Windsurf: RS:X Olympic Class - Male and Female
THE SECOND LAST RACE WITH SENSINI IN THE LEAD AGAINST KENDALL
TOM ASHELY REMAINS THE MENS LEADER
Only one race held in Auckland's Bay, New Zealand, on day five of the 2008 RS:X Windsurf World Championships. The Italian Champion Alessandra Sensini made a precious victory reaching her rival, New Zealander, Barbara Kendall, at the top of the general results after 9 races. Now the two multi medal winners are both placed on 21 points, quite a distance from their followers, the French athlete Faustine Merret and Marina Alabau from Spain, both with 33 points. Flavia Tartagliani is now 15th, while the 17 year old Laura Linares is 16th after todays 9th and 12th place. Federico Esposito 16th place and Fabian Heidegger 19th. Tomorrow in program at the RS:X World Championships there will be the final race and to follow, the Medal Race, with double points, between the first ten athletes in the final results.
 

Today was the final day for the ten places available for the final race of the RS:X World Windsurf Championships in Takapuna, Auckland, New Zealand. A great race held by Alessandra Sensini in todays one and only race held in not the best weather conditions. Only one race held, won by the Italian infront of Paulin Perrin from France, and Faustine Merret in third place, the New Zealander Barbara Kendall came in 7th.
An instable wind made the judges shorten the race also for the male category. The other two good Italian athletes Flavia Tartagliani and Laura Linares (15th and 16th in general results) didn't make it to the top ten neither did the ex world Polish Champion, Zofia Klepaca, 13th place in the overall results.
The spot lights were on Alessandra Sensini and Barbara Kendall, the Italian took off 6 points behind Kendall and 6 points infront of the Spanish athlete Marina Alabau, who will be defending herself from her team mate Blanca Manchon, in which both are competing for a place in Chinese Olympics. Two Chinese athletes are also in the finals and are battling for a place in the Olympic games along with three French athletes. Laura Linares showed great determination in these races keeping up with expert athletes. Flavia Tartagliani penalised for an early start,in the last few days of races showed her technical qualities.
Everyone comes ashore as the wind dies down. A few hours later all athletes back in the water with the female category starting first. Tom Ashley remains in the lead even though he took 10th place in the last race which was won by Samuel Lunnay, after the race field was shortened. Fabian Heidegger passes the first buoy with no problems while Federico Esposito is nearly last. The positions all change in this final race apart from the first and second place. The athletes are striving to reach the top ten places in the final. There are some who are playing for a place in China and don't want to take any risks like Byron Kokkalanis from Greece (12th), putting multi medal winner Nikos Kaklamanakis (15th) out of the game. The arrival has practically turned around as the wind turns around 180°. A great race by Federico Esposito who comes through the winning line 19th and Fabian Heidegger 34th.
A few athletes asked for the race to be cancelled, other asked for average points, coaches were armed to try and take a few more points not to enter the Medal race but to have an advantage against direct opponents of their country in qualifying for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where it won't be difficult to find the bad weather conditions that were found in Takapuna, New Zealand, where 196 athletes competed from 49 nations. The other Italians came in at 79th place for Guido Carli, 98th Alessandro Giannini, 103rd Marcantonio Baglione and 117th Michele Cicerone.

 

Overall Male Results

1. Tom Ashley (NZL)
2. Shahar Zubari (ISR)
3. Joao Rodrigues (POR)
4. Ivan Pastor Lafuente (ESP)
5. Przemyslaw Miarczynski (POL)
6. Samuel Launay (FRA)
7. Nick Dempsey (GBR)
7. Jon Paul Tobin (NZL)
9. Nicholas Le Gal (FRA)
10. Piotr Myszka (POL)

16° Federico Esposito - 19° Fabian Heidegger - 79° Guido Carli - 98° Alessandro Giannini - 103° Marcantonio Baglione - 117° Michele Cicerone (ITA)


Overall Female Results

1. Alessandra Sensini (ITA)
1. Barbara Kendall (NZL)
3. Faustine Merret (FRA)
3. Marina Alabau (ESP)
5. Charline Piccon (FRA)
6. Mingli Duan (CHN)
6. Blanca Manchon (ESP)
8. Bryony Shaw (GBR)
9. Peina Chen (CHN)
10. Pauline Perrin (FRA)

15^ Flavia Tartaglini - 16^ Laura Linares (ITA)



Regatta Web Site

Photo Gallery: Albaria
www.oceanphotography.co.nz
http://www.sail-world.com/nz/

Video 1st WOMEN REGATTA: ALESSANDRA SENSINI WINS

Video 1st MEN REGATTA


Overall Standing RS:X Men

Overall Standing RS:X Women

Athletes' Schedule

Nations Qualified