Six Metre World Championship – Stella of Violeta Alvarez is new leader

Violeta Alvarez’ Stella takes a two-point lead in the Open Division at the halfway stage in the International Six Metre World Championship at the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes.

While Dix Août, Bribon and Silvervingen are in a three-way tie at the top of the Classic Division.

With five races required to complete a series and light airs forecast for the third day, the Royal Yacht Squadron Race Committee did an excellent job of running races three and four of the series in a south-easterly that ranged from 6 to 15 knots.

In the Open Division Violeta Alvarez’ Stella was on flying form, winning race three, taking fourth in race four and looking good for at least a second in the abandoned race five.

Her consistency jumps her to the top of the Open rankings at the halfway point in the eight-race regatta.

Now trailing her by two points is overnight leader Jamie Hilton’s Scoundrel who couldn’t quite match their opening day performance, but none the less took a seventh and a third to put them two points behind Stella.

Third place in the open division is a tie between Philippe Duur and Rainer Muller’s Junior and Jeremy Thorp’s Battlecry. Junior took a fourth followed by a first and now sits in third on countback.

Defending Champion Dieter Schoen’s Momo made eighth in race three and then achieved her best result of the series so far with a second in race four, putting her four points back in fifth.

It was all change in the Classic Division.

Louis Heckly’s Dix Août, helmed this week by Gery Trentesaux, His Majesty King Juan Carlos of Spain’s Bribon and Simon Williams’ Silvervingen are now tied on points and lying first to third respectively on countback.

Dix Août and Bribon won a race apiece and each also claimed a fourth today, leapfrogging them up the ranking, while Silvervingen scored exactly the same as day one with a seventh followed by a third.

Fourth place overall is also currently a tie in the Classics between Mauricio Sanchez-Bella’s Titia and Patrick Sandman’s May Be VI. They lie four points behind the leaders with Titia claiming fourth on countback.

The loss of Tuesday’s fifth race was a blow for all concerned, particularly as there are light winds forecast for the remainder of the week and five races are required to constitute a championship.

The forecast for Wednesday is particularly light, but Thursday looks more promising.

Four races remain to be sailed in the eight race series which concludes on Friday 8 September.

Provisional Top Five Open Division

1st Stella, GBR112, Violeta Alvarez – 5, 2, 1, 4 = 12 pts

2nd Scoundrel, USA123, Jamie Hilton – 1, 3, 7, 3 = 14 pts

3rd Junior, SUI77, Philippe Durr and Rainer Muller – 6, 9, 4, 1 = 20 pts

4th Battlecry, GBR89, Jeremy Thorp – 8, 4, 3, 5 = 20 pts

5th Momo, SUI143, Dieter Schoen – 9, 5, 8, 2 = 20 pts

Provisional Top Five Classic Division

1st Dix Août, FRA111, Louis Heckly and Gery Trentesaux – 1, 14, 1, 4 = 20 pts

2nd Bribon, ESP16, His Majesty King Juan Carlos of Spain – 3, 12, 4, 1 = 20 pts

3rd Silvervingen, GBR31, Simon Williams – 7, 3, 7 , 3 = 20 pts