Semi finals of the IFDS Blind Match Racing Championships were sailed today in 4 – 6 knots of southerly on Lake Garda. 

After completing the last three matches of the round robin, semi finals the World Championship for B1 classified sailors were sailed.  PRO Carmelo Paroli set the course north of Gargnano, seeking breeze, but it was still a long day with several on-water protest hearings.

Anna Gamba / Enrico Sosio (ITA) were placed third on the scoreboard but turned the tables on Kylie Forth / Erin McGlew (AUS) to work their way into tomorrow’s final with two straight match wins this afternoon.  Both helms have grown in skill and confidence over the past couple of years and are prepared to sail with tactical aggression.  But it was Gamba who had the upper hand today. 

The other matches were between the top ranked pair of Luigi Bertanza / Sylvia Parente (ITA) and Manuel Ugarte / Federico Albir (ESP).  Their matches, like the Gamba versus Forth encounters, had few penalties but the Italians simply sailed faster from a better position.  If history is any indication, Bertanza will be difficult for Gamba to beat tomorrow.

It is only at the top levels of this discipline for totally blind sailors that crews have the ability to closely engage with another boat.  This is hardly surprising when they are judging the range and bearing of the marks and their opponent by audio cues alone. The on-board observer can only provide information about overlaps, the zone at rounding marks and warning of collision course.    Competitors’ are being overloaded with the signature sounds of marks and boats throughout every race and still need to quickly process tactical decisions and keep track of audio race signals and timing.  For most sailors, it would be almost impossible to even navigate the course let alone get a reasonable start, so the skills of this blind sailor group are to be greatly respected.

For the final of the B2 classified sailors competing for an IFDS International Championship, it will be Italy versus Great Britain.

Local favourites Alessandro Malapiero / Elisabetta Bardella (ITA), both very experienced blind match racers took on first the first-time match race helmsman Pekka Rantanen (FIN) sailing with local crew Egidio Carantini in the semi finals today.  Malapiero / Bardella won both matches but it was no easy task.  Rantanen showed plenty of skill and a willingness to engage in close sailing tactics.  The lead changed three times in the second match.

In the other B2 pairing, Lucy Hodges / Toby Davey (GBR) met Andrea Pesaresi / Gianluca Battisti (ITA).  The GBR teams demonstrated superior boat handling skills and speed over the course to claim their spot in the final with two straight wins this afternoon.

So tomorrow’s finals are Italy versus Italy for the B1 Classification World Championship and Great Britain versus Italy for the B2 International Championship.