ISAF Sailing World Championships 2007 – Finn Gold Cup Made for TV Finn sailing
ISAF Sailing World Championships 2007 â Finn Gold Cup Made for ...
ISAF Sailing World Championships 2007 â Finn Gold Cup Made for ...
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<strong>ISAF</strong> <strong>Sailing</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Championships</strong> <strong>2007</strong> <strong>–</strong> <strong>Finn</strong> <strong>Gold</strong> <strong>Cup</strong><br />
Cascais, Portugal, July 5-11<br />
Tuesday 10 th July<br />
<strong>Made</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>TV</strong> <strong>Finn</strong> <strong>sailing</strong><br />
After today's up and down racing, the <strong>Finn</strong> medal race tomorrow is about as<br />
close as it's possible to get. The top seven sailors are within just<br />
five points of each other and each has a shot at the world title.<br />
You can't make up this stuff. The <strong>2007</strong> <strong>Finn</strong> <strong>World</strong> Championship has remained unbelievably tight all<br />
the way through and today was no exception. Any sailor looking to build a points margin going into<br />
tomorrow's medal race came back today disappointed, with most sailors in the top ten picking up at<br />
least one high score.<br />
The overnight leader Emilios Papathanasiou (GRE) got a 4 and 35. Fourth placed overnight Chris<br />
Cook (CAN) got a 2 and DNF while fourth overnight Ed Wright (GBR) placed 19 and 4 and seventh<br />
placed overnight Gasper Vincec (SLO) placed 1 and 33. This has left the top seven boats within just<br />
five points of each other going into tomorrow's medal race and means that there is a fairly good<br />
chance that whoever wins the medal race wins the <strong>2007</strong> <strong>Finn</strong> <strong>World</strong> Championship.<br />
With the racing today on course area five, the fleet were expecting big winds and big waves again<br />
and, although the wind remained shifty and patchy, <strong>for</strong> the most part the winds were moderate to<br />
strong. The race officer set three rounds of windward-leeward course.<br />
<strong>Gold</strong> fleet<br />
In the first race today <strong>–</strong> which finally started after a 50 minute postponement to allow the wind to<br />
settle down to a solid 20 knots <strong>–</strong> a large right-hand shift half way up the first beat left Gasper Vincec<br />
(SLO) and Rafael Trujillo (ESP) in a great position on the right hand side of the course. Vincec<br />
rounded first and went onto win the race by a com<strong>for</strong>table margin, with excellent offwind speed. On<br />
the second round Chris Cook (CAN) pulled through Trujillo to take second. Other contenders such as<br />
Ed Wright (GBR) and Daniel Birgmark (SWE) were buried mid-fleet and could find no way out.<br />
Series leader Emilios Papathanasiou (GRE) came home in fourth, and just retained the overall<br />
championship lead. However all that was about to change.<br />
THE SECOND RACE LOOKED LIKE IT BE A REPEAT OF THE FIRST, BUT THIS TIME THE LEADERS EMERGED<br />
FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE COURSE WITH THE WINNER OF SATURDAY'S FIRST RACE, MARIN MISURA<br />
(CRO) TAKING AN EARLY LEAD ROUND THE TOP MARK FOLLOWED BY JONAS HØGH-CHRISTENSEN<br />
(DEN) AND WRIGHT. THOSE WHO TOOK THE PREVIOUSLY FAVOURED RIGHT HAND SIDE WERE LEFT<br />
WITH A LOT OF CATCHING UP TO DO. THESE INCLUDED VINCEC, PAPATHANASIOU AND COOK.<br />
The final upwind brought a change though. Høgh-Christensen explained, “At the final leeward gate I<br />
went to the right hand one looking downwind and ED and Marin went to the left hand one. Then the<br />
wind went left a bit and I picked up a bit on them. Slowly it went further until I was right behind the<br />
Croation. Then coming into the top mark, I got a few right shifts right to take the lead and I had a good<br />
offwind leg to take the win. The first race was tough though. I ended up 11 th after I was stuck in the<br />
middle when the wind went right.”
