The first sailing day of the regatta started in a strong northerly breeze. After consulting the Lake Balaton weather station, PRO Istvan Hantó decided to send the fleet afloat and at 10:00 hours fired the starting gun for the first race of the championship. As a result, almost 200 Finn sailors from 4 continents crossed the starting line offering a great view to the crowd on the spectator boats.

 

The fleet was divided into two groups with John Greenwood (GBR), Andre Budzien (GER) and Michael Maier (CZE) as race winners. Michael Maier, member of the +39 America's Cup Team, had a successful day winning two races in a row.

 

Among the Hungarian participants Attila Szilvassy and Antal Székely, both former Finn Class Olympians, showed their potential, each  finishing second in one of their races.

 

The regatta will continue on Tuesday with the third race scheduled for 10:00 hours in the morning.

 

After the two successful races yesterday, today one race could be organized. The day started with a postponement and the wind developed slowly from the south-west. After noon the Race Committee sent the fleet on the water, and started the two different groups. The wind started to change its direction to the south – the Race Committee matched this with a course change – but afterwards on the last leg the wind shifted to the other direction by 90 degrees because of a storm system.  This changed the places in the fleet very much, and great successes and great failures developed within the fleet.

 

There were two great winners from Hungarian point of view. Sipos Péter, starting in the first group, had a very bad start but he used the two wind shifts well and finished third. The winner of the second group was unclear for long since the two groups have started five minutes after each other and became mixed on the course and on the Finishing Vessel there was only time to record the finishers and no time to watch for groups. Later it became clear that Szilvássy Attila, member of the Olympic Games in Barcelona, who sailed in the middle of his group won the race with extraordinary tactics.

 

Michael Maier from Czech Republic still leads the fleet after his second place today. One point behind him is André Budzien from Germany, who has placed second in the last three Masters World Championships. Litkey Farkas, the best Hungarian competitor is 6^th after his 9^th place today, and Szilvássy Attila is placed 7^th.

 

To be continued tomorrow at 10:00.

 

Top  10 after 3 races

Rank	Nat	SailNo	Helm	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Total
1	CZE	1	Michael Maier	1.0	1.0	2.0				4.0
2	GER	711	Budzien André	3.0	1.0	1.0				5.0
3	CZE	22	Roman Babicky	5.0	2.0	5.0				12.0
4	GBR	8	Tim Carver	2.0	11.0	6.0				19.0
5	GER	10	Ederhard Bieberitz	12.0	4.0	4.0				20.0
6	HUN	271	Litkey Farkas	6.0	6.0	9.0				21.0
7	HUN	211	Szilvássy Attila	22.0	2.0	1.0				25.0
8	AUT	7	Michal Gubi	19.0	3.0	3.0				25.0
9	AUT	11	Bernd Moser	8.0	7.0	10.0				25.0
10	GBR	2	Allen Burrell	8.0	5.0	13.0				26.0

 

Because of a lack of wind, there was no racing today.

The fleet left shore in time and the start of the first group had no problem. The second start was only successful on the second attempt. The wind started to shift to the east suddenly, and a course change became necessary.  This affected the first group mostly, Székely Antal (HUN) was the most lucky who was tenth at the first lee buoy, but finally won the race. Loser of the situation was Szilvássy Attila (HUN), who had 2, 22, 1 places overall and was leading the fleet at Mark 1 and if he could have kept his place he would be leading the fleet overall. Unfortunately after the wind shift he had dropped to 8^th place. At the end of the race wind has dropped so much that the Race Committee decided to end the race for the second group in the downwind section.

 

The overall leader so far Michal Maier (CZE) finished 4^th, and the rival Andrée Budizen in the other group finished 3^rd so Meier is keeping his one point lead since after 4 races the worst one can be discarded. Third overall is Michal Gubi (AUT). Best ranked Hungarians are Szilvássy Attila (5^th), Székely Antal (7^th) and Litkey Farkas (8^th).

 

There were ties for a second race but until next to the shore there was a nice wind from northeast on the Lake the wind could not develop. So one race remained for the day.

 

To be continued tomorrow on the final day of the Championship.

 

There are three Age Groups on the Reagtta; Masters, Grand Master and Grand Grand Master. First is for competitors older than 40, second is for older than 50 and this is for older than 60.

 

Eberhard Bieberitz is leading Grand Masters at the moment, while Jiri Outrata is second and Sipos Péter is third. Walter Mai is leading Grand Grand Masters fleet in front of Haán Andrásand Loui Ákos Nady.

Because the lack of wind, there wasn't race today. After 2 pm the organizer, Istvan Hanto finished the regatta:  Four race with one discard in the bag.

The final result:

Masters : 1. Michael Maier (CZ) 2. André Budzien (GER) 3. Michal Gubi (AUT)

Grand Masters (+50): 1. Eberhard Bieberitz GER) 2. Jiri Outrata (CZE) 3. Sipos Péter (HUN)

Grand Grand Masters (+60): 1. Frederich Müller (GER) 2. Dr. Haán András (HUN) 3. Louie Ákos Nady (USA)

Legends (+70): 1. Walter Mai (GER) 2. Zsindey László (HUN) 3. Alfred Blum (GER) 

 

 

Full results:  http://www.finnworldmasters.com/results/

Winners pics: http://www.finnworldmasters.com/media_gallery/prizegiving_ceremony/