Slingsby wins Laser Gold at ISAF Worlds

by Judith Duller-Mayrhofer on 21 May 2006 The Laser Medal Race began in a very light southerly wind of five knots, with a windward/leeward course set just of the pier at Neusiedl, which saw crowds of spectators gathered to watch the opening Medal Race of the fourth ISAF World Sailing Games.

At the start of racing, 21 year old Tom SLINGSBY (AUS) held a twelve point lead on his nearest rival and only challenger for the gold medal Thomas LE BRETON (FRA). Meanwhile Diego ROMERO (ARG) was 15 point clear of Paul GOODISON (GBR) in the bronze medal spot.

Andrew MURDOCH (NZL) and Brendan CASEY (AS) immediately threw a spanner in the works of the challengers, with MURDOCH OCS and CASEY returning to the line at the start. Meanwhile GOODISON headed off to the left and ROMERO went right, but unless he suffered from equipment failure or CASEY produced a stunning comeback, ROMERO was now guaranteed bronze.

SLINGSBY meanwhile was also dead set on making certain of the gold medal. He kept close tabs on LE BRETON throughout the race, rounding the marks ahead of the Frenchman and eventually finishing sixth to LE BRETON’s seventh to safely take victory. Meanwhile the left paid for GOODISON, who rounded the top mark first and pulled away through the race to take a comfortable win ahead of Felix PRUVOT (FRA). ROMERO crossed the line in eight to take the final podium spot.

SLINGSBY, after his Hyeres regatta win is showing similar form to his great European summer of last year and is now looking forward to the Holland Regatta.

Queenslander Brendan CASEY finished eighth overall, carrying his fourth race 34th.

Laser Top Ten Results

Pos Nation Skipper R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 MR Pts

1 AUS Tom SLINGSBY 1 (13) 3 3 1 4 2 7 12 33

2 FRA Thomas LE BRETON 3 1 1 2 8 14 (19) 4 14 47

3 ARG Diego ROMERO 2 3 11 8 17 3 (41) DNF 5 16 65

4 GBR Paul GOODISON 15 4 (24) 5 10 9 13 8 2 66

5 POR Gustavo LIMA 4 10 20 14 7 11 7 (24) 8 81

6 SLO Vasilij ZBOGAR 12 21 4 (24) 11 15 4 10 6 83

7 BRA Bruno FONTES 17 9 10 13 (27) 13 8 3 10 83

8 AUS Brendan CASEY 5 6 2 34 (36) 7 5 18 18 95

9 FRA Felix PRUVOT 18 5 18 19 2 18 (27) 14 4 98

10 NZL Andrew MURDOCH 14 (28) 19 25 24 5 1 2 22 OCS 112