VINCEC'S STORY IS QUITE THE REVERSE. “IN THE FIRST RACE, THE WIND WAS LIKE SATURDAY, WHEN<br />
THE RIGHT PAID. I WAS SURE IT WAS THE RIGHT WAY TO GO FROM THE START AND I WAS FASTER THAN<br />
RAFA, SO MANAGED TO WIN.” IN THE SECOND RACED OF THE DAY HE WAS NEARLY LAST. “I WAS TRYING<br />
EVERYTHING AT THE START BUT IT WAS NOT HAPPENING, I WAS NEARLY LAST BUT I HAD EMILIOS<br />
BEHIND ME! I NEEDED TO GET BETTER THAN 6 TH TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE”<br />
This means that Papathanasiou now has to count his 12 th from day two and drops to sixth overall.<br />
PieterJan Postma (NED) takes the lead on 19 points, with Trujillo and Cook on 20 points, Wright on<br />
21, Cook on 21, Vincec on 22, Papathanasiou on 23 and Høgh-Christensen on 24.<br />
HØGH-CHRISTENSEN SUMMED UP, “ANYONE CAN WIN THE GOLD. IT WILL MAKE GREAT <strong>TV</strong>.”<br />
---------------------------------------------<br />
Get to know the sailor: Michael Maier<br />
If I were not in Cascais I would be...maybe in Valencia <strong>sailing</strong> maybe I stay in the garden<br />
My goal <strong>for</strong> this week is...stay in the top 20. I am just <strong>sailing</strong> just <strong>for</strong> fun, just <strong>for</strong> me. I am sending my<br />
boat to China as I qualified <strong>for</strong> pre-Olympics At the Europeans in Hungary. For next year we have yet<br />
to decide what we are doing. I still feel fit and able to go, so we have some decisions to make<br />
My main strength is...going <strong>sailing</strong>. This day off is good <strong>for</strong> some but I prefer to go <strong>sailing</strong>, finish and<br />
go home.<br />
My proudest moment is...at the 2000 <strong>Finn</strong> <strong>Gold</strong> <strong>Cup</strong> in Weynmouth I finished 5 th, although I won<br />
the Masters last year, which Luca pushed me into doing, When I sail with Master boys and see many<br />
faces looking at me saying 'what are you doing here.' Maybe I'll leave the masters until I am a bit<br />
older.<br />
My friends would say that I'm....some friends tell me I'm completely crazy, some tell me I'm a little<br />
bit crazy and some would say “So you're still <strong>sailing</strong> <strong>Finn</strong> eh?”<br />
I am very bad at...unjust decisions. The worst moment <strong>for</strong> me was that in 1992, I was dropped from<br />
the team just a few days be<strong>for</strong>e we left <strong>for</strong> Barcelona because they said the team was too big. I stopped<br />
all <strong>Finn</strong> <strong>sailing</strong> as I was so angry. In 1993 I just sailed the Fin <strong>Gold</strong> <strong>Cup</strong> in Ireland. I tried speed board,<br />
mistrals and things. But my friends told me to get back in the <strong>Finn</strong> and this is now my 28 th season. I<br />
first won the Czech title in 1980, aged 18. I am very happy with this class. It is good.<br />
My philosophy <strong>for</strong> life is...I started building car workshop <strong>for</strong> 15 years and I sold this be<strong>for</strong>e Athens<br />
because I decided I must make a choice between <strong>sailing</strong> and work and I think I have made the right<br />
decision<br />
I think the favourites this week are...<strong>for</strong> me, I think Emilios has the best technique in this group. If we<br />
have a little bit less than Saturday, his steering is perfect up and down wind. But any in the top 10<br />
could do it. It's not east to say<br />
The best thing so far about Cascais is...I cross the botanical garden be<strong>for</strong>e and after <strong>sailing</strong> and it is<br />
my com<strong>for</strong>t zone. Sometimes I just stop and take it in<br />
If I were in charge of <strong>sailing</strong> I'd...there is too much pressure sometimes <strong>for</strong> the Jury. 12 knots on<br />
flat water and waves is different. Maybe we move the wind limit <strong>for</strong> free pumping, say 10 knots.<br />
Sometimes you get flagged <strong>for</strong> absolutely nothing, just by moving or something. sometime the<br />
decision is too hard, sometimes they seem to work to different rules.<br />
-------------------------------------------<br />
