Photo: Barend Hiltermann and Max Blom
The Magic Marine RS500 World Championships will begin today in earnest. Competitors from several countries have formed 40 teams, all attracted to one of the world's best sailing venues; it is hard to beat the high winds, flat water and beautiful sunshine offered at Riva del Garda in Italy. Everyone is hoping the infamous Ora wind will appear at one o'clock, blowing from the south as the wind falls off the mountains. The practice day on Sunday gave everyone a taste of what this venue can deliver on the right day.
The dinghy park is full of boats and their owners making final preparations for the first of 10 windward-leeward races scheduled for the week. It was excellent to see everyone practising together on the water with an informal racing session held by Italian team coach Federico Maccari. Sailing under the cliffs was truly stunning - hopefully we can keep our eyes on the sails instead of the surroundings when the racing begins!
The favourites to win this year are Dutch team Barend Hiltermann and Max Blom, also known as the Bad Boys. They even have a new sail to mark their status (see picture). High performers in the strong winds, they must be hoping more than anyone for the Ora wind to show up. Having claimed bronze position on the podium at the two previous World Championships (Holland 2010 and Weymouth 2011), they're itching to climb up to gold and this must be their best chance yet to snatch a victory. But it's unlikely to be an easy win with a second Dutch team who have also proved to be nearly unbeatable in high winds - Carrie Howe and Mischa Heemskerk. Ex-World Champs Tim Wilkins and Heather Martin from the UK are also hoping to perform well as are regular top five sailors from Sweden - Johan Rook and Malin Broberg. Looking very quick on the practice day was another Dutch team Michiel Geerling and Hilde van Susante, who love the strong winds and high adrenaline downwind legs.
The sailors will be working hard this week to keep up with the full on sailing conditions and the equally busy social schedule planned in the evenings - everyone's intrigued about the Swedish party on Tuesday night and the infamous Dutch party to be held two nights later. Let's hope we've all recovered from whatever the Swedes have planned for us by then! And all the competitors will be marking the opening of the Olympics with a red, white and blue party on Friday night.
Watch this space for regular evening reports after the day's racing...let's get on the water!
Heather Martin
RS500 625
