RUS 76 helmed by Dimitry Samokhin, settles in behind the race leaders before winning all 3 races sailed today in Torbole’, Lake Garda, Italy..
It is a fantastic achievement by any standards, to win a race at any event in a Dragon Regatta. More over back to back wins are even more special. But what Dimitry Samokhin and his team from RUS 76 did today was quite remarkable.
With two races sailed in 25 to 28kts of Northerly wind this morning, some of the 47 competing boats failed to even make the start line, however, RUS 76 simply blew the fleet away with some excellent sailing and superb tactics. Then to really rub our noses in it, Dimitry, Andrey and Alexsey won the 3rd race of the day sailed in lighter winds after lunch, to comfortably lead overall in this Hans-Detmar Wagner Cup hosted by the C.V. Torbole’ and generously sponsored by BMW.
With two more races proposed for tomorrow, it is still mathematically possible for RUS 76 to be caught, but on just 4pts (discarding an 8th) it seems very unlikely. Both the next chasing boats to Dimitry are on 19pts, they are GER 1068 Ingo Ehrlicher (pictured below with Werner Fritz and Thomas Auracher),
and GBR 785 Lawrie Smith, helming Finito with Ossie Stewart and Joost Houweling, who are pictured below having an upwind tussle with GER 10 Vincent Hoesch.
Both Ingo and Lawrie have sailed very consistently, but with Dimitry in such amazing form they are really battling for the runners up spot tomorrow.
Tonight the fleet have been treated by BMW to a Pasta evening in a nearby town and I’m sure there will be a few weary souls grateful of a good nights sleep before another early start tomorrow and a similar Strong Northerly wind.
Meanwhile down in St Tropez, GBR 761 “Jerboa” helmed by Gavia Wilkinson-Cox is leading a 21 boat fleet after 5 races. In 2nd place overall is MON 9 on 21pts and 3rd is ITA 56 on 23pts. The fleet were frustrated on their first scheduled day of racing (Weds) to have the whole day cancelled due to a “Mistral” . (The very strong wind that blows down through the Rhone Valley). However, with two more races tomorrow, they should complete their series.
Higher, Faster, Longer………. Stavros. (GER 1102) 12th overall.
All photo’s supplied by Christopher Nordhoff.