SILVER FLEET
THE SILVER FLEET ALSO SAILED TWO RACES IN THESE TRICKY CONDITIONS. GOING INTO<br />
TOMORROW'S FINAL RACE, SANDER WILLEMS (NED) LEADS FELLOW DUTCHMAN STEFAN DE<br />
VRIES (NED) BY NINE POINTS AFTER PLACING THIRD AND FIRST TODAY. WILLEMS LOST THE<br />
FIRST RACE IN THE CLOSING STAGES AFTER A LONG BATTLE WITH PIOTR KULA (POL). ALTHOUGH<br />
NONE OF THOSE IN THE SILVER FLEET CAN QUALIFY THEIR NATION FOR THE OLYMPICS THERE IS<br />
STILL THE SMALL MATTER OF PRIDE.<br />
MEDAL RACE<br />
THOSE SAILORS WHO HAVE REACHED THE MEDAL RACE HAVE GUARANTEED THEIR<br />
COUNTRY A PLACE IN NEXT YEAR'S OLYMPICS. HOWEVER FOR SOME HERE, A GOOD<br />
PLACING COUNTS FOR EVEN MORE. BY PLACING IN THE TOP 10, NOSSITER HAS ALREADY<br />
GUARANTEED HIS PLACE IN QINGDAO NEXT SUMMER. FOR TRUJILLO, TOMORROW'S RACE<br />
DETERMINES HIS NATIONAL FEDERATION ATHLETE GRANT, AND HE STANDS TO LOSE OR<br />
GAIN SOME 38,000 EUROS DEPENDING ON HIS RESULT. HOWEVER FOR HIM THE WIN IS MORE<br />
IMPORTANT THAN THE FINANCIAL REWARDS.<br />
THE TOP TEN SAILORS ARE EACH FROM A DIFFERENT NATION, SO THESE TEN <strong>–</strong> NED, ESP,<br />
SLO, GBR, CAN, GRE, DEN, CRO, SWE AND AUS <strong>–</strong> HAVE ALREADY QUALIFIED THEIR<br />
COUNTRY FOR A PLACE IN QINGDAO NEXT YEAR. THE OTHER NINE PLACES ARE STILL WIDE<br />
OPEN, WITH FRA, FIN AND NZL LEADING THE RACE. THE FINAL GOLD FLEET RACE<br />
TOMORROW, SCHEDULED FOR 14.40 WILL DECIDE THE REMAINING NATIONS TO QUALIFY AT<br />
THIS EVENT.<br />
TOMORROW'S MEDAL RACE AT 16.30 WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BE A SHOW. CURRENTLY THE<br />
WIND IS KICKING THROUGH CASCAIS BAY AT WELL OVER 30 KNOTS, SO THE SAILORS ARE<br />
HOPING THERE IS A NOT A REPEAT OF MONDAY WHEN THE STAR AND TORNADO MEDAL<br />
RACES WERE ABANDONED.<br />
FOR THOSE WHO LIKE MATHEMATICS, THERE ARE MANY OPTIONS FOR TOMORROW'S RACE.<br />
IF POSTMA, TRUJILLO OR VINCEC WIN THE RACE THEY BECOME WORLD CHAMPION,<br />
IRRESPECTIVE OF WHAT ANYONE ELSE DOES. FOR WRIGHT OR COOK TO WIN THEY NEED<br />
POSTMA TO BE AT LEAST TWO PLACES BEHIND HIM. FOR PAPATHANASIOU TO WIN, HE MUST<br />
PUT THREE BOATS BETWEEN HIMSELF AND POSTMA AND TWO BETWEEN HIMSELF AND ANY<br />
OF THE THE TOP FIVE BOATS. IT IS CERTAINLY GOING TO BE AN EXCITING END TO WHAT HAS<br />
BEEN THE CLOSEST FINN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN RECENT YEARS.<br />
FULL RESULTS CAN BE FOUND ON THE EVENT WEBSITE.<br />
LOTS MORE PHOTOS CAN BE FOUND AT<br />
WWW.FINNCLASS.ORG/PHOTOS/FINN_GOLD_CUP_<strong>2007</strong>_PHOTOS.HTM
© <strong>2007</strong> ROBERT DEAVES, INTERNATIONAL FINN ASSOCIATION<br />
REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WELCOMED WITH CREDIT TO AUTHOR.<br />
CLASS WEBSITE: WWW.FINNCLASS.ORG<br />
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:<br />
<strong>ISAF</strong> SECRETARIAT, MARKETING AND MEDIA DEPARTMENT<br />
TEL: + 44 2380 635 111<br />
FAX: + 44 2380 635 789<br />
EMAIL: MARKETING@<strong>ISAF</strong>.CO.UK<br />
LINKS:<br />
<strong>ISAF</strong> SAILING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: WWW.CASCAISWORLDS<strong>2007</strong>.COM<br />
INTERNATIONAL SAILING FEDERATION (<strong>ISAF</strong>): WWW.SAILING.ORG<br />
NOTES FOR EDITORS<br />
<strong>ISAF</strong> SAILING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS <strong>2007</strong><br />
OVER 1,300 SAILORS FROM 76 NATIONS ARE COMPETING AT THE <strong>2007</strong> <strong>ISAF</strong> SAILING WORLD<br />
CHAMPIONSHIPS, FROM 28 JUNE-13 JULY IN CASCAIS, PORTUGAL. THE CHAMPIONSHIPS ARE THE<br />
PRINCIPAL QUALIFICATION REGATTA FOR THE 2008 OLYMPIC SAILING COMPETITION, WITH 75% OF ALL<br />
NATIONAL PLACES TO BE DECIDED. 'THE WIND IS CALLING' IS THE OFFICIAL MOTTO FOR THE <strong>2007</strong><br />
WORLDS.<br />
<strong>ISAF</strong> HAS APPOINTED SPORTSHOWS AND CSI SPORTS TO MANAGE <strong>TV</strong> PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION<br />
BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE EVENT. FOOTAGE AND VNR’S WILL BE AVAILABLE <strong>–</strong> FOR MORE<br />
INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT MARKETING@<strong>ISAF</strong>.CO.UK.