The first day of Open Croatian Championship for Olympic Class and Split Olympic Sailing Week is behind us. The laser is led by Ivan Taritaš, in 470, Sime Fantela and Igor Marenic, in the Finn Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic in the Laser Radial Tina Mihelic, in the Star Mate Arapov and Ante Šitić , while surfing took Luka Mratovic. The race runs through Sunday.
Pleasant, sunny day today in Split, but with a lot of unstable and changeable westerners force about eight knots, which was put to the test sailors. The story is complicated enough and strong sea currents, for which there was trouble at the start and therefore a lot of repetition starts. The fleet of 149 sailors from 18 countries sailed today just before 12 am, first start followed about 13 hours. Because of the repetition starts wasted valuable time, during the afternoon the wind had subsided, so laseraši failed to sail two races planned, but only one. Competitors in the other four disicpline they sailed two races. Some major surprise was gone, except perhaps in the Laser, the most numerous fleet in the championship.
Sime Fantela and Igor Marenic won both races for the 470th class After two races in second place were Enia Ninčević and Roman Župan, while the third Cinar brothers from Turkey. Third Croatian crew Toni Bulaja and Sime Stipanicev in seventh place.
- We had two good races, was a good fight, hopefully tomorrow we'll have a little more wind, but we enjoyed the two races today. We have just returned from training in Spain Cadiz, just for the state championship, and immediately return to the preparation, to the camp with excellent crews that we are preparing for the main part of the international season. So far we are very pleased, as part of preparations in Spain we had a little race which we won convincingly, so far everything is going well - says a trophy Croatian sailor Sime Fantela.
The Finn two first places goes to Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic. Another is now Czech Tomas Vika, and the third Josip Olujic. The Croatian Competition is the third Tudor Bilic in fifth place.
- Bad conditions today at sea, the variable blower. I won both races as expected, but it was not easy, the competition among a lot of trouble, I had a good effort - with a smile said Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic.
Among the 50 Lasers Ivan Taritaš was in front of Berec Zsombora ( Hungary ) and Italian Marco Gall. From the Croatian sailors is another Philip Jurisic, overall fourth, while the third is Milan Vujasinovic the 11th overall site.
- After a slow start the first part of the first page in the wind, I pulled, somewhere in the middle I could switch to left field, which to me is a planned strategy. There I managed to make good use of wind and I came fifth at the first mark. Then I really fantastic site set sail with the wind, I think one of the best in life, that I later took the lead and I just had to watch the fleet – said Ivan Taritaš satisfied.
Tina Mihelic won in the Laser radial fleet in a mixed competition. In second place was St. Bartul Plenković and third Helena Purić. Since at this state competition only the girls share a coin, for which the Radial is Olympic discipline, Purić is currently second in the competition, while the third skipper Nikolina Prtenjača in fourth place overall.
The first two places on board the RS: X has made Luka Mratovic. In an interesting class of Star fleet by one win and a second crew entered the Lovrović / Lovrović and Arapov / Šitić. Third place currently held by Marin Misura and Tonko Barac.
Tomorrow's scheduled start in 11 hours, forecasters announced a storm, the wind that sailors like least, it is very unpredictable, and in winter of course carries a very low temperature.
