The Windsurfer World Championship continues in Mondello. Saturday the course-race is decided, Sunday the long distance. Casagrande, Giordano, Alberti, Van den Berg and Linares aim for success.
It will be the two races Saturday to award Mondello the world titles of the course-race of the Windsurfer class. Then Sunday the end of the program with the regatta “long distance” on the route Mondello-Isola delle Femmine-Mondello. The Dutchman Stephan Van den Berg, an Olympic gold medalist in Los Angeles, could not disappoint. The surfer “orange” is the only one to break the supremacy of home athletes who are excelling in four of the five categories. Van den Berg, however, has only two points ahead, after six races, on the Tuscan Alessandro Torzoni, an old acquaintance of this regatta in Palermo and willing to overturn Saturday the positions in the standings. The Frenchman Jean Philippe Delapierre and the other Olympic gold, the Austrian Chris Sieber, triumphant at the Sydney Games. In the other categories, the Sicilian sailors are the masters. Among the light is still Marco Casagrande, home athlete of the club Albaria, to lead the ranking. Behind him the Lazio-born Andrea Marchesi and with a wider margin the French Eric Belot and the Australian Tim Gourlay. Fifth overall and first of the under 15 the promising surfer Blasco Aronica del Cv Sferracavallo.
Family challenge between Palermo in the medium-heavy category. Alessandro Alberti of the Clubino del Mare continues to collect first places, followed by two bishops of the Albaria: Marco Ferrera and Giuseppe Zerillo. It does not stop the winning march of the Olympic Riccardo Giordano in the heavy category. The athlete born in this gulf and arrived from Bangkok where he lives, just not to miss the call of Mondello will have Saturday to race on the Dutchman Harold Elfring, who heels him and on the Frenchman Antony Lecadre, third in the standings. Finally on the crest of the wave the Marsala Laura Linares, athlete of the Roggero of Lauria. Back on the water in a great appointment, intends to leave its mark with the conquest of the world title. Meanwhile in the late afternoon Laura won the first laurel of the program beating the field in the test of slalom.
To note the presence of the Australian Sarah Kenny, in the dual capacity of athlete and vice president World Sailing (International Sailing Federation). It is fourth in the standings, preceded by the blue Roberta Piras and Rachele Balini, but it does not end to admire the beauty of the places and the excellent organization thinking that next year the World Cup will pass at home, in the waters of Perth and that it will not be easy to do better. Sunday afternoon the conclusion of the entire program of the World Windsurfer with the award ceremony.
To find out more about the Windsurfer World Championships: www.windsurferclass.org/events/windsurfer-world-championships22
Source: Windsurfer World Championships
Photos: Max Quila