Geoff Carveth and Race Team Gill win the Zhik SB3 Worlds
by Katie Ashworth 20 May 2011 17:45 BST
16-20 May 2011
Geoff Carveth, Andy Ramus, Ian Mills and Emma Clarke (GBR) are winners of the Zhik SB3 World Championships 2011. Carveth and crew have sailed an excellent series of qualifying and finals races and win the 2011 Championship with a 4 point lead.
Going afloat this morning, Robert Greenhalgh and crew (GBR) lead the Gold Fleet by 5 points. At the first windward mark of Race 1, Rob Gullan (GBR) lead the course, tailed by John Pollard (GBR) and Geoff Carveth (GBR). Greenhalgh rounded deep in the pack. At the leeward mark, Greenhalgh had recovered some ground, but not enough.
It looked like Rob Gullan was on to take the first of the “2 bullets,” he’d joked about in our interview the night before. On the second lap, Gullan lead Pollard and Carveth. Rodion Luka and ‘Team Russia’ were hot on the heels of the leaders. Choosing the right of the course for his final downwind leg, it paid off and Team Russia went on to win the first race of the day and the first race of their Championship. Carveth finished fourth. Greenhalgh finished seventeenth.
Carveth lead Greenhalgh by 2 points going into the final race of the Zhik SB3 World Championship 2011. The pressure was on Carveth to defend and Greenhalgh to attack.
By the first windward mark of Race 2, Race Ahead, helmed by 2010 South African Sailor of the Year, Asenathi Jim lead the fleet, Carveth rounded 2nd. Greenhalgh rounded 5th. At the leeward gate, Asenathi Jim had extended his lead. Carveth followed the South Africans around the left leeward mark; Greenhalgh went right. By the windward mark on the second lap, positions hadn’t changed. Carveth had extended his lead and Greenhalgh’s hopes of victory were fading fast.
Asenathi Jim won the final race of the Championships. Carveth crossed the finish line second, securing his victory of the Zhik SB3 World Championships 2011.
“Awesome,” “Fantastic,” and “Amazing” cheered the crew of Race Team Gill as they hit the dock in Torquay after racing. Carveth explained their day, “In Race 1 today Robert and I sailed our own races, we gained the upper hand and then covered Rob on the start of the second race and took control.” The rest they say is history. “We’ll be celebrating with a few beers this evening! We’ve had a great week and we’re sailed really well as a crew.”
Geoff Carveth is a second time World Champion in the Laser SB3 class, having won the 2008 Worlds in Dun Laoghaire. “It means a lot to win it twice, it shows the first time wasn’t just a fluke!”
The Silver fleet of the Zhik Laser SB3 World Championships was won by French team ‘Tad Minus’, helmed by Vinvent Biarnes and crewed by Nicholas Heintz and Sam Bell.
In 2012, the Laser SB3 European Championships will be held in Medemblik, Netherlands from 1st – 7th September and the World Championships will be held at Hamilton Island, Australia from 13th – 20th December. The Laser SB3 Class has had a fantastic Championships hosted by the Royal Torbay Yacht Club, Torquay, UK. Thanks go to all of our generous sponsors, supporters and volunteers. Title sponsors, Zhik, have been fantastic to work with and our extreme thanks go to them for helping us put this event on the map.
Race Team Gill Interview:
Full Results: