Sail-World.com : Slingsby bags Euro-Gold in final pre-games regatta

News Home

Text Only News

Marine Business News

Powerboat-World

Olympics 08

World Cruising

Sail-World.com : Slingsby bags Euro-Gold in final pre-games regatta

Slingsby bags Euro-Gold in final pre-games regatta

'Tom Slingsby leads on Day of the European Championship for Laser Senior in Nieuwpoort, Belgium on July 16, 2008.' Thom Touw

Australian Laser sailor Tom Slingsby has won the 2008 Laser European Championships in Belgium overnight, with Australia’s Laser Radial representative Sarah Blanck finishing fourth overall.

Slingsby, who is ranked number one in the world and holds both the 2008 and 2007 World Championship titles, crossed the line first in five of the ten races to win on 17 points. Great Britain’s Paul Goodison finished second with 25 points and Slovenia’s Vasilij Zbogar finished third with 32 points.

With average winds of 23 knots in the morning and a forecast of 28-32 knots for the afternoon with steep waves, organisers called off the final day’s scheduled racing and winners were announced on accumulated points. It is the second time this year that Slingsby has won an event from shore after racing has been cancelled due to big conditions, somewhat disappointing for the NSW Central Coast sailor known for his love of big winds and big seas.

However, his ability to build a big points lead and adapt to changing conditions is seen as a plus going in to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games where he is now considered a firm medal favourite.

In the Laser Radial, Victoria’s Sarah Blanck finished fourth with 30 points behind Finland’s Sari Multala in first (11 points), France’s Sophie de Turckheim in second (14 points) and Belgium’s Evi Van Acker in third (16 points).

Slingsby and Blanck will meet the rest of the Australian Sailing Team in Hong Kong at the end of next week, where the team will gather at a pre-Games Assembly Camp before moving to Qingdao.

Sarah Blanck on the third Day of the Laser Radial Womens European Championship. - Thom Touw

Laser European Championships Website: http://users.telenet.be/cotap/EKLaser2008/news.html

Australian Sailing Team Website: www.australiansailingteam.com.au

by Nicole Browne 11:16 AM Sun 20 Jul 2008 GMT

Click here for printer friendly version
Click here to send us feedback or comments about this story.
If you want to send this story to a friend, please use link below
http://www.sail-world.com/USA/Slingsby-bags-Euro-Gold-in-final-pre-games-regatta/46688

Click on thumbnails to enlarge and find more photos:

Click for further information on
2008 Olympics Qingdao

Related News Stories:

28 Aug 2008	Olympic moment at Audi Hamilton Island Race Week
28 Aug 2008	Gilles on Qingdao: BMW Oracle Racing in the Stars
28 Aug 2008	Gilles on Qingdao: Around the Olympic Village
28 Aug 2008	US Sailing's Latest Video Podcast now online
28 Aug 2008	TEAMORIGIN skipper Ben Ainslie wins Olympic Gold
27 Aug 2008	ASB Finn's Olympic Regatta - the highs and lows
27 Aug 2008	Andrew Palfrey's blog after Star Class - Olympics
25 Aug 2008	Sail-World’s Olympic Sailing coverage continues
25 Aug 2008	Britain raises the 2012 Olympic flag
25 Aug 2008	Olympics: ISAF says Qingdao Regatta roaring succes