Final Day - 2008 470 World Championship

by Christine Hansen on 30 Jan 2008
At the end of racing yesterday there was 3.1 points between the top three men's crews, so the medal race with it's double point system was always going to be the decider.

Asher and Willis won the race by half a leg in fresh conditions just off the beach, putting them just 0.9 of a point ahead of Portugal crew Alvaro Marinho and Miguel Nunes who had led the regatta for the last two days.

In the women's gold fleet Maxwell and Kinsolving had a comfortable 16 point margin over Italians Guila Conti and Giovanna Micol going into the medal race and their fourth placing was good enough to keep number one position.

Thirteen Kiwi boats took part in the regatta - the biggest 470 fleet we've seen for many years. The team was young overall but the places gained by Carl and Peter, Geoff and Mark are also the best we've seen for many years.

A thirteenth race was held for each of the remaining fleets.

Mens Gold: Geoff Woolley and Mark Overington placed fourth across the line after a close battle with the top three boats to come 13th overall, Carl Evans and Peter Burling placed 10th across the line to finish in 11th position overall and the top New Zealand crew.

Women's Silver: Shelley Hesson and Bianca Barbarich Bacher placed 10th to come fourth overall; Melinda Henshaw and Maddy Urry came 14th overall; Susannah Pyatt and Danielle Bowater came 17th overall; Emma and Sarah Berry came 18th overall; and Georgina Hill and Vicki Francis came 24th overall.

Men's Silver: Dan Willcox-Silfverberg and Chris Dawson had a good series and finished off with an eighth to come 12th overall; Paul Snow-Hansen and Riley Dean finished the last race 11th and placed 25th overall.

Men's Bronze: Mike Snow-Hansen and Joshua McCormack came seventh overall; Derek Scott and Scott Illingworth came 18th overall; Jamie Thompson and Murray England came 27th overall; and Kagan Weeks and Ben Goodwin came 28th overall.