The penultimate stage of the National Sailing League 2017 was completed yesterday. The team «PIRogovo» from Moscow region won out of 21 crews of the participants.
The water area of the 7th stage competition was located in the centre of Nizhny Novgorod at the foot of the Chkalovskaya Stairs. During three intense days each team participated in 12 races. All yachtsmen commented on the difficult conditions of this stage - strong current and medium wind that influenced the outcome of each day in an unexpected way.
The heat of the competition was such that on the third day the Navigator Sailing Team rammed the judges' yacht «Barracuda». The latter, fortunately, was insured for 10 million rubles, says Victor Voroshilov, Head of Press Service of Nizhny Novgorod Marine Club. And even more fortunately there were no serious injuries on either side, although the Moscow yacht club team lost the race and lost its place in the standings.
And only one score decided the fate of the gold medal. Although both athletes were first three times and came in second four times each, the winner «PIRogovo» Ezhkov had two third places, and Basalkina's crew finished third only once. As a result the Saint Petersburg Yacht Club Sailing Academy team took a silver medal.
The crew of Dmitry Samokhin from St. Petersburg Rocknrolla Sailing Team got bronze medal. This is their best result for all 7 stages of the Top Division 2017, three of which they remained in 4th place.
The organizers prepared a generous entertainment program, which gathered a record number of spectators on the waterfront.
Another unique feature of the race was the fact that on the last day one pupil from Nizhny Novgorod Children's River Shipping Company was on board of each racer. Children and youth race in children and youth classes, but they have never been on such a boat, especially with such athletes.
The decisive 8th National Sailing League stage will begin on October 13 in Sochi. 27 teams will compete for victory in the Grand Final.
