Robert Dickson (Howth Yacht Club) and Seán Waddilove (Skerries Sailing Club) qualified for the Gold fleet of the 49er skiff event today (Wednesday 6th April 2022) at the Princess Sofia regatta in Palma, Mallorca.
After a three-hour delay ashore waiting for wind to fill in, racing got underway across the Bay of Palma but it wasn't until late afternoon when the 49er event got underway on the eastern shore.
Dickson and Waddilove played the windshifts well in the opening race and scored sixth. However, in the race that followed a starting-line incident involving two other countries saw them place tenth for that race, their worst score of the series to date which they discard.
That starting-line incident was the subject of a protest committee hearing and could yet make their discarded score much higher depending on the outcome. The pair have, however, qualified for the Gold fleet regardless.
Royal Cork sailors Séafra Guilfoyle and Johnny Durcan had their worst result of the series so far with an 18th place but followed it with an eighth but were unable to make the cut-off for the Gold fleet on this, only their second major regatta together as a new pairing.
France's Erwan Fischer and Clément Pequin continue to lead the Men’s 49er fleet despite messing up the first race of yellow group before bouncing back with a second place in the next. “It was lighter today, so more tactical,” said Fischer. “We missed some opportunities in the first race but overall we’re very happy with how it’s going. The forecast looks good for tomorrow and it looks a bit stronger which is always fun. To be honest we are just happy to be back out racing again.”
Results here
Saskia Tidey in the 49er FX
Saskia Tidey, of this parish, and her new teammate Freya Black, continue a consistent showing at their first event in a new campaign for Team GB. The duo are seventh from 53 in the 49er Fx