through to third to re-establish the overnight top three order with no other changes down to seventh place.

With a discard in place Stelmaszyk now leads overall with 3 straight bullets ahead of Rudawski and Pajarskas.

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