RUS 27 “Annapurna” now lead the Ski Vol….

Alexander Shalagin with Helm Anatoly Loginov and Vadim Statsenko lead by 1pt.

The President du Comite’ de Course Dominique Geniaux managed to orgainse another 3 super races yesterday for the 25 boat fleet taking part in the Ski Vol International run by the “Societe des Regates d’Antibes.

With the first race of the day slightly delayed due to one late arrival !  (EST 17 who woke up to find the Police had removed their car from an inappropriate parking place outside of their Hotel 🙂 So racing got underway around 10.45am in a shifting 5 to 7 kts of breeze from around 50 degrees…..

In the opening race it was RUS 27 “Annapurna” helmed by Anatoly Loginov who elected to tack immediately after the start and play the right side of the first beat. Two other boats, RUS 34 & GBR 764 also made the right side pay by tacking after getting a clear start and continuing to the right hand corner. These 3 boats had significant advantage when they came back in from the right as many of the fleet had tried the left hand side, which proved not so healthy.

At the end of the T2 course, two upwinds & two down winds, it was RUS 27 who won the race, with RUS 34 “Even Better” helmed by Vasily Senatorov, crewed by Igor Ivashintsov & Slava Varnachkin in 2nd place followed by GBR 764 “Naiad” helmed by Mike Hayles, crewed by his Wife Monique & Malcom Mackley who finished a very deserved 3rd.

For race 2 of the day, (Race 4 of the series), the course was increased to T3, so three windward/leeward legs instead of two. This time the left hand side of the first beat was the way to go, the reason I know this is because that is the way I took my team in “Bear” and we rounded the top mark comfortably in the lead..  Unfortunately, by the time I had taken out my sandwiches from my Mother’s Tupperware container, the whole fleet had gybed inside us leaving the “Bear” in the wilderness!  A lesson to be learned there Stavros…

Meanwhile it was SWE 372 “Dancing Queen” helmed by Johan Larson, crewed by his Wife Catherina & Patrick Aucour who seized the initiative to lead through the down wind gate for the first time. They were closely followed by FRA 409 “Tsuica” helmed by Gerard Blanc, crewed by Jean-Gabriel Charton & Pierre Germain, then FIN 85 “Thouban” helmed by Christian Borenius, crewed by Chris Winter & Richard Permici. These three boats managed to keep their positions throughout the long race, to finish in the same order. 

In the final race of the day it was RUS 35 “Sunflower” who made another excellent start and repeated his victory of race 1 by winning race 5! Fantastic sailing by helm Victor Fogelson, crewed by Oleg Khoperskiy & Slava Kaptiykhin…  This talented team now are 2nd overall just 1pt behind RUS 27.

Also sailing a great final race was GER 19 “Fantomas” helmed by Thomas Scherer, crewed by Volker Tetzlaff & Jorg Mossnang who managed to finish 2nd just ahead of FRA 409 “Tsuica” in 3rd place.  Many congratulations to Gerard Blanc and his team who had a brilliant day recording 4th, 3rd & 2nd.

So with a final two races to be sailed today, lets see who will lift the Trophy? Can Anatoly stay ahead of his fellow Russian friends, RUS 35 (Victor) and RUS 34 (Vasily).  As just behind the Russian Boats is FIN 85 who I am sure will give the top three one hell of a fight today……..

Higher, Faster, Longer…………..   Stavros.  (GBR 789).