Day five –  Good wind after two idle days, difficult aquatory, three races. Jan Kurfeld (Germany) is leading after 6 races.

Fifth day of regatta has gave good wind after two idle days. Sometimes it was up to 4 knots, so the sailors have had enough of fun of hiking after strained and nervous sitting inside of boats during three days.

But unfortunately the direction of wind was not along the lake, but a little bit across. Due to that the racing committee has decided to put the distance onto Ostashkovo part of the lake – the most difficult and unpredictable place of the lake. Just to imagine conditions of sailing: the wind was coming from the west a little bit across of the lake in such way that left side of upwind course had advantage. But the difficulty of that place is that it is placed between two wind divides. Here that fact was playing that sometimes very good shift with good wind could come from the right side if upwind course. The edge of that wind divide was not constant and moving continuously depending on wind speed and maybe depending on mood of the God. All sailors could feel today that fighting of the winds very well: sometimes you have 3-4 shifts in 5 seconds.

Another difficulty of that place is that wind was coming mostly from upside, but not from aside. So it was difficult to predict movements of shifts. So now you can feel how it was tuff for juniors to sail. But anyway even at such tuff conditions the strongest wins.

Due to good wind the Racing committee managed to carry out 3 races.

First race of the day (Race #4):

Portugal sportsmen Frederico Melo and Italian  Marko Kolic managed to take good start and tack first upwind as came as the leaders to the first mark. Finaly they kept their leadership through whole race and finished as Frederico Melo first and Marko Kolic second. Third position was drawing through whole the race between 4 sportsmen: Alexey Selivanov (Russia), Egor Larionov (Russia), Ilya Strah (Byelorussia) and Will Kowan (Canada). Finally Egor Larionov came third followed by Will Kowan and Alexey Selivanov.

Second race of the day (Race #5):

From the beginning of the race it was looking that Marko Kolic could find the secret of that place: he came first to the mark after the start. But actually the leadership of the race was drawn between 6 racers through the whole race: Marko Kolic (Italy), Michal Strusinski (Poland), Jan Kurfeld (Germany), Henry Bagnall (Great Bretan), Ilya Strah (Byelorussia) and Sergey Komissarov (Russia). They were in quite tight group with some another boats also, changing it other from time to time. The main surprise has appeared at the last upwind: Sergey Komissarov, who was 6-th at last mark, has appeared first just before the finish, but Jan Kurfeld has passed him at the last meters of the tacking. Michal Strusinski in opposite has lost his 5-th position: he droped to 12^th at the finish.

Third race of the day (Race #6):

Third race of the was lucky for Peter Kula: he took good start, was first at the upwind mark and managed to keep his position to the end. The main battle toke place for second and third positions. At the beginning after first mark top 3 positions were occupied by Polish sportsmen: Peitr Kula, Michal Strusinski and Tomasz Kosmicki. They were accompanied by Nickolay Chernikov, Ilya Strah, Sergey Komissarov and Konstantin Besputin. They all were changing their positions depending on which side shift comes first. So sometimes it was really difficult to distinguish real position of each player.  To the last downwind mark Michal Strusinski and Konstantin Besputin came together fighting for second position. Michal Strusinski had initial small advantage, but than Konstantin Besputin has became in front of him. In 200 meters Michal Strusinski came to the left and received good shift from their. It was looking that he has real chance to be second, but in several tenth of meters before the finish the wind became weaker and wind divide from the right started to work slightly. It has gave chance for Konstantin Besputin to catch Michal Strusinski by starboard course and to pass him just before the finish. So the result of the race: Peitr Kula is first, Konstantin Besputin is second and Michal Strusinski is third.

Comments from Peter Kula, who was first at the last race of the day:
It was quite lucky or normal day for me. At first race I was not lucky on upwinds, I lost few good shifts, but in spite of this I finished 11. Another race I finished 7-th. Actually I could be 4-th, because 3-4 boats just came in line together.
At the last race after the start I was quite sure that wind is more coming from the left. I was leading from the first mark. I used all opportunities, which conditions gave to me. After 6 races I am in 3-rd position. That is good position, which keeps me in the front of the fleet. I hope that we will have enough wind to finish regatta with 9 races. 

After six races the situation has changed: Jan Kurfeld from Germany took leadership, but he is following by another 4 very strong competitors: Ilya Strakh (Byelorussia), Piotr Kula (Poland), Nickolay Chernikov and Sergey Komissarov (both from Russia). The gap in the points between first and fifth positions is just 5 points. Each of these 5 sportsmen has real chances to win. So even one race can change the situation drastically. Another three races are planned. Intrigue is still very strong! 

Class website: www.finnclass.org

Event website: http://silvercup.moscow-finnclass.ru

Moscow Finn Association: www.moscow-finnclass.ru