International Class

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2011 SEIKO 49er Europeans Broken Halyard - Broken Lead

After a long postponement on shore with no wind on the race course, the sailors were finally sent out around 4:30 in a slowly building breeze. Both yellow and blue fleets were able to get off three races today in tight racing just off the inner harbor.

After the fifth race, the overall leaders were Peter Kruger Andersen/Nicolai Thorsell (DEN) who had a 3 point lead over Nico Delle Karth/Nikolaus Resch (BEL) and were leading the 6th and final race of the day when at the leeward gate their main halyard gave way. Kruger Andersen commented, “we came around the gate in first, going into the 2nd lap and our main fell down and we had to go in. There are different ways you can attach your main and obviously the one we chose at the moment is maybe too risky. It’s not the main halyard itself that broke, it’s the way we tied the rope. From now on we’ll use a normal shackle; we’ve used rope in the past as we don’t want the shackle to break the carbon fiber. It’s the first time it’s happened for us.”

With six races completed the leaders going into the final day of qualifying are Nico Delle Karth/Nikolaus Resch (AUT) followed by Nathan Outteridge/ (AUS) with Kruger Andersen/Thorsell (DEN) falling to third overall.

Qualifying races finish tomorrow followed by three more days of the final series culminating with the medal race to be held on 13 July.

For more information and full results: www.openeuropeans2011.com

Photos: www.photos.friedbits.com

Attached Photos: Photo credits: Fried Elliott: www.friedbits.com 786 & 796: Peter Kruger Andersen and Nicolai Thorsell (DEN) in the lead at the leeward gate capsize when they lose their main halyard. 687: Start of Yellow fleet on day 2

About Seiko SEIKO has been the main sponsor of the International 49er Class since 2006. Through this agreement, SEIKO has assisted the growth of the sport and has supported the future development of the 49er through the supply of funds and equipment to the new generation of sailors. In return, SEIKO has gained valuable

insights into the needs and wishes of the top athletes in , and is incorporating this knowledge into each new generation of Velatura, its marine watch collection. -end-