Variable but mainly light breezes on a beautiful sunny day on Port Phillip Bay for the Olympic & Invited Classes at the Sail Melbourne Regatta.
Racing got underway early for the Mistral Sailboards at 1200 hours as race officials from the host club, Sandringham Yacht Club attempted to catch up races for the 21 competitors.
The mistral fleet today sailed four races instead of the scheduled two as their races were postponed on days two and three of the regatta due to weather extremes - too heavy on Tuesday and too light on Wednesday.
Four races were put to bed today, and a team of windsurfers from Hong Kong continued to dominate on Day 4 of Sail Melbourne’s Olympic & Invited classes at Sandringham Yacht Club.
In the Womens, the Hong Kong girls continue to go neck and neck and jointly lead the series this afternoon.
Chan Wai Kei had the upper hand today, winning three from four races, her compatriot Chan Wai Man got a bullet in Race 3, but then had to be satisfied with two second places and a third, leaving the girls on eight points each. Gourand Solenn (FRA) in third, just two points behind the Hong Kong girls,
In the Men's competition, again Hong Kong competitors are at the forefront with a stranglehold on the top three places. Like the Womens, there are joint leaders.
Ho Chi Ho scored 6-3-1 results and Chan King Yin scored two bullets and a third - an excellent result for him. They have nine points each with Cheng Kwok Fai just four points behind his fellow countrymen.
Such is their stranglehold on the podium places with six races sailed and five remaining, the only question remains which of their sailors will take first.
Windsurfing coach of the national team, Sam Wong, said the strength of their stocks was due to the ability of Hong Kong's sailors to make a full-time commitment to their sport.
The Mistral team here at Sail Melbourne are aged from 17 to 23 and includes three gold medallists and three bronze medallists from either Youth Worlds or Asian Games.
The most accomplished of the team is Chi Ho Ho, 23, who finished 14th in Athens and fifth at last year’s Spa Regatta. He is currently ranked 19th on the ISAF world rankings.
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