2004 HARKEN LASER WORLD            CHAMPIONSHIPS        Bitez, Bodrum, Turkey

Laser Senior Worlds 10 - 19 May 2004

Report: Day 1

Racing for the 2004 Harken Laser World Championships began today with 143 competitors representing a total of 60 countries vying for the final 8 country allocations for the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

The fleet saw a variety of wind strengths from 0 to 28 knots and directions from 060 to 190 degrees making the race committee work overtime setting and then re-setting the course for 5 hours trying to get a fair race. At their first attempt the start was postponed with 40 seconds to go before the start. A second attempt on a re-set course
was recalled after the fleet pushed the line. After several further changes to the course and delays waiting for the wind to settle a third start was attempted 3 hours after the scheduled start time. The fleet got away to a clean start but within 5 minutes the wind shifted 60 degrees to the left and the race was abandoned.

With no sign of the wind settling the fleet were sent home to prepare for three races tomorrow when the forecast is for a westerly wind which should be more stable than today's easterly.

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