Soling European Championships - Day 3

Great Britain's leading Soling crew of Andy Beadsworth, Barry Parkin and Richard Sydenham moved up into fourth place overall after the third day of racing at the Soling European Fleet Racing Championships at Sandefjord in Norway today.

In conditions never exceeding ten knots, Beadsworth's Elite crew drove their way through the fleet from twelfth at the top mark to fourth at the finish in today's only race.

But, more crucially, their 10,8,1,4 scoreline means they are now second behind Germany's triple Gold Medallist Jochen Schumann in the race for four qualifying places available at the regatta for next years Games in Sydney.

Sandwiched in-between Schumann, who leads the regatta, are the Dutch crew of Roy Heiner, Dirk De Ridder & Dirk De Ridder and the Ukrainians Sergei Pichugin, Sergei Timokhov & Vladamir Korotkov, who have both qualified for the Games in previous championships.

With thirteen nations trying to capture the four places available, the next five races guarantee to be an intense battle down to the very last as only one more Olympic qualification slot remains available at a match racing regatta next year. "There's a long way to go yet, we're not even half way into it", said Beadworth.

NORWAY: Soling European Championships (after 4 races):

1 Jochen Schumann & Ingo Borkowski & Gunnar Bahr    Ger 11
2 Roy Heiner & Peter Van Niekerke & Dirk De Ridder  Ned 18
3 Sergi Pichugin & Seregei Timokhov & Vlad Korotkov Ukr 19
British Placings:
4 Andy Beadsworth & Barry Parkin & Richard Sydenham     23

For further information, please contact Nigel Cherrie on:
Tel: (01703) 627469
Fax: (01703) 627417
Mobile:07771 847801
Email: nigel_cherrie@rya.org.uk
RYA Website: www.rya.org.uk
Event Website: www.soling99.no