Big Winds and Big Smiles on Day 1 of the Sailing Point Easter Regatta

The Sailing Point Easter Regatta officially began today in Portorož. The morning started with a briefing for coaches and a friendly greeting from Kapko, the water drop mascot. His presence reminded all the participants about the importance of protecting our drinking water before they headed out to the sea. The weather made for a very exciting and difficult day. A strong Bora wind was blowing around 20 knots, with powerful gusts reaching 27 knots. Because the conditions were so rough, the sailors had to wait on shore for an hour for the wind to settle. Once they launched, the fleet showed great skill.

Bojan Gale, the race officer, said: "On the water, we had five fleets: four junior fleets and one cadet fleet, with more than 420 sailors in total. We managed to complete three races today. The morning was quite tough with a strong Bora; during the first starts, we saw gusts reaching 25, 26, or even 27 knots. I think all the kids who managed to navigate today's conditions are real heroes. After two races, the wind in the bay died, so we moved the racing area further out and just finished the third race. It took some time, but we got all three races in. I’m sure the sailors are tired, but I hope they are happy with the great conditions we had."

For tomorrow, three races are planned. The weather forecast predicts a nice sea breeze, which should now last until the end of the event on Sunday.

Results: www.racingrulesofsailing.org