RS:X and T293 competitors completed 2 races whilst the Raceboard fleet completed one outside the harbour this morning in 15 plus knots of wind and it was cold!  After a break, conditions in the afternoon became very shifty both in force and direction.  Only the RS:X fleet were able to complete one more race whilst the others waited then were eventually sent back ashore as things got too complicated.  

The RS:X fleet enjoyed three good races today resulting in a change to the podium places.  Hamza Bouras (ALG-12) has regained the top spot on the leaderboard pushing Zakaria Belaidouni (ALG-27) back into second place.  These two are enjoying a great battle.  Ali Bouras (ALG-10) has been kicked off the podium by Aly Sultan (EGY-8) who took the bullet in race 6. However, Aly needs to watch his back as he is only ahead by one point and the chasing pack are still in with a chance, not least Egyptian Ahmed Habash who took the bullet in race 5 and a second in race 6.

In the Techno 293 Fleet, Tunisian Safouan Mami (TUN-5) is fighting back with two bullets today and a correction to his race results yesterday means he is back on the podium in second place, 7 points adrift of Ramzi-Ahmed Boudjatit who still occupies the top spot on the leaderboard.  Imed Brighet (ALG-28) is consolidating his third place position, stretching the gap to a good 18 points clear of his closest rival.

Just the one race for the Raceboard Fleet today so there is no difference to the order.  Kheireddine Boussaha (ALG-11) is dominating the competition scoring yet another bullet, Youcef Andjechari (ALG-06) is in second place and Faycal Benserai (ALG-16) in third.

Just one more day of racing to go - stay tuned!

RESULTS:  Techno (7) / RS:X (7) / Raceboard (5)

SI Amendment #2 / SI Amendment #3 / SI Amendment #4

After days of rain and cold, the sun brightened the skies and enabled two races each for RS:X and Raceboard fleets and three races for the Techno 293 competitors.

With a first and second today Zakaria Belaidouni (ALG-27) has gained a two point advantage over Hamza Bouras (ALG-12) and Ali Bouras (ALG-10) has stepped on to the podium with a fourth and first.

All change in the Techno Fleet as Ramzi-Ahmed Boudjatit (ALG-23) has streaked right up to the top of the leaderboard with three bullets today and, just for good measure, discards his opening DPI and finishes the day on 5 points.  Equally impressive, Ilyas Aouadi (ALG-09) has rocketed up from 8th to second place overall, second over the line in each of today's races and also discarding his poor day one result.  He is however 6 points behind the leader.  Imed Brighet (ALG-28) has remained consistent and maintains his third podium position.

No such drama in the Raceboard Fleet as the top eight are ranked exactly as the day before.  Kheireddine Boussaha (ALG-11) was again first over the line in both races, Youcef Andjechairi (ALG-06) and Faycal Benserai (ALG-16) taking a second and third apiece.

Two more days of racing, all to play for if the wind gods are kind.

RESULTS:  Techno (5) / RS:X (4) / Raceboard (4)

The race committee set a small course inside the harbour to take advantage of the conditions and competitors set out under chilly grey skies.  Two good races were completed for Techno 293, Raceboard and RS:X.

In the RS:X fleet, Algerians Zakaria Belaidouni (ALG-27) and Bouras Hamza (ALG-12) are well matched with both taking a bullet and a fourth place, whilst Egyptian Aly Sultan (EGY-8) was third over the line in both races.  Meanwhile, in the Raceboard fleet, Kheireddine Boussaha(ALG-11), Youcef Andjechairi (ALG-06) and Faycal Benserai (ALG-16) scored first, second and third exactly the same in both races.

Tunisians dominate the Techno 293 Fleet with Safouan Mami (TUN-5) at the top of the leaderboard after taking both bullets with Asiz Khoudja (TUN-7) in second place overall showing that consistency pays with two fourth places.  However, Algerian Imed Brighet (ALG-28) is just one point behind.  Ramzi-Ahmed Boudjatit (ALG-23) made a mistake in the first race, scored DPI, but came second in the next race.  As soon as discards come into play he will also be in contention for a podium place.  All to play for!

RESULTS after 2:
Techno / RS:X / Raceboard

Photos of the opening day in the rain and the cold characterise the beginning of the 2014 African Windsurfing Championships for Techno 293, RS:X and Raceboard Classes taking place in Bejaia, 28th December to 4th January.  The welcome was warm but competitors had to wrap up well against the extreme weather conditions for the Opening Ceremony.

All hopes of racing were quashed by weather conditions on day one - wind peaks reached 32 knots, freezing cold, rain, hail, thunder and lightning - yet the race committee still went out on the water to monitor the conditions for developments of wind on the race area.

Stay tuned!!