F18 Worlds 2017 @Vallensbaek: Day 4, Heemskerk-Dekker lead

Another great Video by Hartas Productions – Photos from Day 3 by F18 Worlds Org. Official web /www.f18worlds2017.dk . Today’s pics & video of course pending as they just came from the Course. We’ll update later.

The Calm before the Heemkserk-Dekker Storm
Day 4 started as slow … the fleet waited some hours for wind on the water until they were called to wait on shore. Silver managed to compete race 10 in shifty light winds.
At 5:00pm Vallensbaek local time they were sent back to the Course.
Calm weather became 21knots and waves.

Time for Mischa & Stephan and Cruz & Mariano to put pedal to the metal again. 2 races completed and the score was anoter ‘automatic’ 1st for Heemskerk-Dekker (Scorpion/Mischa Sails DS) ,  2nd for Gonzalez Smith-Heuser (Infusion)  in both races.

What to say about our Argentine mates, local fleet here cheering and supporting them. So many years travelling and training, a close call for the title in Buenos Aires last year, and now showing they kept pushing and demonstrating without any doubt  these two Arg sailors are top notch talents. Only ‘the Beast’ & Stephan could finish ahead of them in challenging conditions. The Argies are in 4th overall position now.

Heemskerk & Dekker are giving themselves a chance for the title, they are leading after 11 races. Tomorrow 3 more schedule and if one more completed a discard for the finals races can modify the top positions.

On wind coinditions Arg crew reports 20-24knots and 18-20knots for the second race.
Still the flying Dutchmen have done everything to aim for the title.

Holding now second pos overall Patrick Demesmaeker & Gilles Tas (Goodall C2) did what they needed with a 5th and a 10th to stay in podium position. They have a 10th to discard tomorrow, but also depends on their final positions on pending races. Still a discard situation will favor them greatly as Mischa can only discard a 1st….!

3rd overall: Mitch & Ruben Booth (Scorpion/1D) also managed to keep in podium position for the day, and tomorrow they need to score low as van Dijk-de Waard Train (5th overall) is coming with a 20th to discard. The Dutch crew (NED4) is also on podium title standby position waiting for tomorrow races.

Danny & Costas had a 18th and a 4th , relegating themselves from top 3 spots.

One of the best results of the day was for the Aussie kids, Hughes-Rietman finishing 8th in race #10. They were 3rd at first windward mark. Great effort by the kids showing they have a bright future ahead.

Tomorrow light winds expected with a late increase, lets see if time allows them to race. Mischa & Stephan will be ready.

Patrick Demesmaeker & Gilles Tas needs one more race to gave themselves a chance for the title, same for van Dijk-de Waard and even Mitch & Ruben Booth.

Philip Hendrickx & Filip Olyslager (Goodall C2)  today scored 3 & 6 . They are also in position of podium tomorrow discarding a 27th. All suppositions but wide open chance for many if more races are held.

What a great event, tough and cold surely on the water , but excellent level of competition , the kind the Formula 18 can always deliver.

– Official updates F18 Worlds 2017 Fb
– Top ten after 2 races from today Friday. Full results f18worlds2017.dk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Results.htm

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Live Updates 3 hours on the water waiting for a start. Images from the course by the Arg team. Weather is pretty cold and they are getting freeze by now. Silver fleet managed to race 10th.

10th Silver fleet: SUI 10,  POL 15,  GER 328

Official updates F18 Worlds 2017 Fb

Fleet back to shore and wait for wind on land. Demesmaeker-Tas lead after 9 races.