#rio – For Rio de Janeiro's thousands of tourists Monday 4 August was the perfect day with a beating Brazilian sun, clear South American skies and the occasional gust of light breeze to cool down bathers on Copacabana Beach.
Unfortunately, for the 324 sailors from 34 countries – and Ireland's Annalise Murphy – it was not perfect conditions for sailboat racing at the Aquece Rio - International Sailing Regatta 2014 as light winds forced the Race Committee to cancel all the day's racing by 16:00.
Light winds were predicted for the second day of racing with a maximum of 10 knots on the cards if the breeze played ball. The wind failed to materialise and the decision to cancel the Laser, Laser Radial and 470 fleets, who were scheduled to race on outside courses Copacabana and Niteroi, was made at 14:50.
Fleets racing on the inside courses - Ponte, Escola Naval and Pão de Açucar - were cancelled shortly afterwards to bring an early close to race day two.
The third day of racing will see a cold front pass through Rio de Janeiro that will bring showers, stronger breeze and an increase in wave size. Having lost a day of racing all of the fleets will sail three races on Tuesday with seven set to commence racing at the earlier time of 11:00.
www.aquecerio.com/en/competicoes.php
www.sailing.org/2014-test-event.php