Audi Laser Eurocup - Lake Como, Italy Laser 4000 Overall
by Luke McEwan 14 Jul 2000 12:41 BST
Seventy Laser 4000s representing five nations met at Lake Como for Round 2 of the Audi Laser Eurocup. This year the fleet was strengthened by three current Olympic sailors including the New Zealand 470 team and Ian Walker, Britain’s Star helmsman at Sydney 2000.
After two days of no racing in conditions which tested the patience of the competitors and race team to the limit, the competition started, with six races in two days. Conditions varied from flat calm to 28 knots with 45° wind shifts. The Olympians showed their pedigree by taking the first two positions overall. Simon Cooke, the NZL 470 helmsman showed remarkable consistency by finishing in the top five in every race and winning the event with a race to spare. Ian Walker, stepping back into a 4000 for the first time in several years, sailed with Ian Roman to a well-deserved second place. Third was taken by “Preferred IT”, sailed by last year’s EuroCup overall champions, Doug Baker and Hilary Sutton. Preferred IT now leads the EuroCup series overall.
The other prize-winners were mixture of newcomers and veterans of the fleet. Rising stars this year included “Frijj” (Jason Kirk and Scott Dawson) and the teams of Richard Clampett and Grace Clark. The young Ponsford brothers finished just behind Quattro Cup leaders Hugh Watson and Helen Lloyd in “Kongsberg” but beat Laser’s Sandy McPhail and Andy Marshall. Continuing their run of success this season were Locks SC members and Grand-Slam leaders Luke McEwen and Emma Evans in their newly-sponsored boat “SP Systems”.
Among the old-hands showing that they could still cut the mustard were last year’s national champions Alan Hilman and Rob Andrews in “La Manga”, Pete and Lisa Nicholas and Neilsen-sponsored Pete Harrison and Chrissy Clampett.
The first female helm was Liz Collyer in 14th place sailing with her husband Jerry. Last year’s winner, Mark Dicker, showed the depth of calibre in the fleet by finishing 19th. The lowest-place boat with a race win was 29th overall.
| Pos | Nat | Sail No | Helm | Crew | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | ITA | 4559 | Simon Cooke | Luca Dragonetti | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 12 | | 2 | GBR | 4350 | Ian Walker | Ian Roman | 9 | 11 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 25 | | 3 | GBR | 4552 | Doug Baker | Hilary Sutton | 18 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 12 | 6 | 32 | | 4 | GBR | 4454 | Jason Kirk | Scott Dawson | 3 | 2 | 3 | 22 | 14 | 15 | 37 | | 5 | ESP | 4423 | Alan Hillman | Rob Andrews | 7 | 20 | 4 | 2 | 4 | DNF | 37 | | 6 | GBR | 4516 | Richard Clampett | Grace Clark | 6 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 16 | 7 | 37 | | 7 | GBR | 4536 | Hugh Watson | Helen Lloyd | 2 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 13 | 9 | 41 | | 8 | GBR | 4477 | Pete Nicholas | Lisa Nicholas | 4 | 43 | 2 | 28 | 3 | 14 | 51 | | 9 | GBR | 4568 | Mark Ponsford | Olly Ponsford | 16 | 23 | 6 | 11 | 27 | 4 | 60 | | 10 | GBR | 4569 | Sandy McPhail | Andy Marshall | 10 | 61 | 9 | 18 | 10 | 22 | 69 | |
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