Winners announced - Day 6 Laser Masters Worlds

by Di Pearson on 23 Feb 2008 Day 6 racing at the Laser Masters Worlds, sponsored by Crowne Plaza, where the prize giving dinner will be held this evening, got underway with the Standard fleets shortly after 10.00am in light flicky south and south-easterly winds on the course off Terrigal.

Brett Beyer (AUS) was the first winner announced today, successfully defending his 2007 World Championship crown in the Standard Apprentice Master finishing the final day with a win and a second place. “I’m very happy. There wasn’t much wind, maybe 10-12 knots, and the racing was very close as usual,” said Beyer on winning an unsurpassed sixth Apprentice world title.

Beyer finished the nine-race series on 10 points, remarkably finishing only once outside a top two results. In the two races sailed today, the Sydney sailor scored a win and a second. Rohan Lord (NZL) placed second on 20 points after his third and fourth places this afternoon, while Finish sailor Jyrki Taiminen was third on 22 points.

Orlando Gledhill (GBR) missed out on a podium finish, despite winning the final race, finishing the series on 29 points for fourth place. The Brit was runner-up to Beyer in the last two World’s.

“My closest competition came from Rohan, Jyrki and Orlando. It was hard to spot the marks today,” the 41 year-old Sports Scientist said.

Was it a tough win? “Well, this is my best scorecard, so I guess that makes it look easier than it was. It was hard close racing, so the scorecard is a bit deceptive,” said Beyer who trains hard throughout the year on top of undertaking Olympic coaching duties for Singapore, which qualified for the Beijing Olympics at the Laser World’s sailed last week. Beyer was justifiably proud.

“I am happy with my series; it was close all the way through and a lot of fun. The racing was especially close with Brett and Rohan,” said Taiminen, who went on to explain: “I haven’t done a World's for three years. The first one I finished sixth, then fifth, then fourth. Now I am third, so next time I should be second,” he laughed.

Jan ‘Clogs’ Scholten wins Standard Master Worlds

After leading the fleet all week and going into day with a five point lead, Brad Taylor (AUS) was done out the Master world title today when Jan ‘Clogs’ Scholten (AUS) steamed home in third place to Taylor’s fifth in Race 8 and won Race 9 in which Taylor finished sixth, to claim the World Master title.

This is Scholten’s first time at the Laser Master Worlds but, as he explains: “I competed at a Laser World Championship during the 1980’s, so I’m back to doing what I used to do many years ago.”

Clogs, who will turn 47 next month, said of winning: “I stuck to my program. My starts were conservative. I got to know my rig and got better boat speed as the week went on, which allowed me to then concentrate better on what was going on around me.

“I was basically confident I had a chance after sailing at the Laser Nationals and Asia Pacific Championship, but I didn’t know the internationals and I didn’t know Brad. Having the breeze pick up in the last couple of days helped too,” said Scholten, whose business Contender Sail Cloth supplies one of the Laser sail manufacturers.

“I have to thank my wife, as she has been so supportive of me doing this. We just had our third baby girl three months ago, so she has had to sacrifice quite a lot. I’ve also had a good support base from the Alfred’s (Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club). All our competitors shared a house here in Terrigal and we are all good at something – it’s been a real team effort,” he said.

No newcomer to winning, in the past Scholten, a well-respected helmsman and tactician, has won three Hardy Shield’s (sailed in the Yngling), the 1999 Etchells Nationals and a Sydney Hobart win aboard Sagacious with Garry Appleby in the 1980’s.

In a coup for Australia taking away the top three podium places, Scholten finished the regatta on 18 points, Taylor in second just two points behind and Peter Conde, a Laser Open World’s runner-up in 1979 was third, a further seven points adrift on 27 points.

A disappointed Taylor told: “I got to third place in Race 8 and had a close tussle with Jan – we had a great tacking duel. I tried to get right, but he held me to the left and I finished fifth. In the second race I had a good start and went right, but there was more pressure on the left. I did well to get back up to sixth. I had a really good regatta though.”

Andy Roy (CAN) won Race 8 and scores second in Race 9 for fourth place overall. “It was really nice, really beautiful waves, and up to 14 knots of wind. It was perfect conditions and I’ve loved this regatta. The committee and organisers have been very helpful and we’ve had great volunteers – well done. I’m glad I came to Australia,” he said.

Mark Bethwaite retains Standard Grand Master crown

Mark Bethwaite, a 1972 and 1976 Olympic sailor today retained his Stand Grand Master crown following sixth and second places in the final two races. Second place has gone to Wolfgang Gerz from Germany who was only one point behind Bethwaite going into racing today.

“It was a day of nips and tucks,” said Bethwaite, whose win this afternoon gave him his fifth Masters World crown.

“Wolfgang was after me at the start of the first race. It was a day of trying to stay clear at the start. It was exciting racing. I turned the tables on him and the hunter became the hunted. He came at me again on the last run, but I got him on the last reach. I gave him dirty air to hold him out and put two boats between us by the finish. That enabled me to win. Of course I am very happy,” the 59 year old said.

Bethwaite, from Sydney, finished his regatta on 20 points, Gerz was second on 22 points and Jack Schlachter, in winning Race 8, placed third on 31 points, just in front of regatta chairman Rob Lowndes who was thrilled with his second place in Race 8 that brought him home fourth overall on 39 points.

Peter Heywood wins second Grand Master title

Peter Heywood (AUS) the reigning Radial Grand Master world champion has won his second world crown this afternoon after winning four of the nine races sailed, including the final Race 9 this afternoon.

The Sydney sailor’s worst result was a fifth in the one race drop series. He was not available for comment this afternoon, but said yesterday afternoon “I’ve got to keep scoring top three’s if I’m going to win,” and he stuck with that game plan.

With a final score of 16, Heywood defeated his nearest rival, Brian Watson, also from Australia, by a resounding 11 points. Peter Whipp (GBR) managed to scoot home third on countback to Lew Verdon (AUS). Both finished on 40 points, but Whipp had the upper hand with two wins on his scorecard.

Gill Waiting from New Zealand was the only female competitor in the Grand Master fleet and so wins the Women’s world championship. Waiting finished the regatta 23rd overall from 33 competitors with 173 points.

Peter Seidenberg wins three Great Grand Masters in a row

American sailor Peter Seidenberg did not need to start today’s one race in the Radial Great Grand Masters to win, but he did. “The conditions were too beautiful not to,” he said. The 70 year-old American has won the past two world titles from Australian Kerry Waraker – and that’s exactly how it stacked up today too.

“I’m just so happy we got the conditions yesterday and today that we all imagined we would get here. I’m very happy with my win. I very much enjoyed the regatta. I expected Kerry to be my main competitor. He beat me in Brazil (2005), then I beat him in Korea (2006), Spain (2007) and now here. It’s a very nice rivalry between us and I hope it continues,” Seidenberg said.

Seidenberg finished on nine points, 11 clear of Waraker with an amazing seven wins from nine races, including the final Race 9 –