The unpredictable nature of sailing reared its head in Guanabara Bay on day two of the Rio 2016 Paralympic sailing regatta with only one race apiece for the Skud 18s and Sonars and racing for the 2.4s abandoned on the first windward leg.
Tasmanian Matt Bugg had a brilliant start in the 2.4s and was well placed when race officials pulled the pin, because no boat had reached the first mark within the time limit of 25 minutes.
Helena Lucas (GBR) heads the leader board with 3 points, Hans Kroeger (GER) on 5 and Dee Smith (USA) and Matt Bugg (AUS) both on 8 points. Kroeger was leading the fleet when the race was abandoned, with Lucas, the gold medallist at London going backwards in the fleet.
Australia’s Daniel Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch won the only race for the Skud 18s, their second win of the series and opening up their overall lead to five points from the Canadian crew, with Great Britain a close third.
In the Sonar three-person class, the Australian crew of Colin Harrison, Russell Boaden and Jonathan Harris remain top of the leader board after finishing fifth in race three. They are on 8 points with the Canadian crew (today’s winnners0 on 11 points and Greece on 12 points.
The crews were kept ashore until late afternoon with racing starting for the 2.4s on the Escola Naval course but abandoned with half an hour of the start.
France’s Damien Sequin commented: “The first upwind leg was too long. 25 minutes was just too long for us to reach the first mark.
Australia's Skud 18 won their second race overnight. Photo World Sailing,
With no racing today, the day one leader board remains unchanged with Helena Lucas (GBR) on 3 points, Heiko Kroeger (GER) 5 points with Dee Smith (USA) and Matt Bugg (AUS) both on 8 points.
Three races are scheduled for the 2.4s on day three of the Rio Paralympics.
World Sailing/Peter Campbell
14 September 2014
