Make it or break it day a tough one at 49er Worlds

6th January 2008  

Andre Fonseca & Rodgrigo Duarte are on the way to qualifying Brazil

Qualification races finished at the 49er worlds today and tomorrow the fleets will be divided into Gold, Silver and Bronze fleets; the top 25 sailors going into the gold fleet to race of for the Championship title over the next three days.

Many prayed for heavier winds at this regatta, getting their wish today, although a lot more than they bargained for in gusty and shifty 20-25 knot southerlies. It made the going tough and resulted in lots of upside-down skiffs, protests and minor injuries that kept the medical officers busy most the afternoon.

Australia’s Nathan Outteridge/Ben Austin thrived in the heavy winds and wavy and choppy seas off Sorrento and they retain their lead of the Championship. Fending of challenges from other teams, the Aussies finished the day with 5-1-3 results.

With a total score of 17, Outteridge/Austin are just four points clear of Athens silver medallists Rodion Luka/George Leonchuck (UKR) who moved into second place today following 2,3,2 results, and six points clear of third placed defending world champs Steve Morrison/Ben Rhodes (GBR).

In Race 8, the Aussies, selected for Beijing, were sitting in fourth place at the first windward mark in a tight bunch with Alexandre Monteau/Damien Guillou (FRA), John Pink/Simon Wheeler (GBR) and Giuseppe Angilella/Pietro Zucchetti (ITA). Gold medallists from Athens and 2006 world champions, Iker Martinez/Xabi Fernandez (ESP) led the fleet by a good margin.

By the second time around, the Aussies had moved up to second place with the French crew snapping at their heels. At the rounding, the Spanish crew headed out, the four behind them took a course closer to the shore. On reaching the next mark, it was crew Outteridge in front with team Monteau hot on their tails, but the Aussies managed to hold them off to the finish. Earlier leaders Martinez/Fernandez finished seventh.

Morrison/Rhodes had a similar day to the Aussies, with 6-3-1 results keeping them in third place and close on the tails of the leaders. In Race 8, it was all some could do to keep their boats afloat and on track and Morrison talked Rhodes through some manoeuvres, more to reassure himself as the pair watched others capsize around them.

German brothers Jan Peter and Hannes Peckolt are now fourth, with Martinez/Fernandez moving up to fifth place. This Championship is by no means over and continues tomorrow with a further three races.

Of those nations trying to qualify for the Games, Brazil’s Andrea Fonseca/Rodrigo Duarte are the only crew to make it into the gold fleet, currently in a pleasing 19th place. Others seeking selection are in the silver fleet.

Anthony Kotoun, skipper of the US Virgin Island crew, here to try and qualify their nation for the Olympics, described today’s conditions: “It was so windy and choppy; it made it hard sailing downwind.”

He and crew Cy Thompson have been in Sorrento since December in their attempts to qualify for the Olympics. However, big capsizes in Races 7 and 9 resulted in not finishing those races. They are currently in 35th place on equal points with 36th placed brothers Goran and Ivan Invankovic (CRO) who are also trying to qualify their country.

Results (elsewhere on this site) are provisional pending protests. The Sail Melbourne ISAF Grade 1 event continues tomorrow.

Di Pearson