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Yngling Worlds Report | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Prelude to Open Yngling Worlds After finishing 5th at the Swedish Match Ladies Cup in Sweden, Team Challenge headed in several different directions before making their way to Germany for the Yngling Open Worlds. Teammate Suzy Leech flew home to CT for some R&R and gather up some new sails and other equipment for the team. Betsy Alison and Lee Icyda headed up to Norway to connect with coach Espen Stokkeland for some physical training and a planning session. The drive from Sweden to Norway was incredibly scenic – verdant farmland with a tree lined rocky coast line very similar to that of New England. No surprise why we like it here! Hiking up the mountain was a trip. It was a peak in a group that comprises one of the best ski areas in Norway. The ascent was steep, but the beauty of the surroundings took the edge off any discomfort. The ski runs were clearly defined in the early afternoon light with glades on either side. Natural couloirs graced some off-piste runs – tempting for the experts while intimidating for those less experienced. The peak itself was all rock with loose shale-like bits all around. The noticeably cooler air was clean and refreshing, the views……incredible. Though the hike up took more than two hours, the descent was even more challenging. It was steep, even more vertical than it looked, doubly difficult with loose stones underfoot. At the bottom was a fast running mountain stream where water formed a lagoon under a small waterfall. It was by far the best tasting spring water ever! Six hours later, we were back at base camp Norway for saunas, dinner and a well deserved good nights sleep. From Oslo to Kiel, Germany, Lee and Betsy took the overnight ferry (an interesting experience in itself) to collect the Yngling and coach boat for transport to Warnemunde for the Yngling Worlds. The Team arrived and set up house in a cute little apartment in the middle of town. It is home for the next 2 ½ weeks. US Sailing Team Head Coach Gary Bodie is holding a US training camp here this week. There is a lot of speed testing and boat handling going on. Some of the teams did a bit of racing last weekend at Warnemunde Race Week to get a feel for the local conditions. All of the American teams did well, and learned a bit about the sailing venue. Team Challenge is hard at work milking extra speed out of our Abbott boat and North sails. We have been working one on one with Espen to do this in the company of some top European training partners to make some solid comparisons on speed and trim. We are confident that we are making good progress and are looking forward to the Open Worlds next week. This time period is one for testing and developing our team work and communication. We are trying some new hiking systems, refining other mechanical systems and simplifying the boat. We know that the sail changes we’ve made are good ones, and our speed is solid all around and very good in certain conditions. The Open Yngling Worlds start on Friday/Saturday with measurement, a practice race on Sunday, and the first race on Monday. Between 80 and 100 boats are expected here in Warnemunde, and we look forward to the racing to come. Next update to come post measurement. Back to the Top
Team Challenge US Finishes 2nd in Practice Race After the Yngling World Championship was officially opened last night by local dignitaries, 86 competitors took to the waters off Warnemunde, Germany for the first day of racing. The Race Committee faced a daunting task today, as finicky winds shifted through a 360 degree range over the course of several hours. The start of race one was postponed for a while as officials jockeyed the line into position with the breeze shifting back and forth from west to north, and varying widely in velocity. On the second attempt to get a start off, 7 boats suffered a black flag disqualification, so on the third the fleet was a bit more timid on their approach to the line. As the group headed up the beat, the breeze continually died and clocked hard to the right. The RC abandoned the race and sent everyone back to the harbor to await further developments. Mid-afternoon looked no better and racing was abandoned for the day. Three races had been scheduled for the first day of the series with the same scheduled for Tuesday. Racing will commence on Tuesday with the resail of race #1. The forecast looks better with the passing of a frontal system for continuation of the 10 race series. In a practice race on Sunday afternoon, the entire US contingent posted a solid performance. Team Challenge US finished second to the Dutch team led by Annelies Theis. Alison, Icyda and Leech sailed a strong race from start to finish in light southwesterly winds, leading the rest of the US women’s teams who finished 3rd through 6th. Back to the Top
