Four races were scheduled for day 2; the course was two laps with a longer leg than yesterday and an upwind finish.
It was the turn of Pawel Hlavaty (POL11) to hit the line early in the first race of the day and was disqualified. But his was not the “mistake of the day”; that unwanted award goes to Ross Williams (GBR83) who was leading the race from the start until he rounded the upwind mark for the second time. However he misunderstood the course and headed for the finish. Not a good start to the day. Event leader Paulo Dos Reis (BRA3333) was able to capitalise on the mistake, overtook Fabio Melo (BRA74) on the last leg to the finish, and claimed first place.
Race 5, the second of the day, started badly for Ross, who with 4 other sailors sailed to the left side of the course when a shift in the wind favoured the right side. It was “catch up” for them for the rest of the race. It was Hubert Mokrzycki (POL25 ) who, with an excellent start, led the race from start to finish. Gonzalo Costa Hoevel (ARG3) had another solid race, adding a second place to his third in race 4.
A fin change in the break paid off for Gonzalo, who sailed brilliantly in races 6 &7; and with 2 bullets moved to the top of the Brazilian Grand Prix . Victor Melo (BRA2497) was the star brazilian performer in race 6 with a second place, just ahead of his younger brother Fabio. Ross managed to put the poor start in earlier races behind him; and for most of the race looked to be third . After the last downwind his footstrap broke – loosing him many places , but a determined sprint to the finish saw him claw back from 7th to 4th.
No dramas in the final race of the day – where Gonzalo held a 20 sec lead into the finish ahead of Gabriel Browne (BRA50), Biel’s best race of the day.
At the close of play – Gonzalo takes a 2 point lead into day 3, ahead of brazilians Paulio Dos Reis and Gabriel Browne.
A little way behind, and separated by one point, Fabio Melo and Ross Williams, in 4th and 5th place respectively.
Another exciting days racing off Marina Park Hotel, Fortaleza- at the final of the 2008 Grand Prix .
