Grael and Kunze return to Wins in the 49erFx class
The populous female 49erFx class entered the sea again after their Olympic colleagues, having also picked up some remnants of the consistent West wind to complete just one race. The fleet also started with a consistent west wind that faded over the course of the race, with the ladies finishing the race with 6 knots of intensity. The organization also tried to look for a place in Cascais Bay with the minimum conditions to continue the day, but unfortunately the wind did not help and the Race Committee sent the 49erFx fleet ashore with a single race completed today.
The podium underwent some changes with the only race of the day that still left some teams with less good results. These results, from the top teams, did not allow consolidating the nett points so that, on Sunday, they could go to the game more comfortable in the medal race. Leading is the Spanish team, and world champion in 2020 of ,Tamara Echegoyen and Paula Barcelo are the clear favourites to win in Cascais, with 13 points ahead. In second place continues the German team of Tina Lutz and Susann Beucke. In third place, the Netherlands team composed of Annemiek Bekkering and Annette Duetz is back on the podium after fifth place in the only race of the day. This result from the Dutch team leaves them in an excellent position to attack the second place of the Germans, from Lutz and Beucke. The teams from the Netherlands and Germany should not underestimate the fourth classified, Ida Nielsen and Marie Olsen from Denmark, who are 4 points from second place. Still with a chance to shine on the last day are the winners of the only race of the day, Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze, who debuted today with a bullet in this championship. Grael and Kunze had a less regular championship since the Brazilians sailors are adapting to their new boat that was baptized, with the name “Samba”, in Cascais less than a week ago. The Brazilian team, after the good result of today, kept the door open for the medal race to be able to ascend to second place in the overall.
Tomorrow a single race is scheduled for each class. This race is special since it will be double points with only the ten best competitors in the race being eligible. This single race will be umpired in a stadium format within the Cascais bay. Everything is open for the last day of the 2021 Cascais 49er & 49erFX Championship.
In total there are 4 continents represented – America, Europe, Asia and Oceania – a total of 19 nationalities will sail in the bay of Cascais. The championship will take place in Cascais from the 4th to the 9th of May and 15 races are planned plus a Medal Race for each class.
This championship has the support of Turismo de Portugal, Visit Cascais, Cascais Town Hall, Portuguese Sailing Federation, Cascais Marina and Vista Alegre. We also have the institutional support of the non-governmental association Sailors For The Sea – Portugal
Bright Day for Lima and Costa in class 49er
With the wind from a different direction from the rest of the week, today from the West quadrant with the intensity between 8 and 10 knots, the men’s fleet started the show after 12:30, local time. Although the podium was unchanged, with different conditions we had different faces in the top places of the races disputed on the fifth day of the championship. Nevin Snow and Dane Wilson from the United States maintain the lead. Irishmen Robert Dickson and Sean Waooilove maintain the second position followed by the Brazilian team of Marco Grael and Gabriel Borges. Highlight for the fight of the second position of the overall, this one is quite lit with the distance of a point between the Irish and Brazilian team. We can expect tomorrow during the medal race an unprecedented battle for second place on the men’s podium.
A great highlight goes to the home team, and qualified for the Olympic Games in Tokyo this year, who made a brilliant day by completing a second a third and a bullet in the farewell to the opening series. The Portuguese team, Lima and Costa, with the good performance of today climb two places in the overall and are currently in the fifth position. Unfortunately due to the races of the first day it is mathematically impossible to fight for a place on the podium.
The wind pranked on Olympic sailors
On the fifth and penultimate day of the 2021 Cascais 49er & 49er Fx Championship the little wind hit the bay of Cascais allowing the 49er fleet to complete three races and only one regatta for the 49erFx class. The Olympic classes bid farewell to the opening series today and a single Medal Race is scheduled for tomorrow for each fleet, which race will double points.
