The Round Robin phase continues on the Monegasque race area and race after race a hierarchy is beginning to emerge. After two days of competition, the Danes are leading the way in a Monaco Optimist Team Race that this year brought together 15 teams from 12 nations across the globe. Under an overcast sky in a steady easterly breeze with a challenging chop at the foot of the Rocher, 10 races were sailed on Friday in technically demanding conditions that left no room for improvisation.
Nothing seems able to slow their progress. At the halfway stage of the Monaco Optimist Team Race, the Danes from Danish Dynamite are dominating proceedings with a combination of strong starts, ability to handle situations without hesitation, and faultless tactical execution by the four young sailors from the North.
With five wins from five races, they are delivering a team racing demonstration for the rest of the fleet. Tied on points with Yacht Club Italiano, the Nordic team currently tops the provisional rankings thanks also to having raced more matches. A level of consistency that is now making the difference.
Behind the Danish leaders, the battle is tight. At the end of this second day and after 10 races completed, the provisional rankings are starting to reveal the main contenders. Yacht Club Italiano are proving solid, while the Swiss from the Gstaad Yacht Club showed again that they are a force to be reckoned with to the bitter end.
The same applies to the Carolina Yacht Club, whose young American sailors are looking increasingly comfortable in the format, gaining in precision race after race. In this intense Round Robin, every point counts, every duel matters, and margins remain slim. At this stage of the competition fatigue may be setting in, but concentration is at its peak.
At the end of this second day, nothing is set in stone. While the Danes are leading the way, the competition is close behind and every race has the potential to reshuffle the rankings. There is everything to play for in a format where gaps can open up quickly and close again just as fast in a single race.
Racing resumes tomorrow, Saturday, from 10.00am, with a packed schedule and confrontations that promise to be decisive for the rest of the competition.
