World Sailing Championships in Cascais, Portugal - GBR Day 7
by Lindsey Bell, RYA 9 Jul 2007 23:40 BST
28 June - 13 July 2007
British bronze at Cascais worlds
Strong winds made racing impossible at the ISAF World Sailing Championships on Monday (9 July) but Great Britain still claimed its first medal of the event in Cascais, Portugal, with Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson clinching bronze in the Star class.
‘The wind is calling...’ states the motto of these Championships, and with conditions of up to 40 knots sweeping across Cascais Bay for the first of the medal race days on Monday, it certainly called loudly.
After a long wait on shore, there was a glimmer of hope that the fleet would get racing – conditions calmed enough for the boats to leave the dock at around 1900hrs, but once out on the race course the wind whipped through the bay again. Race officers finally abandoned racing for the Star sailors, denying Sydney gold medallist Percy and crew Simpson the chance to fight for higher honours.
The Skandia Team GBR sailors, who joined forces at the beginning of 2007, have rued missed opportunities at this regatta through lack of race practice in the Star as a result of their America’s Cup campaign, which concluded in early May, but are still happy with a bronze at their first World Championship outing together.
“It was a bit frustrating that we didn’t have the chance to improve our position out there today, but we’ve got to be pleased with bronze given the short time we’ve had since finishing the Cup,” Percy explained.
“It’s a stepping stone for us on the road to the Olympics and we’ve proven we’re up there with the rest of them – with a bit more practice time we’ll be making the top step.”
Monday also saw the conclusion of the Championships for the Tornado class, with Leigh McMillan and Will Howden retaining their fifth place.
Event organisers will be hoping for improved conditions on Tuesday in order to get the race schedule back on track. European Champion Paul Goodison, currently in seventh will be looking to fight back into the podium spots in the Laser class in their medal race, while Charlotte Dobson is in the same position in the women’s equivalent, the Laser Radial.
The Yngling and Finn classes will see their penultimate day of racing – Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson are currently leading the pack in the Yngling class, with Ed Wright in fifth looking to get back into the medal spots ahead of their final medal race on Wednesday.
Defending 49er world champions Chris Draper and Simon Hiscocks will be itching to get out on the race course on Tuesday – their fleet is three races behind schedule, so they will be hoping to make up some ground.
Racing at the ISAF World Sailing Championships in Cascais, Portugal, continues through until Friday 13 July.
Day 7 Video Highlights:
Day 7 highlights are available on our Sail.TV viewer. Live coverage is available all week for £3.00 on Sail.TV
Results after Day 7:
Tornado (FINAL)
1. Fernando Echavarri-Anton Paz, Esp (34pts)
2. Carolijn Brouwer- Sebastien Godefroid, Bel (40pts)
3. Mitch Booth-Pim Nieuwenhuis, Ned (41pts)
Selected GBR
5. Leigh McMillan-Will Howden (69pts)
Star (FINAL)
1. Robert Scheidt-Bruno Prada, Bra (15pts)
2. Xavier Rohart-Pascal Rambeau, Fra (19pts)
3. Iain Percy-Andrew Simpson, GBR (25pts)
Laser (after 8 races)
1. Tom Slingsby, Aus (31pts)
2. Mate Arapov, Cro (43pts)
3. Deniss Karpak, Est (45pts)
Selected GBR
7. Paul Goodison (56pts)
Laser Radial (after 8 races)
1. Petra Niemann, Ger (37pts)
2. Tania Elias Calles Wolf, Mex (39pts)
3. Nufar Edelmann, Isr (39pts)
Selected GBR
7. Charlotte Dobson (49pts)
RS:X Men (after 5 races)
1. Prezmyslaw Miarczynski, Pol (4pts)
2. Ricardo Santos, Bra (7pts)
3. Pietr Myska, Pol, (7pts)
Selected GBR
4. Nick Dempsey (11pts)
RS:X Women (after 5 races)
1. Zofia Klepacka, Pol (6pts)
2. Lise Vidal, Fra (12pts)
3. Alessandra Sensini, Ita (14pts)
Selected GBR
11. Bryony Shaw (21pts)
470 Men (after 4 races)
1. Nathan Wilmot-Malcolm Page, Aus (11pts)
2. Stuart McNay-Graham Biehl, USA (21pts)
3. Francisco Sanchez-Alejandro Ramos, Esp (22pts)
Selected GBR
12. Nic Asher-Elliot Willis (37pts)
24. Nick Rogers-Joe Glanfield (48pts)
470 Women (after 4 races)
1. Marcelien de Koning-Lobke Berkhout, Ned (9pts)
2. Giul Conti-Giovanna Micol, Ita (14pts)
3. Therese Thorgensson-Vendela Zachreisson, Swe (14pts)
Selected GBR
6. Christina Bassadone-Saskia Clark (24pts)
49er (after 4 races)
1. Stevie Morrison-Ben Rhodes, GBR (5pts)
2. Morgan Lagraviere-Stephane Christidis, Fra (13pts)
3. Rodion Luka-Georgiy Leonchuk, Ukr (13pts)
Selected GBR
9. Paul Campbell James-Mark Asquith (17pts)
19. Chris Draper-Simon Hiscocks (25pts)