Swiss duo lead after opening day of the 470 World Championship in Japan

After three races, Swiss sailors Yves Mermod and Maja Siegenthaler lead the overall standings after the first day of racing at the 470 World Championship in Enoshima, Japan.

The Swiss pair opened their races with finishes of -6, 2, 1, in the blue fleet, giving them a one-point advantage over the French duo Manon Pennaneac’h and Pierre Williot (2, 2, -8) racing in the yellow fleet.

In third place are Israeli junior sailors Roy Levy and Ariel Gay (-10, 3, 2) also racing in the yellow fleet. They were silver medallists at the Junior World Championship in Gdynia.

Britain’s Martin Wrigley and Bettine Harris racing in the blue fleet, are just one point off the leading trio in fourth overall with a 1, 5, -22, score on 6 pts.

Spain’s defending champions Jordi Xammer and Marta Cardona (3, 4, -5) are tied on 7 pts with Motomi Uraba and Musashi Tabata (-23, 6, 1) both in the yellow fleet are fifth/sixth places overall.

The second British pair, Hannah Bristow and James Taylor, racing in the yellow fleet, are 16th overall with a 12, -16, 3 score.

The early discard provides a slightly skewed picture at this point, but there is no doubt that Mermod and Siegenthaler are in their element in the 8–12 knots of breeze. Two more scheduled races on the second day, with the fleets reassigned, will clarify the early teams to watch in the final series fleets.

A total of 74 teams from 28 countries are racing, making this the largest 470 Championship fleet of the season.

Following five qualifying races, the fleet will split into Gold and Silver Fleets for the final series, taking place from 14–16 August, and concludes on 17 August with the two Medal Races, where the top ten teams will contest the world title.

Note that carry forward scores from the opening series will be adjusted and then carried forward into the Medal Series.

470 World Championship – 3 races, 1 discard
1st SUI MERMOD / SIEGENTHALER – – 3 pts
2nd FRA PENNANEAC’H / WILLIOT – – 4 pts
3rd ISR LEVY / GAL – – 5 pts
4th GBR WRIGLEY / HARRIS – – 6 pts
5th JPN URABE / TABATA – – 7 pts
6th ESP XAMMAR / CARDONA – – 7 pts
7th ITA FERRARI / DUBBINI – – 8 pts
8th GER DAHNKE / MELZER – – 9 pts
9th THA THAMSOONTORN / WAIWAI – – 10 pts
10th JPN NAKAYAMA / HIKIDA – – 10 pts

Full results available here . . .