Scott eases to Olympic Classes victory
by RYA on 25 Feb 2008
RYA Skandia Team GBR Royal Yachting Association
http://www.rya.org.uk
Newly-crowned under 21 Finn World champion Giles Scott enjoyed a winning return to home waters as he cruised to RYA Olympic Classes Spring Series victory at Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy this weekend (23-24 February).
Scott ensured it was a double triumph for Skandia Team GBR at the 2008 Finn World Championships in Australia last month as his 14th place overall saw him take the Finn Silver Cup, awarded to the top under-21, by a massive 133 points while Ben Ainslie won the overall Gold Cup title.
And the 20-year-old from Tilbrook, Cambridgeshire made light work of the challenging fleet at what was the first of the two 2008 Spring Series events, winning four of the six rounds, and finishing second and third in the other two to take victory by five points from second-placed Scot Mark Andrews.
With the Spring Series compulsory for all RYA Olympic Development (ODS) and Transition (OTS) squad members, squad members Andrews and Andrew Mills both took a win from Scott on their way to second and third overall while squad teammate Ed Greig, 18th at the Finn Gold Cup, sailed home fourth.
Luke Patience and Chris Grube enjoyed an equally straightforward weekend of racing completing a clean sweep of bullets for the first five races to take the men’s 470 event, passing on the last race of the series having already wrapped up victory, while Ally Martin, sailing with OTS Laser Radial sailor Rosie Chapman won the women’s 470 series in coming fifth overall.
Two-time Olympic medallist Simon Hiscocks crewed John Pink to an easy 49er Spring Series victory, taking four wins and a second in their five races before, like Patience and Grube, opting out of the final race with victory already sealed.
OTS pairing Richard Mason and Tom Peel took second, enjoying their one series victory in race five, with ODS duo Dylan Fletcher and Alain Sign finishing third.
The second 2008 RYA Olympic Classes Spring Series event takes place at Hayling Island Sailing Club on 10-11 May.
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