Malcesine / Lake Garda (Italy), 27 April 2003. After the perfect start yesterday with four races on the opening day the success continues for the Windsurfing Euro-Cup in Malcesine at Lake Garda (Italy). The famous Ora wind didn’t disappoint the 125 competitors and enabled the regatta team to run four races for both fleets (men and women) today.
Just like yesterday the wind started slowly but accelerated then step by step. The first race took place in wind speeds of 13 to 15 knots. The women were the first to start and the Polish World Champion Dorota Staszewska (POL-1, Starboard, Gaastra) continued her domination from the first day with another victory. Geraldine Jambert (FRA-115, Starboard, Guns Sails) managed to win the second place in front of the local Verena Fauster (ITA-31, Starboard, Gaastra). The men were forced to wait a little bit as the direction of the wind was unstable during the starting sequence. A general recall caused another delay. But then the Polish dominator Wojtek Brzozowski (POL-10, Starboard, Neil Pryde) managed to win with the same dominating force as he did in the first three races yesterday. He was followed by the local Andrea Cucchi (ITA-1, Starboard, Neil Pryde) on the second place and the Fanatic rider Steve Allen (AUS-0, Fanatic, Neil Pryde).
The second race was started back to back but the wind accelerated to 16 knots. Again the Dorota was able to win the women fleet in front of Geraldine and Verena. In the men’s fleet Wojtek was able to score his fifth victory at this Euro-Cup. On his heals he had the US-American Micah Buzianis (USA-34, Mistral, North Sails) and again the Australian Steve Allen who presented a very consistent performance.
After the second race the competitors were sent ashore for a break to give them a chance to relax. The wind continued to build up and blew with up to 19 knots in the next race. The first place in the womens fleet seems to be occupied by Dorota but on the following positions we see a hard flight. After changing her fin Christine Becker (GER-215, G-Sailboards, Gun Sails) from Germany got stronger and was able win the race in front of Verena Fauster. Wojtek continued his domination and won also this race. His Starboard Team mate Gonzalo Costa Hoevel (ARG-3, Starboard, Neil Pryde) was got second in front of Danish Dynamite Brian Roegild (DEN-173, Starboard, Gaastra).
The last race was started back to back and brought the biggest surprise of the day: Many of the male top racers didn’t listen careful to the official announcements or check the flags. So they went back to the beach after the third race as they believed to have another break or they are finished for today. They were shocked when they realized that the fourth race would be started in a few minutes. Panically the “armada” was blasting to the starting area while the sequence was already in progress. Many of them arrived some minutes after the green flag has been raised.
Steve Allen was one of the smarter guys and broke the series of Wojtek with a victory in this race. Brian Roegild was able to score another great result with a second place in front of the Fanatic rider Pieter Bijl (NED-0, Fanatic, Neil Pyde).
After the second day and eight races with two discards Dorota Staszewska (POL-1, Starboard, Gaastra) and Wojtek Brzozowski (POL-10, Starboard, Neil Pryde) are still dominating the EC Malcesine: Again Dorota was able to win all four races of the day and has a save lead with eight victories and 4,50 points in front of Verena Fauster (ITA-31, Starboard, Gaastra) who scored three thirds and a fifth position today and has 14 points. The German Christine Becker (GER-215, G-Sailboards, Gun Sails) was able to defend her third position with two second places and two fourth places against Geraldine Jambert from France. But everything is very close among the women with three girls within four points.
In the men’s fleet Wojtek Brozowski is able to extend his lead. Just like yesterday he can afford the bad result in the chaotic last race. His six victories, one ninth and a tenth position result in a total of 4,50 points. On his heals he has Steve Allen with 14,75 points and the local Andrea Cucchi with 22,75 points. The Mistral rider Micah Buzianis (USA-34, Mistral North Sails) was able to defend the fourth position against the young Polish hot shot Michael Polanowski (POL-16, Starboard, Neil Pryde)
The Windsurfing Euro-Cup Malcesine / Lake Garda (Italy) will last until Tuesday, 29thth of May.
You can find more information, results, pictures etc. and follow the competition online on the official Website of the Windsurfing Euro-Cup www.euro-cup.org and on the FW Class Website www.formulawindsurfing.org .
