ISAF Sailing Worlds, Santander - Fifth place for Dempsey and Shaw

by Lindsey Bell on 20 Sep 2014 Friday’s RS:X windsurfing medal races brought drama and mixed emotions for Britain’s windsurfers as they rounded off their World Championships in Santander (19 September).

Both Nick Dempsey and Bryony Shaw ended their regattas in fifth place, with both placing fifth in the 10-board final races in front of thousands of spectators on this second day of medal racing at the Spanish venue. While Dempsey was content to have improved one place in the final race and finished as high as it was mathematically possible to, Shaw was devastated to have slipped back, having been in a medal position part way through the race.

Dempsey’s RS:X men’s final was the first to take place on the Duna course in front of the crowds. A wind shift right before the race start forced three sailors – two French and a Greek – to jump the gun and also left Dempsey with a poor start.

'The wind shifted as we all approached the line and all of a sudden we couldn’t cross. I was closest to the pin so I couldn’t actually get over the start line,' Dempsey explained.

'The three above me had to go early to actually get over so it was full on from the start. I approached the windward mark in last and I thought ‘oh wow - this is going to be a long race’, but I stuck with it and kept my head down and took two of the best in the world.

'It is normally us three racing at the front so it was strange us three racing out at the back, but it was good fun racing there and it was fortunate that those top three were over the line.'

Dempsey’s hopes of a podium finish had all but ended after a high-scoring day in Wednesday’s fleet racing, and although he was disappointed overall, he feels he had achieved his target for the week and is feeling positive that his campaign has the right ingredients for success in Rio which remains his ultimate goal.

'I enjoy winning and I do want to win, but the reality is that I came here wanting to finish top five and top five is good. I reached my target and the areas I didn’t perform in are very easily sorted out, so I suppose it’s a good finish to what has been a tough week.' the Olympic silver medallist concluded.

Shaw started her medal race day in fourth overall and within reach of the podium spots. She sailed a positive first half of the race, moving up to second after the second lap of three and closing in on the medals.

But too tight a tack at the final windward mark left her fighting back through the pack, and an attacking move at the last downwind gate left her vulnerable and out of phase with the wind shifts. She dropped to fifth in the race – her finishing position overall and outside of the podium spots.

'I'm pretty sad, gutted,' said a visibly upset Shaw as she returned to shore.

'I raced really well in that race and I don't know why I haven't been racing like that all week. Just frustrating trying to find the speed and I found it today, but it's all a bit late and then just mistakes creeping in. Silly, amateur mistakes.'

'I just knew I needed to sail a good race and keep myself in the game. I had really nice pressure on the board and I felt like I was in a really good place and groove. [It was] just a silly mistake to give myself such a tight tack around the windward mark - I could have given myself more room and made it a bit safer.'

'For the first half of that race I was in it to potentially medal. Ending up fifth in this regatta - it's a fantastic fleet of girls. I gave myself a chance and unfortunately I blew it today,' said the frustrated Shaw, who won her first World Championship medal – a silver – in 2013.

Izzy Hamilton was also in RS:X medal race action for the British Sailing Team, and was so close to improving on her overall ninth place heading into the day, but for a wipeout on the final gybe of the final leg of the race. She finished eighth in the race, and ninth overall – just one point from eighth.

France took gold in both the men’s and women’s windsurfing events through Julien Bontemps and Charline Picon.

With medal racing assured for British crews in both the 470 Men and 470 Women’s fleets tomorrow, Great Britain has secured its country qualification berths in both events for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark head into the 10-boat Women’s final in bronze medal position, with movement either way possible, while scratch pairing Christina Bassadone and Eilidh McIntyre also qualified for the final day’s racing, winning the last race of the day on Friday to see them into eighth place overall.

In the men’s event, Luke Patience and Elliot Willis head into their medal race showdown in fourth place, and will be hoping for a strong final race and a bit of good fortune to push them into the podium spots.

Giles Scott continued his impressive form in the Finn fleet to extend his lead by 20 points with two more fleet races to go before Sunday’s medal race, with teammate Ed Wright in fourth overall, just one point from the podium spots.

In the Nacra 17 event, Pippa Wilson and John Gimson are currently third overall, with Lucy Macgregor and Andrew Walsh in tenth. But there was drama for 2013 world silver medallists Ben Saxton and Hannah Diamond who were left affecting repairs after a crash with an Aruban team which forced them out of three of four races and seeking redress afterwards.

In the 49erFX event, Charlotte Dobson and Sophie Ainsworth endured a tough four-race day, posting 21,5,10,16 to see them in sixth place overall with one day of fleet racing left to go, while in the men’s 49er class, John Pink and Stuart Bithell are the top-placed British crew in eighth overall. Stevie Morrison and Chris Grube are poised just outside of the top ten in 13th with one more fleet race to go for the men’s skiff teams on Saturday ahead of the medal race cut.

Schedule for Saturday 20 September (local times for gold fleets and medal races):

470 Women’s Medal Race: 1410hrs
470 Men’s Medal Race: 1510hrs
49erFX: races, 9,10,11 from 1300hrs
49er: race 12 from 1200hrs
Nacra 17: races 10,11,12 from 1300hrs
Finn: races 9,10 from 1300hrs

The Finn, Nacra 17, 49er and 49erFX medal races will take place on Sunday 21 British Sailing Team