Volos, Greece – Two races were completed today at the 2023 ILCA 4 Youth World Championships, hosted by the Nautical Club of Volos & Argonauts. The competitors took to the water around 11:15, thankfully in lower temperatures than yesterday, but it was a light day of a shifty northwesterly 4–8 knot breeze, which made it challenging for the sailors. Though three races were intended, the wind only allowed for two. With four races locked in, the sailors now have a dropped race on the scoreboard, and the qualifying series has been completed for the championship.
In the boys division, Italian Lorenzo Ghirotti rose to first place with only four net points, though his fourth race was a dropped 19th place. Ukraine’s Ivan Pylypchii had a difficult first race yesterday, which became his dropped race, and finished with a first and fourth today to bump him up to second overall. Tied with Pylypchii and sitting in third overall is Lithuanian Erik Scheidt, who has sailed a very consistent regatta thus far with only top-five finishes.
In the girls division, host-country Greece holds both first and second overall while another Ukrainian sailor sits in third. Hermionie Ghicas is leading the fleet with only four net points. Kleopatra Anastassiou is five points behind and, like Scheidt, has only sailed steady top-five finishes. Alina Shapovalova is tied with Anastassiou in third overall.
Once both races were completed and sailors were settled ashore, the local authorities requested help to evacuate a nearby town suffering from the fires. The coaches took about 20–30 coach boats to rescue the local people from the beaches and bring them to the Volos port. The willingness of all the coaches to help was very touching as they all grabbed bottles of water, ran to their ribs, and ended up saving more than 100 people.
Tomorrow, 28 July, marks the beginning of the final series, and three races are scheduled. Organizing partners are the Hellenic Sailing Federation and the Municipality of Volos, in conjunction with the Nautical Club of Volos & Argonauts and ILCA.
Text: ILCA
Photos & Videos by Nikos Zagas, ZAGAS Photography
