Volos, Greece – Three races were completed on the penultimate day of the 2023 ILCA 4 Youth World Championships, hosted by the Nautical Club of Volos & Argonauts. The first two races were sailed in a southeasterly breeze of 8–10 knots before the wind picked up to about 12–14 knots for the third race.
Thailand’s Weka Bhanubandh continues to lead the boys division. Though he had a difficult first race today, finishing 17th, Bhanubandh finished third and first in the following races to secure an 18-point lead heading into the final day of the championship. American U16 sailor James Pine had only top-10 finishes today, and that consistency bumped him back onto the leaderboard to second place. Lorenzo Ghirotti of Italy, also a U16 competitor, is just two points behind Pine in third.
In the girls division, Greece’s U16 sailor Hermionie Ghicas still leads by 19 points. She placed second in the first race and won the third, however Ghicas finished 35th in the second race. Teammate Kleopatra Anastassiou is keeping Ghicas on her toes, sitting in second overall. Ukrainian Alina Shapovalova now holds third place, just seven points Anastassiou.
Two races are scheduled for the final day tomorrow, 30 July. 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
