Morning Report: A day to consolidate or regroup

The weather forecast for the second day of the Olympic Sailing Competition looks lighter than the opening day. And day one did not exactly blow its socks off. So today could be another gift for the light wind specialists.

That will be music to the ears of Mateo Sanz Lanz (SUI) who yesterday was in a different league in the lighter airs, the Swiss windsurfer winning the first two races of the RS:X Men. Reigning Olympic Champion Charline Picon (FRA) was one of the few favourites that came through unscathed from a bruising opening day where it was very, very easy to get caught out by the vagaries of the untrustworthy easterly breeze. The French sailor leads in the RS:X Women after three races.

Today’s forecast points towards another light breeze from the east north east, blowing at 8 to 11 knots this morning but in danger of dropping to 6 to 9 knots by 13:00 JST and staying the same strength or perhaps even lighter as it turns to a south-easterly direction by 1500 and then to south-westerly an hour later.

With a sea state of one metre or more, that’s a lot of wave for not a lot of wind. Technically, it’s going to be hard to keep the boats and boards moving cleanly through such a confused sea state.

But these are Olympic athletes we’re talking about!

It’s not meant to be easy. Some of the favourites in the One Person Dinghies have already given themselves a mountain to climb of Fuji-sized proportions.

In the Laser Radial, the USA’s Paige Railey and reigning Olympic Champion Marit Bouwmeester (NED) need to show what they’re made of after a tough opening day to their campaigns.

How did Germany’s Svenja Weger sleep last night, having finished top of the leaderboard at her first Olympics? Will she seize the opportunity not only to step into the limelight, but stay there for the duration of the competition? A star in the making, perhaps.

Along with Picon’s lead in the RS:X Women, Jean-Baptiste Bernaz’s victory in the one race for the Laser made it a good opening day for France. What about the pre-regatta favourites from Australia and New Zealand who finished down around 20th place? There’s plenty of runway remaining, and the Laser is likely to be a very open and unpredictable battle in the coming week.

Schedule

Kamakura Course

1200, Women’s Windsurfer – RS:X, 3 races
1500, Men’s Windsurfer – RS:X, 3 races

 

Enoshima Course

1200 Men’s One Person Dinghy – Laser, 2 races
1430 Women’s One Person Dinghy – Laser Radial, 2 races

Words by Andy Rice – World Sailing
Photography by Sailing Energy / World Sailing