France’s Olivier Pinlou leapt to the top of the Raceboard Youth rankings before insisting “I must do better tomorrow” on day four of the IWA Junior, Youth and Masters Windsurfing World Championships.[more]
The 17-year-old from Bohars scored two thirds and a first on his RS:X today (Thursday 27 August) to overtake overnight leader Ali Masters (GBR) and nestle in the top spot with two days of racing remaining at the RYA Events-run Championships at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy.
Pinlou is one of four Frenchmen dominating the top five placings in the Raceboard Division with Britain’s Masters in third the sole challenger to the French supremacy.
But despite having worked his way into pole position, Pinlou felt he could have had an ever better day today.
He said: “I made a lot of mistakes in the last race and I must do better tomorrow. But I was not thinking at the start of the competition that I might come first so I am very happy with my performance so far.
“I am also very pleased that the other French sailors are doing so well, my friend Benoit (Bigot) is second and that is good for the team. Ali Masters is a great competitor and it is always hard racing against him so it should be a good end to the Championships.”
In the Raceboard Masters, five-time Olympian Joao Rodrigues (POR) continues to head the pack with two more second places seeing the Madiera legend extending his lead to eight points from second-placed Barrie Edgington (GBR) with Patrik Pollak (SVK) third.
But Rodrigues’ main threat for the title remains from 1996 Olympic champion Nikos Kaklamanakis who picked his up fifth and sixth race wins of the regatta to move up to fifth with just three more races required before he is able to discard his day one Did Not Compete (DNC) score.
With very heavy winds and blustery rain hampering the schedule yesterday all classes – except for the Raceboard Masters and one half of the Techno Under 17 boys’ fleet – completed three races today.
Racing is scheduled to resume at 11am tomorrow.
