The opening day of the Sinebrychoff Challenge in Hanko, Finland, which this year is being used as the warm up regatta for the 2019 Sinebrychoff 6 Metre World Championship, brought light and tricky conditions. Two fleet races were completed as part of the series which will see the top crews quality for tomorrow’s Sinebrychoff Challenge match racing final.
Switzerland’s Huge Stenbeck, sailing SUI132 Sophie Racing, drew first blood with Andy Beadsworth at the helm of Peter Harrison’s K12 St Francis IX second and Beat Furrer at the helm of SUI104 Temptation 3 third.
The wind was very light and fickle and as a result there was a significant delay between the first and second race, buy once they were underway again Beadsworth got the upper hand and took race victory from Michel Teweles at the helm of SUI111 Thisbe with Philippe Durr’s SUI77 Junior, who had missed the first race of the day third.
In the overall standings Beadsworth now leads the fleet from Stenbeck, who took fifth in race two, with Furrer third, thanks to a fourth in the second race, and Teweles fourth.
Tonight the crews have enjoyed a delightful Welcome Reception at Hanko Town Hall and tomorrow there will be a single practise race in the morning followed by the match racing final of the Sinebrychoff Challenge.
International 6 Metre Association 