9 July: Rankings in Top-class are thrilling on the penultimate racing day

9 July: Rankings in Top-class are thrilling on the penultimate racing day

The Private Energy solarboatteam (T83) won the third stage of the DONG Energy Frisian Solar Challenge. In this relatively easy stage Gowrings Energy (T81) and the Delta Lloyd Solar Boat Team (T82) were closely after that. The three leaders in the Top-class are keeping it intensively thrilling. In the Challenge A is also a lot of tension. The Scylla Solarboat Racing Team (A23) finished first with only four minutes advance on Team Sunrise (A3). This means that they decreased the distance with number two in the general rankings till only nine minutes. In the Challenge B the Marnecollege3 (B51) was surprisingly the first one over the finish. Nevertheless Energa Solar II (B55) is standing firmly on top in the rankings.

The fourth stage of the DONG Energy Frisian Solar Challenge was starting in Franeker and headed to Dokkum. Through the nice weather this was a relatively easy stage. All solar boats however did not have the expected high speed in the first part of the race. Through a high humidity in combination with the high temperature the batteries were not able to charge sufficient. Also the Private Energy Solarboatteam (T83) had a broken screw just before the restart in Birdaard. They fixed it on the spot. Gowrings Energy (T81) had some problems because the boat hit a piece of wood.  It however did not have any serious consequences, because they were still able to finish the race. The delta Lloyd Solar boat Team (T82) made a tactical estimation error. Because they were gaining fewer energy than expected the use of the hydrofoils was not optimal.