Miamo OCR - Gold to Thompson

by Lindsey Bell on 31 Jan 2010
Britain’s Nick Thompson proved the class act of the Laser fleet at the Rolex Miami Olympic Classes Regatta, clinching gold to defend his 2009 title with a day to spare on Friday (29 January).

Thompson, the 2009 World Championship bronze medallist and World Cup series winner, mastered the tricky conditions out in Biscayne Bay all week to pick up an impressive six wins out of the ten races and amass an unassailable 44 point lead heading into Saturday’s ten-boat double points scoring medal race.

The Skandia Team GBR sailor leaves his nearest rival, USA’s Kyle Rogachenko, to fight it out for silver with Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Bernaz and Brazil’s Bruno Fontes.

Buoyed by the nature of his win, the 23-year-old admitted he couldn’t resist the chance to put down a marker for the rest of the fleet in his first event of the season.

'Coming into this regatta it was more of a process and just trying to polish up a few things I’ve been working on over the winter,' Thompson confessed.

'But then day one came and race one started and my emphasis changed to ‘I’d like to win this and bring home the gold’, so to do that is really pleasing.

'It’s the first regatta of the year, and a chance to show what you’re planning for the future!' With gold already in the bag, Thompson could be forgiven for taking a relaxed approach to Saturday’s medal race – but he has other ideas.

'I’d actually quite like to win the medal race. I’ve done quite a few of them but never actually quite managed to win one so that’s kind of my goal!'

Victory was doubly sweet for the Lymington sailor, as his girlfriend – American Paige Railey – also sealed early victory in the Laser Radial class, while Skandia Team GBR’s Alison Young is still on track for her best ever World Cup result in the same event. She’s in the bronze medal position with a healthy 13 point gap over the fourth-placed Swiss sailor Nathalie Brugger.

There were further Skandia Team GBR celebrations at the conclusion of competition for the Paralympic classes on Friday, with John Robertson, Hannah Stodel and Steve Thomas claiming silver in the Sonar event – but there was no happy ending for SKUD World Champions Alexandra Rickham and Niki Birrell.

They went into the final day in bronze medal position, but indecision as to whether they were over the startline early saw that slip from their grasp. A protest for a startline infringement against the Canadian boat helmed by John McRoberts, could have boosted them back onto the podium, but the case was dismissed by the jury so the Skandia Team GBR pair were forced to settle for fourth.

The British 2.4mR sailors Megan Pascoe and Helena Lucas ended their regatta in sixth and 13th places respectively. Lucy Macgregor, Annie Lush and Ally Martin are assured of a podium finish in the women’s match racing event with another flawless display in Friday’s semi-finals.

The trio started their day by wrapping up quarter-final match 3-0 against Denmark’s Lotte Meldgaard, before extending their unbeaten run at this event with another 3-0 victory of world number one Claire Leroy (FRA) in the semis.

Macgregor and her crew, certain of a silver, will race for the title against the USA’s British-born Anna Tunniclffe, who has switched to match racing since winning gold in the Laser Radial event at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

The Finn medal race is looking promising for a British 1-2, with Ed Wright enjoying a healthy 14-point lead over fellow Skandia Team GBR sailor Giles Scott in second.

USA’s Zach Railey, the Olympic silver medallist, effectively ended his title challenge after picking up two yellow flag penalties and being forced to retire from Friday’s second race.

The title race in the 470 men’s class, however, is still wide open with GBR’s Nic Asher and Elliot Willis still firmly in the running. The two-time World Champions are fourth overall, but are just two points off of the top spot currently occupied by Israel’s Gideon Kliger and Eran Sela.

Nick Dempsey and Bryony Shaw will both feature in the RS:X windsurfing medal races, Dempsey with an outside chance of bronze, but a black flag disqualification for Dave Evans and Ed Powys ended their hopes of a medal race berth in the 49er class.

They finish 13th overall, with Sarah Ayton and Saskia Clark ending their regatta in the same position in the 470 women’s event.

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