Super Danes win SAP 505 Worlds

by Jordan Spencer on 2 Feb 2007
Day 5, a beautiful day, offshore at South Australia's Brightson and Seacliff Yacht Club, a little warm for the visitors and a little light for the Aussies, but it was perfect for the Danes.

Two races were held in a fairly light sea breeze and the Super Danes, Jan Saugmann and Morten Ramsbaek excelled.

Race 7 started in about 8-10kn and built slightly as the race went on. Mike Martin and Jeff Nelson were gate boat and started on a port tack lift, which swung right four minutes later, just as they were released from gate boat duties. From there, they crossed the fleet and had an easy lay to the top mark and an all the way victory. Sandy Higgins and Paul Marsh, the local boys sailing Hawaii 5 0 and using a different mainsail, sailed brilliantly to work through the field and pull second place. Jan and Morten were 16th at the first mark, but were superior in all legs, managing to move up to fifth by the finish.

Race 8 was perhaps consistently stronger, but no windier than 12kn. After the gains made to the right in the previous race, a large part of the fleet favoured a late start for the second race, to the right, yet most of the guns picked an early to middle start and it was the right call. The boats that worked the middle left early popped out in the lead at the top mark.

Leading the pack were the Super Danes. These guys have just not made a mistake this regatta. They have been sailing together for a while and have done 10 of the last 12 Worlds, nearly always in the top 10, but have never even won a Worlds heat before.

A jinx they have well and truly broken now, at what many are saying has been the toughest, (to win) 505 Worlds in a while. Michael Quirk and Geoff Lange from Australia had their best race of the series to place second and Howie Hamlin and Fritz Lanzinger were third.

Today’s performances mean that the Super Danes cannot be beaten and they don’t have to sail the last race, but also, there is a ding dong battle for second, with two point separating three boats. Mike Martin and Jeff Nelson of the US are second, Howie Hamlin and Fritz Lanzinger of the US are third and local boat Sandy Higgins and Paul Marsh are fourth.

One race remains. The forecast is the same as today, so it seems likely we will have another light sea breeze.

Full results at www.505worlds2007.com