Great excitement in the 29er class, with 10 boats separated by nine points
MADRID, 21 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The 47th Christmas Race experienced its third day this Thursday in the bay of Palamós (Gerona), with three rounds completed by the ILCA 6, 420 and 29er classes along with two rounds completed in ILCA 4, with a discard applied in all of them once The fourth generic test was held.
The wind blew gently from the south-southwest between 6 and 8 knots. It was a technically very complicated day for the Committees and the fleet, due to the ups and downs in intensity, which meant that in the Bravo area the arrival of the ILCA 6 was shortened by a section due to the fall of the wind.
There was maximum equality in the 29er class, since the EuroCup 2024 is hectic. Between the first and tenth crews there is a difference of less than nine points; With three races ahead, many options are open. The Dutch Tjed Wildeboer/Lars Van den Berg are the new leaders after making a 4-19-2; One point behind are the Germans Moritz Wagner/Leo Gradel, who won the last race, and third and first mixed crew is that of the Italians Federica Contardi and Lorenzo di Pietro.
The Catalans Santiago Núñez/Ricardo de March did not have their best day and fell to fourth position, remaining three points behind the lead. The first female crew is that of the Italians Victoria Demutras/Caroline Karlsen, fifth overall. And the world champion in the Optimist class, Henric Wigforss together with William Drakenberg, won the first race of the day; They are sixth overall.
The Ukrainian Oskar Madovich leads the ILCA 6 overall with 27 points ahead of the French Gilda Dondona. Madovich played a 3-6-3 and did not consolidate his unbeaten record, but he has the title at hand. For her part, Dondona had a great day in 5-1-1, so all that remains is to secure the runner-up spot. Canadian Carlos Charabati is third, nine points behind second place and five ahead of Dutchman Abel Melens; meanwhile, the Catalan Joan Fargas (CN Cambrils) remains close to the podium.
ILCA 4 AND 420, WITH ATTRACTION
In ILCA 4, the also Catalan Quim Ferrer (CN Sant Feliu) went from second to first position. Although he didn't have a good start to the day by making a 29, that ruled him out; and then he made a 6 in the last round, arriving as the leader to the final day. One point behind is the Dutchman Alexander Hartsink, who practically copied the positions of the Girona native, with an eighth and a 29th (also discarded). Third place goes to Àlvar Vila (CN Cambrils), seven points behind the leader.
Everything indicates that victory in the 420 class will go to the British Neil Mardsen/David Bromikiw and the French Simon Prot/Berier Joyet Swan, separated by two points. Another British crew is lurking, the one made up of Alice Davis along with Oliver Rayner, nine points behind their compatriots.
The first Spaniards are the Andalusians José Antonio Ruiz/Vicente Hernández (CN Puerto Sherry), who have the podium at six points. The French Joane Ezraty/Ainoa Philippe Sasiain are the first female crew, in fifth position. The Catalans Pol Mateu/Alejandro de Maqua (CN El Balís), world champions, improved and went 20-13-2, now occupying fourteenth position.