Tornado 2001 World Championships Overall

STYLES AND MAY RACE TO BRONZE MEDAL

Great Britain's top performing sport at last September's Sydney Olympic Games claimed its first podium position of the new four-year cycle yesterday as Hugh Styles and Adam May won the Bronze medal at the Tornado World Championships at Richards Bay in South Africa.

In under two years, Team Styles and May, both members of the World Class Performance sailing squad, have gone from eighth overall at the 2000 world championships to sixth at the Sydney Olympics to the Bronze medal at the 2001 world championships.

Although as of March 1st the class will change configuration and become the Tornado Sport, with a new bigger mainsail plus an extra trapeze and a gennaker, the duo have proved they are an emerging force in a class that has been dominated by a select few names for several years.

Before yesterday's deciding final two races, Styles and May were provisionally third overall, one point adrift of Olympic Bronze (1992) and Silver medallist (1996) Mitch Booth (Netherlands) with Sydney Olympic champion Roman Hagara (Austria) in turn one point behind them.

The penultimate race (series race eight) got underway in 13-14 knots of wind, which was considerably more fickle than the Indian Ocean breeze the crews had been sailing in all week as they had to contend with 7-8 knot 'holes' of pressure around the course.

Whilst Booth was over the start line early after trying some pre-start match racing, Team Styles and May maintained their strong starting ability and were fighting for second alongside Roman Hagara with Sydney Silver Medallists Darren Bundock and John Forbes (Australia) leading the 30 boat fleet.

Andreas Hagara (brother of Roman) managed to take advantage of the patchy conditions to jump up to second position by the finish with Roman Hagara third and Styles fourth. Booth could only manage to climb back to seventh which elevated Styles and May to equal second (on points) alongside the Olympic Gold Medallist, Roman Hagara, with one race to go.

All three medal contention crews stuck close to each other for the final start. After an even first leg, Bundock and Forbes led at the first windward mark with Roman Hagara second, Booth third and Styles and May fourth.

The positions stayed the same for two laps but with Mitch Booth covering Styles and May, Andreas Hagara moved up to third position on the final windward leg. The fleet order stayed the same to the end with Styles and May knowing they had done enough as they crossed the line to secure their first podium finish together.

"It was all very stressful doing the maths today as it was very close before we went out and even tighter after the second race but we came here to get a medal and we achieved it," explained a relieved Adam May (from Exmouth in Devon) after racing.

"It's about time," reflected helmsman Hugh Styles (from Hamble in Hampshire). This is his first significant podium finish since he won the Laser European championships in Portugal in 1997, joking "We're pretty over the moon, I just wish it was the Olympics!"

"It was great for us to sail well and consistently and to our potential throughout the whole regatta. We've proved we can win races and when the pressure has been on we've upped our game. Okay, we didn't get the Silver medal here but there was a lot on between three boats to do that and we were fighting hard with a Silver medallist from 1996 and the Gold Medallist from 2000 but even with our comparable lack of experience we've shown the future is potentially bright".

Looking forward to the future and the new Tornado Sport, Hugh added: "We've got a lot of boat tuning and training to do now with the new boat but we're looking forward to the new challenge and the extra entertainment that will bring".

"This is obviously a superb set of result for Team GBR, especially Hugh and Adam as it confirms their status as one of the world's leading Tornado crews which is really positive for the overall squad at the start of a new cycle. Hopefully they can continue this level of performance in the coming months with all the new changes to the class," commented RYA Olympic Development Squad Manager Stephen Park.

Day 6 Races 8 & 9 Report from Team Styles and May

Photo: © Peter Bentley
Team Styles & May

Going into the last day of racing we were lying in 3rd one point behind 2nd and one in front of 4th. All to play for, our rivals were Roman Hagara gold medallist from the Sydney Olympics, and Mitch Booth silver medallist from the Atlanta Olympics. This made for a high pressure finish to the regatta, we had two rivals to attack to improve our overall finishing positioning.

The day started with virtually no wind, which did not bode well for the two race schedule for the day. The forecast wind was from the North East as a sea breeze which would build to moderate strength. Due to the lack of wind first thing the race officer postponed the start of the race holding the fleet onshore for an hour and a half in order to let the wind strengthen to an appropriate level for us to race in.

We were released by the beach master and made our way out onto the race course. The wind was still light with the sea breeze trying to establish itself. The warning signal for the first race went at about 11.30am and we were into the sequence. We had to be careful not to get caught out by either of our two rivals pre start. Mitch Booth tried to take us out just before the start, but we were prepared for this and avoided an incident easily, maintaining our starting position and getting a good clean start.

After a good first beat we rounded the top mark 2nd just behind AUS Bundock and Forbes, the regatta leaders. We maintained this position for a lap closing on the leaders. The wind direction then swung part the way through the second lap of the course which gave the Aussies some separation form us allowing them to gain a better lead and the chasing pack were able to catch us up. We then had a fight on our hands between us and two other boats for 2,3 and 4th positions. This was between us AUT Roman Hagara and another Austrian Andreas Hagara. This scrap continued till the finish with the finishing positions ending as follows. 1st AUS Darren Bundock, 2nd AUT Andreas Hagara, 3rd AUT Roman Hagara, 4th GBR Hugh Styles. With NED Mitch Booth our other rival for the overall standings in 7th position after having to go back at the start for behind over the start line prior to the start gun.

This meant that the overall championships was now even closer for 2,3 and 4th positions:

2nd GBR Styles and May 21 points
2nd AUT Hagara and Stienacher 21 points
4th NED Booth and Derecksen 23 points

Thus we had to beat the Austrian by a place and ensure that we were no more than a place behind the Dutch team.

The last race was started with a very changeable breeze, both in direction and strength. We started well at the starboard end of the line next to the Aussies and close to the Austrian, with Booth at the other end of the line, also with a good start, this was going to be close. The first beat was OK, but we were not able to get the jump on the others and rounded the first mark 4th with the three in front, 1st AUS Bundock, 2nd AUT Hagara, 3rd NED Booth. This continued for the next lap but we were put under pressure from 5th place AUT Andreas Hagara, we fought with him for 4th in the next lap. With the wind changing direction again on the last upwind leg, which didn't do us any favours with Mitch Booth covering us to prevent us getting past him. In the end this cost distance for both us and Mitch as the Austrian past both of us. The final finishing positions ending. 1st AUS Bundock and Forbes, 2nd AUT Hagara and Steinacher, 3rd AUT Hagara and Seidl, 4th NED Booth and Derecksen, 5th GBR Styles and May.

This was good enough to secure us Bronze in the overall World championships. 1st AUS, 2nd AUT, 3rd GBR. An excellent result for us especially with the close finish to the regatta between us and the Austrians and the Dutch. We showed that we have the ability to raise our game when it matters and keep our heads when it is down to the wire.

I would like to thank all those who have supported us for this event in particular, Holt (boat fittings), Neil Pryde (wetsuits), Gill (sailing clothing), Oakley (eye protection), BAE SYSTEMS Airbus UK (time off work for Adam), our home sailing clubs of Downs and Beer, and to our parents for their assistance.

Final Overall Results: (9 races, 1 discard)

More Information:

• Event Website
• YachtsandYachting.com Tornado Page
• YachtsandYachting.com Tornado Sport Page