Light and Variable Winds Test Skills of Worlds Best Day 1 at the Open Yngling Worlds in Warnemunde, Germany dawned with ragged thunderstorms and lightning. As a result of passing cells and a weak low pressure system, the breeze was light and variable forcing a RC postponement on shore in the morning. When the fleet finally took to the water, the west-southwest direction continued to bank right. Two recalls later, Race 1 of the championship series was underway. Katerina Giakounidov of Greece came out of the upper left of the course to lead and never let it go. The runs saw a number of changes in positions as did the second beat, even though a big right shift skewed the windward leg. Sharon Ferris of New Zealand capitalized on this to secure second followed by American teams led by Hannah Swett and Betsy Alison in 3rd and 4th in a shortened course to the finish. The second race saw a slight increase in velocity and slightly more right hand shift. Alison, Icyda and Leech had a very solid start in the upper third of the line. Half way up the beat they were clearly in the top five. A low set passing cloud shifted the breeze hard to the left towards the end of the beat, favoring those on the left hand side. Alison and company did a nice job of staying in the mid-teens right behind the leaders. The American team picked off a couple on the first run and several more on next windward leg. Only mistake was that the Team did not realize that the course was a short course, and they set up in positioning to round the leeward gate instead of proceeding to the long leeward mark. That error cost several places, but their 12th place finish was solid enough to place in fifth overall at the end of the day of racing. The Race Committee attempted to get a third race in but was forced to abandon on the second leg as the breeze finally died out. Team Challenge US is sailing well in this event. Their boat speed is very good and they are sailing conservatively around the race course. There are 10 races scheduled for the series with one drop allowed after 5 completed races. With the light and variable winds seen so far, it seems unlikely that the RC will get in all the scheduled races unless the wind conditions improve. Wednesday was set as a lay day but will now be used to try to get the series back on track. Top 10 after Day 1: 1)Anna Basalkina (RUS) 8; 2)Christoph Skolaut (AUT) 12; 3)Shirley Robertson (GBR) 13; 4)Sharon Ferris (NZL) 15; 5) Betsy Alison (USA) 16; 6)Kristin Wagner (GER) 27; 7)Trine Palludan (DEN) 27; 8)Hannah Swett (USA) 28; 9)Rudi Mayr (AUT) 30; 10)Claus Hoj Jensen (DEN) 30. Back to the Top
Light Winds Mix Up Fleet, Consistency Is Key The wind gods were not smiling on Warnemunde, Germany for day 2 of the Yngling World Championships. Light and variable breezes once again graced the course and plagued the Race Committee. It was tough sailing as the fleet attacked the line, forcing the RC to employ the much feared black flag on attempts to start in both races sailed on Wednesday. Many who topped the leader board after the first few races fell victim to either premature starts or at least one poor finish. At the end of four scored races, the American Challenge US team of Betsy Alison, Lee Icyda and Suzy Leech lead the series so far with 32 points. In second is Christoph Skolaut from Austria, the 2001 World Champion with 33 and Sharon Ferris of New Zealand with 38 points. After one more race completed, the competitors will be able to discard their worst finish. Several new faces jumped to the lead in Race 3 – Chris Harper from Australia led from wire to wire, followed by Cathy Foster of Great Britain. USA’s Carol Cronin and team crossed third with Inger Hatch Asle of Norway in 4th. Finishes in the top dozen kept Alison, Skolaut, Swett, Ferris, and Basalkina in the game. Other top contenders like Shirley Robertson (GBR) and Kristin Wagner (GER) posted finished in the mid-twenties. The light WNW breeze force the RC to shorten the course to make the time limit and passing opportunities were limited. The start of Race 4 was delayed as the sea breeze fought the gradient wind. When the wind settled into the Northerly direction, the RC then had to fight with competitors to stay below the line. Several Black Flag starts proved to be the undoing of some tough competitors – Anna Basalkina suffered that fate as well as USA’s Jody Swanson, past world champion Rudi Mayr and US Yngling Class President Bruce Chaffee. As the fleet sailed the shortened course, Yngling boat builder Bill Abbott (sailing with his wife and daughter) led the fleet around the course to take a sweet victory. A big right shift and mark changes allowed the leaders