Having spent the opening three days of the competition on the beach, the slalom sailors were finally unleashed onto the water today as they competed in winds between 8-20 knots. Antoine Albeau (RRD / NeilPryde) enjoyed an excellent day as the Frenchman won back-to-back bullets to enhance his title challenge.
Men’s Slalom - Elimination OneWinners’ FinalThe opening slalom winners’ final of the competition saw Finian Maynard (RRD / Avanti) cross the line in first place, but Antoine Albeau soon showed exactly the same blistering pace as he did in Alacati, Turkey, to take a clear lead into the first mark ahead of Maynard, Ross Williams, Ludovic Jossin and Julien Quentel (RRD / NeilPryde). However, after entering the first mark in second place, Maynard, became trapped in dirty wind and was unable to accelerate, which allowed Williams, Jossin and Quentel to all bypass him. In the meantime Albeau continued to look at ease in the challenging conditions and he made no mistakes over the remainder of the course to claim the first bullet of the day.
Men’s Slalom - Elimination Two
Winners’ Final
Alberto Menegatti , Josh Angulo and Bjorn Dunkerbeck all made strong starts in the second winners’ final and the man from Cabo Verde led into the first gybe. However, both Dunkerbeck and Menegatti stalled on the exit of their gybes, which allowed Albeau to move from fourth all the way into second place. This left Angulo trying to hold off Albeau for the remainder of the course and he managed to do just that, until the exit of the fourth mark. At this point Albeau seized the chance to overtake, Angulo, as the Frenchman held more speed throughout his gybe to move into the lead. The two of them remained close on the final leg of the course, but Albeau successfully defended his lead to claim two bullets out of two. Dunkerbeck, on the other hand, endured a disastrous heat as he experienced a huge catapult, which resulted in a broken mast and thereby ended all of his hopes of salvaging the day. Completing the top four was Italian, Alberto Menegatti, and Gunnar Asmussen, who performed brilliantly to prevent Ross Williams from overtaking him as the two sailors fought tooth and nail right up to the finish line.
Results after Two Eliminations: Men’s Slalom
1st Antoine Albeau (RRD / NeilPryde)
3rd Ludovic Jossin (Patrik / Loft)
