49er World Championships in Cadiz - Day 5
by Andy Rice 23 Sep 2003 21:56 BST
Top speed conditions for the 49er fleet at the ISAF World Sailing Championships © Laurence Polli
Draper & Hiscocks wrap up Championship with a day to spare
Chris Draper and Simon Hiscocks have become the first British team to win the 49er World Championships, having put in another solid performance on the Bay of Cadiz today.
A 2,6,7 score in the lightest winds of the week was enough to give this dominant team the Worlds with two races to spare. Draper summed up his success afterwards: “What probably made the difference for is a combination of things: speed, starts, tactics and also the fact that we feel at home here. We are still a bit stressed though, because Paul Brotherton is doing very well here and nothing is sure for Athens.”
Draper’s close rivals for Olympic selection, Paul Brotherton and Mark Asquith, did indeed have a good day again today, climbing to second overall with 1,9,2. The one thing that might keep Brotherton’s hopes of Olympic selection afloat, is just how well he has sailed in the Gold Fleet finals, but the difference between the teams was Draper’s ability to score nearly all his qualifying races in the top three.
Germany’s Marcus Baur and Max Groy hold their third place by the tiniest of margins from Norway’s Christoffer Sundby and Frode Bovim. Whilst the championship is decided, the fighting for the other podium positions will be fierce on the final day of racing tomorrow.
Overall Results after Day 2 of Gold Fleet Finals:
1. GBR 2 Christopher Draper/Simon Hiscocks, 29 points
2. GBR 3 Paul Brotherton/Mark Asquith, 55.2
3. GER 12 Marcus Baur/ Max Groy, 61
4. NOR 11 Christoffer Sundby/Frode Bovim, 63
5. UKR 5 Rodion Luka/George Leonchuk, 64
6. GBR 7 Alister Richardson/Peter Greenhalgh, 65
7. GBR 30 Stephen Morrison/Ben Rhodes, 72
8. USA 13 Timothy Wadlow/Peter Spaulding, 74
9. AUS 15 Chris Nicholson/Gary Boyd, 78
10. POL 743 Marcin Czajkowski/Krzysztof Kierkowski, 82