Mashiah still leads the field

23-year-old Israeli currently leads the overall standings with just six negative points.

By ALLON SINAI
Masiyah_311 (photo credit: Paul Fremantle/Perth 2011)
Masiyah_311
(photo credit: Paul Fremantle/Perth 2011)
Nimrod Mashiah strengthened his position atop of the standings at the windsurfing World Championships on Tuesday, finishing the day’s races in Perth, Australia in second and first place.
The 23-year-old Israeli also ended Monday’s opening races in second and first position, respectively, meaning he currently leads the overall standings with just six negative points.
Mashiah’s closest rivals at the moment are Poland’s Prezemyslaw Miarczynski and Piotr Myszka, who are both on 10 points.
Shahar Zubari, who is battling Mashiah for Israel’s one and only windsurfing berth at the London Olympics, recorded disappointing results for a second straight day, finishing in ninth and 12th, respectively.
Zubari is only in 19th place overall with an already substantial 43 points to his name.
“Today was really good for my confidence, and now I’m relaxed and ready to focus on the next few days,” said Mashiah, who won his second straight medal at the World Championships last year, taking a bronze in Kerteminde, Denmark a year after claiming a silver.
“Israel is doing really well in the RS:X and the 470s. We have a big history in our country for windsurfing. We have a big base for training and now, even though we are young, we have a good foundation.”
Gil Cohen and Vered Buskila experienced another frustrating day in the women’s 470 Class competition in Perth, finishing Tuesday’s two races in 17th and second positions to climb four places to ninth overall.