IFDS Worlds 2011 Skud hat-trick from Team GBR

by Lindsey Bell on 8 Jul 2011 The IFDS Disabled Sailing World Championships 2011 are currently taking place in Weymouth and Portland with the defending titleholders Alexandra Rickham and Niki Birrell claiming a third straight sailing World Championship crown and clinching gold in the SKUD class with a day to spare.

The Skandia Team GBR duo claimed a second and a fourth on the water today, and head into the one-race final day with an unbeatable eight point lead over the American duo of Jennifer French and Jean-Paul Creignou.

Even if the Brits were to have a torrid time on the water in Friday’s final race and end up tied on points with the Americans, Rickham and Birrell will have amassed enough race wins throughout the week to break the deadlock.

'It’s amazing – there are just no other words,' said an elated Rickham on claiming their world-beating hat-trick.

'It’s our third Worlds, and this is definitely the one Niki and I wanted more than anything else. To win, on home waters, at the Olympic venue is just perfect and everything we could have asked for.'

'It hasn’t been the easiest of weeks and it’s been such varied conditions, from the beginning of the week with virtually no wind to yesterday which was all over the place breezy but I think we’ve been pretty consistent, and possibly where some of our competitors have fallen we’ve just tried to make sure that we were there to make up the difference,' Rickham continued.

'It’s been a tough week for everybody – we had a spinnaker problem earlier in the week, today our main Aussie rival Dan had his mainsail fall down when he was leading the race. That’s sailing for you, and we’re just over the moon that it came good in the end for us.'

But even before the pair have collected their latest World Championship medals, the 24-year-old Birrell is already thinking ahead to the prospect of the Paralympic Games next year and achieving his dream of a medal at the same venue in 14 months’ time.

'I just hope the selectors have picked up on the results and they like them and they send us to the Games! That’s the most important thing of these two events – we’ve won three Worlds, we’ve won all the events pretty much, we just want to win the Games next year now.

'The focus on Monday morning will switch to how can we go quicker, how can we be better, and how can we win the Games with two races to spare!' said the Knutsford-born sailor, who finished fifth at the 2008 Games with Rickham.

Elsewhere on the penultimate day of World Championship action, John Robertson, Hannah Stodel and Steve Thomas reclaimed the top spot in the three-person Sonar event to line themselves up for a potential third world title as well.

The trio, who were crowned World Champions in 2005 and 2006, and narrowly missed out in 2010, resumed the overall lead from their overnight position of third, thanks to a win in the first race of the day, and a fourth in race two.

Their Israeli rivals, who led the fleet at the close of play on Wednesday, boosted the Skandia Team GBR crew’s gold medal prospects when they were over the startline early in the second race, with the GBR team now leading by seven points heading into the final race on Friday. Helmsman Robertson is not celebrating yet, and knows there’s still work to be done. 'It’s never over until it’s over, so we’ll wait until we’re on the podium!' he explained.

'The guys are not miles away so we’ve still got to keep our heads out of the boat, sail fast and be ahead or close enough at the finish to clinch it. We’ll have a chat tonight and then steady away – no panicking or getting too ahead of ourselves.'

The Sunderland sailor and two-time Paralympian admitted seeing his teammates win gold today was a great boost.

'Niki and Alex are doing a pretty good job of dominating in that fleet at the moment and it’s great for them because they’re fantastic sailors and good guys so for them to win again is pretty awesome.

'It would be sweet if we could make it three world titles for us as well, but we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. We’ve got to get the job done tomorrow, so fingers crossed!'

In the one-person 2.4mR fleet, the gold and silver medals looking to be going the Netherlands’ way, with Thierry Schmitter and Andre Rademaker occupying the top two spots heading into the final day.

Britain’s Helena Lucas, in third place overall, has the narrowest of leads over USA’s Mark LeBlanc, with just a point separating the two, but with four other sailors, including her Skandia Team GBR teammate Megan Pascoe also still capable of winning the bronze there will be a tense showdown in Friday’s final race.

Strong wind conditions are expected at the Dorset venue for the final day of racing. The scheduled start time for the final race is 1025.

IFDS Disabled Sailing World Championships 2011, Weymouth and Portland (after 10 of 11 races )

Sonar (three-person keelboat)
1. John Robertson-Hannah-Stodel-Steve Thomas (GBR), 37 pts
2. Alexander Wang Hansen-Per Eugen Kristiansen-Marie Solberg (NOR) 44 pts
3. Bruno Jourdren-Eric Flageul-Nicolas Vimont-Vicary (FRA), 44 pts

SKUD (two-person keelboat)
1. Alexandra Rickham-Niki Birrell (GBR), 19 pts
2. Jennifer French-Jean Paul Criegnou (USA), 26 pts
3. Daniel Fitzgibbon-Liesl Tesch (AUS), 30 pts

2.4mR (one-person keelboat)
1. Thierry Schmitter (NED), 27 pts
2. Andre Rademaker (NED), 39 pts
3. Helena Lucas (GBR), 52 pts
6. Megan Pascoe (GBR), 56 pts

Skandia Team GBR squad for the IFDS Disabled Sailing World Championships:

SKUD18 (two-person keelboat)
Niki Birrell 16/08/1986 Manchester Knutsford
Alexandra Rickham 11/09/1981 Kingston, Jamaica Epsom, Surrey

2.4mR (one-person keelboat)
Megan Pascoe 29/11/1986 Shoreham-by-Sea Portland
Helena Lucas 29/04/1975 Redhill, Surrey Southampton

Sonar (three-person keelboat)
John Robertson 11/02/1972 North Haven, Sunderland Portland
Hannah Stodel 27/08/1985 Colchester West Mersea
Stephen Thomas 05/01/1977 Bridgend Cardiff

IFDS Worlds website