Racing took the backburner at the Holland Regatta today (Friday), as race officials searched in vain for a missing coach whose boat was found unmanned on the Ijsselmeer.
Just one week after the tragic loss of Dutchman Hans Horrevoets during the Volvo Ocean Race, Dutch sailing has again been left reeling with the disappearance in their home waters of the German coach whose identity has still to be revealed during this ISAF Grade 1 regatta.
The coach is believed to be the father of one of the German Laser Radial sailors competing here in Medemblik, but is not an employee of the German Sailing Federation. It s unclear at this stage whether he was wearing either a lifejacket or using a killcord.
The wind was just 7-8 knots at the time of the incident sea condition was slight and visibility was low.
The missing man s coach boat was found at 1330hrs, unoccupied with the engine running and circling within the Laser Radial course, whereupon regatta organisers immediately implemented emergency procedures.
The Dutch coastguard in Den Helder was notified, and put a search operation in place. Skandia Team GBR coaches assisted in the search operation, which was co-ordinated by the coastguard, but at 1630hrs the Dutch coastguard abandoned their search.
Police divers are continuing to search underwater, with the Dutch police and Holland Regatta organisers continuing the search on the surface.
The regatta will, however, continue as planned on Saturday.
Although Skandia Team GBR had a better day today, our thoughts are with the family of the missing coach, said RYA Olympic Manager Stephen Park.
As with all sports at elite level, it s a close knit community, and although we all accept the inherent risks involved in our sport it doesn t make it any easier when incidents occur.
With the sailors still out on the water and largely unaware of the drama unfolding around them this afternoon, Skandia Team GBR has now manoeuvred into podium positions in four classes, with two days left to run.
In the Finn class, Ed Wright continues the form he found in Hyeres, posting another bullet today to see him in the gold medal position, while Paul Goodison is back in the running thanks to a solid performance today. He scored 8,2,2 to see him up to second place overall.
Christina Bassadone and Saskia Clark are also up to the silver medal position in the women s 470 class, thanks to two fourths from today s racing, while windsurfer Nick Dempsey is up to third place in the RS:X class in spite of a retirement when he sailed the wrong course during the latter part of today s first race.
I was leading by a mile, and was just completely on autopilot when I reached the mark, the Olympic bronze medallist explained, before going on to win the next race convincingly.
Just outside of the medal places after day three are 49er sailors Paul Campbell James and Mark Asquith, and the Tornado team of Rob Wilson and Mark Bulkeley in fourth, with Yngling girls Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Emma Rawlinson, and Laser Radial sailor Penny Clark, both in fifth.