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Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie added another race win at the 2015 470 European Championships in Arhus, Denmark and end the qualifying rounds of the six day regatta in 2nd overall just one point behind Israel’s Cohen and Maman.
Jo Aleh says, “Another day of off-shore tricky winds, shifty with bit pressure differences. We got the first one right, with a rather nifty left shift and large gust at the top mark coming from nowhere to reach into the lead. Great fun... from there it was extend, extend, extend. Lovely race!”
They placed 4th in today’s second race.
“It has been a bit like holding and waiting, as we just have half of the teams that will advance to gold fleet racing in each split. It will be good to have everyone together tomorrow, it will be good fun. It is so tricky out there, it is hard to know what’s happening in the other fleet.”
Reflecting on the form of the competition she is about to face in the shape of Cohen/Maman, Aleh said, “You almost expect it. When people have a break, you almost come back better. A lot of people do, because you are just fresh and you don’t have so much baggage.”
A tough call for Aleh’s crew Powrie to read the tricky and unpredictable race track today. “This is very different here. Here you are quite busy, because it is changing all the time and changing quite quickly, so I think you just have to be clear on your roles and clear on your jobs and keep working hard.”
“We have really enjoyed mixing it up with some of the newer teams in the fleet, and we feel like one of the older teams now,” said Powrie referring to the influx of new young teams who have expanded into the 470 fleet. “The fleet’s great here.”
Paul Snow-Hansen and Daniel Willcox sailed three races today and have climbed into 4th overall.
They were 3rd in the opening race, suffered a black flag in race two (which they discard from their tally) and bounced back to close out the qualifiers with a 4th. Their net points are equal with the Japanese crew lying 3rd.
Tomorrow both the NZL Sailing Team crews are into gold fleet racing with racing expected to tighten up among the top teams.
Aon Fast Track pair, Sam Barnett and Zak Merton, is lying 53rd.