to get farther ahead, but provided opportunities for many looking for passing lanes. Abbott took the gun followed by Kristin Wagner (GER), Ruslana Turin (UKR), Paula Lewin (BER) and Betsy Alison (USA). Tomorrow racing will commence at 11 AM with the RC trying to get in three more races. The forecast is not much better than today and light winds will most likely prevail on the course. Thurday evening will feature the much anticipated “Atlantic Party” hosted by the Americans, Canadians, Bermudans, and French. Next report is to come after racing tomorrow. Top 10 after 4 races: 1) Betsy Alison (USA) 32; 2)Christoph Skolaut (AUT) 33; 3)Sharon Ferris (NZL) 38; 4)Trine Palludan (DEN) 51; 5)Hannah Swett (USA) 53; 6)Kristin Wagner (GER) 54; 7)Carol Cronon (USA) 56; 8)Shirley Robertson (GBR) 61; 9)Inger Hatch Asle (NOR) 69; 10)Eva Rios (ESP) 70. Back to the Top
Races 5 and 6 See USA Dominate On The Race Course Warnemunde, Germany once again produced light wind for the 4th day of racing at the Yngling World Championship. In the first race of the day, a light sea breeze filled on the course for the fleet of 85 boats. American team Challenge US won the race in a heated battle with Russia 4 sailed by Valery Zatsarinsky and Ulrike Schuemann of Germany. Betsy Alison, Lee Icyda and Suzy Leech did a great job around the course, picking shifts and setting themselves up tactically. Sally Barkow and Carol Cronin from the USA finished 4th and 5th respectively. In Race 6, Hannah Swett (USA) led from start to finish in a nice display of textbook sailing. Fellow American Jody Swanson took the second in the race followed by Trine Palludan from Denmark. Alison and company struggled from poor placement on the first windward leg and suffered a 720 penalty for a collision to finish in 43 in the race. At the end of Day 4 with 6 races completed, Team Challenge US holds an 8 point lead over Hannah Swett and 2001 World Champion Christoph Skolaut. Racing will recommence on Friday at 10:30 AM with the RC trying to get in 2 (and possibly 3 races) before the cut off time. More updates to follow. Top
10 with 6 races and one discard. 1)Alison (USA) 33; 2)Swett (USA) 41;
3)Skolaut (AUT) 41; 4)Ferris (NZL) 52; 5)Palludan (DEN) 54; 6)Swanson
(USA) 55; 7)Schumann (GER) 58; 8)Basalkina (RUS) 60; 9)Cronin (USA) 61;
10)Wagner (GER) 64.
Alison, Icyda and Leech Best 88 Boat Fleet to Take The Title The final day of the 2003 Yngling Open World Championship dawned cool and clear, but once again, light winds dominated the race area. The Race Committee set a long course (three windward/leeward loops) for the 10:30 start, and got the fleet off on the third start attempt under the black flag. Russia #7, Ekaterina Skudina led the fleet around the course from the top mark on followed by Paula Lewin of Bermuda. Both those teams made a big jump in the overall final standings. The racing was close with shifts gracing the course. Sharon Ferris from New Zealand took third in the race, with Hannah Swett fourth, Nadine Stegenwalner (GER) fifth and Team Challenge US sixth across the line. Going into racing today, Alison and Team Challenge US led the fleet in scoring with Swett eight points back tied even with Christoph Skolaut of Austria. There was a gap of almost 20 points back to fourth and beyond. After race 7 was complete, Skolaut dropped back to eigth overall with a 42 place finish. The final race, if held, would be a contest primarily between Alison and Swett (Alison holding a 6 point advantage), with Ferris within striking distance. The first race of the day was completed just after 1PM with the wind shifting big to the right. The RC had to realign the course because of shipping channels, and by the time this was completed, they were close to the deadline for starting another race. With the breeze continually shifting and time running out, the RC decided to abandon any further racing securing victory for Betsy Alison, Lee Icyda and Suzy Leech. It was the first time in the history of the Yngling World Championship that an all female crew won the Championship. Now that the Yngling is an Olympic discipline for the women, the level of competition has stepped up in the class. The first seven places in this year’s championship were taken by womens teams from 6 different countries all vying for Athens in 2004. Only 3 male or mixed crews placed in the top 20 teams. The next Open Worlds will be held in Sydney, Australia in January 2004. Team Challenge US will be taking a short break in August to work on fundraising for their campaign before heading back to Europe for the ISAF Combined Worlds in Cadiz, Spain in September. If you want to help the Alison, Icyda and Leech in the efforts, please contact them through their website: www.challengeus.org. Thanks for your continued help and support! |
