Cottonfield ISAF Match Racing Worlds - Practice

PRACTICE, WEIGH-IN, TRIPLE RACING AND NEW BOATS

On a blustery day on the Baltic Sea off Skovshoved Harbour, the ten crews here to contest the Cottonfield ISAF Match Racing World Championships, got their first practice sessions on the DS Match Racer boats.

What better way to familiarize themselves with the boats that to have a bit of competition, and the crews got this with a trial session of Paul Elvstrom's triple racing.

In 20 to 25 knots of offshore breeze, which meant flat water on the race course, these top professionals found it a little difficult to adapt to the new discipline, and the racing was mostly scrappy.

ISAF Sailing Manager Iain MacDonald-Smith, himself an Olympic Gold Medallist, who was helping run the triple racing with Elvstrom, commented that the skippers had problems adapting to the new concept.

"Dean Barker got it worked out quickly, and Sten Mohr was good, but the others didn't managed to line up on the lay-line for the gate starts," he commented. Interesting that Barker and Mohr are the two youngest skippers.

So what was the verdict on this new cross between match and fleet racing?

England's Chris Law said, "I'm confused", Australian skipper Peter Gilmour, who is sailing for Japan was non-committal, Dean Barker and team thought it was OK, but they'll stick to match racing.

All the crews weighed in today, with all but Chris Law and his crew well within the maximum weight, but Law had a novel way of putting the situation right.

Having tipped the scales at only a kilo or two over the limit, Law stepped off the scales, and then jumped back on, when the read-out settled, he was just on the limit.

The DS Match Racers seem to be weight sensitive, as some of these crews found out at the Swedish Match Cup in Marstrand last month, which Peter Gilmour won in light winds.

Amateurs were thin on the decks for the Pro-Am, with pouring rain in the afternoon replacing the morning's sunshine, and several of the guests choosing the bar instead of the boat.

The rain cleared again in the evening for the naming ceremony of two new boats for the fleet, the latest additions being named after the wife and daughter of event organiser David Holm, Lotte and Monica Holm.

Germany's triple Olympic Gold Medalist Jochen Schumann, who scraped into this event, when number two on the ranking ladder Gavin Brady declined his invitation, commented today, "this is perfect practice for us in our Olympic campaign, the best sailors in the world are here, and there are plenty of races."

Also on his way to the Sydney Olympics is Denmark's Jesper Bank, who already has gold and bronze medals in his trophy cabinet, asked if any of his crew for this event have Olympic medals he commented, "no, but ask them that question in October next year."

Event Website: www.sail.dk