In the 30-strong women’s fleet the US’s reigning Formula Kite world champion, Daniela Moroz, continued her run with an almost perfect score of 14 wins from 15 races.
Just behind her the battle for podium spots intensified, though Britain’s Ellie Aldridge tightened her grip on second overall with a trio of second places.
That give her breathing space over the chasing Breiana Whitehead (AUS), third on the leaderboard after a slightly mixed day in the shifty breezes.
“I really struggled with the upwind legs,” said Aldridge. “The races I really messed up most were because of the first beat.”
“My positioning on the start line was the problem. I didn’t pay enough attention to that. It didn’t help that the breeze came down on the line in a different direction every 30 seconds. It was a whacky day.”
Just one point separates the top three men after the penultimate day of racing, when the top-ranked men finally faced off in the first battles of the two-day finals’ series.
Slovenia’s Toni Vodisek finally moved to the top of the leaderboard with a scintillating win in his day’s final fifth race, a gripping duel with France’s Théo de Ramecourt who harried his rival on the rhomboid windward-leeward track.
Overnight leader, France’s Axel Mazella slipped to third spot overall after posting a remarkably consistent run of four seconds.
He is equal on points with fellow countryman De Ramecourt and both are just one point behind Vodisek with all to play for.
Formula Kite Europeans – Men after five “gold” flight races:
1. Toni Vodisek (SLO) 12pts
2. Théo de Ramecourt (FRA) 34pts
3. Axel Mazella (FRA) 48pts
4. Benoit Gomez (FRA) 53pts
5. Florian Gruber (GER) 59pts
Formula Kite Europeans – Women after 15 races:
1. Daniela Moroz (USA) 12pts
2. Ellie Aldridge (GBR) 34pts
3. Breiana Whitehead (AUS) 48pts
4. Justina Kitchen (NZL) 53pts
5. Julia Damasiewicz (POL) 59pts
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