AN INTENSE SECOND DAY OF THE HEMPEL WORLD CUP SERIES AT THE ALLIANZ REGATTA...

“It was very shifty and gusty,” said Berta, “and the key was always to try to read the wind on the water.” The two race wins came from starting strongly and defending position against the fleet while trying to keep an eye on the ever-changing breeze.

Berta & Izzo, along with the rest of the Italian squad, are coached by Gabrio Zandona who won the 470 Worlds back in 2003. The Australian squad are coached by one of Zandona’s former rivals, the multiple 470 World Champion and double Olympic gold medallist Malcolm Page.

“Gabrio and I were watching that racing today and wishing we were out there,” said Page. “It was just perfect, full-on conditions – 40 degree shifts, big pressure changes, always having to be on the lookout for the next threat or opportunity, maybe pushing your opponent into a clump of weed as you tack away,” he smiled cheekily.

The weed has been a talking point among the five fleets based in Almere, but today the racing took place further away from Amsterdam in the deeper part of Markermeer further to the north, and that seems to have solved the worst of the weed problem.

While it was a good start to the competition for the leading Italians, the 470 looks like it will be tight fight all the way to the weekend. The other race win went to Keiju Okada and Miho Yoshioka of Japan, who sit in fourth place overall behind two teams from Swizerland and India in second and third, respectively Linda Fahrni/Cyril Schüpbach and Uma Chouhan/Ravindra Sharma.

Source: World Sailing