Percy and Simpson return to Star for Kiel Sailing World Cup

by Lindsey Bell on 20 Jun 2009
Ongoing legal wrangles over the America’s Cup challenge means that Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson will have the chance to compete together again in the men’s Olympic keelboat class at the penultimate leg of the ISAF Sailing World Cup series in Kiel, Germany.

Double Olympic sailing champion Iain Percy admits it has ‘felt weird’ preparing for his first event back in the Star since he and Andrew Simpson clinched gold in the class at the Beijing Games last summer.

With the pair having originally planned to spend this year preparing for an America’s Cup challenge with the British Team Origin, ongoing legal wrangles with the event have put those plans on hold for now, giving Percy and Simpson the chance to compete together again in the men’s Olympic keelboat class at the penultimate leg of the ISAF Sailing World Cup series in Kiel, Germany, which takes place from 20-24 June.

'Our plans have changed slightly,' Percy explained. 'We would have been pretty full on preparing for the America’s Cup now but with the uncertainty still surrounding that, we realised we had an opportunity to get some of the building blocks in place for our Star campaign towards 2012.'

'It has definitely felt weird – the last time you sail in the class you’re at your best and now after time away in different boats it feels clumsy and you’re making mistakes, which is just a reminder of how much difference a lack of practice makes!

'This event is part of that building process. It’ll help us to keep our hand in and it’s good for us to be able to do some Star sailing again so we can give something back to our sponsors, Skandia and Citroen, as well.'

Percy and Simpson will be among 33 Skandia Team GBR sailors from eight classes who’ll be competing at this sixth leg of the World Cup, which also sees the first outing for the new modified Elliot 6m keelboat, which was selected for the women’s match racing event introduced for the London 2012 Games.

Lucy Macgregor, Annie Lush and Ali Martin currently lead the World Cup standings in the women’s match racing event, having medalled at both the Miami and Holland legs of the series so will be keen to make their mark in the new Olympic boat.

Paul Goodison will feature in the Laser fleet, with back to back World Cup wins under his belt from the French event at Hyeres in April, and in Holland last month – his first two events back since winning Beijing gold – while Nick Thompson tops the series standings for Skandia Team GBR having won the two early season World Cup events in Miami and Palma.

Ed Wright will look to extend his lead at the top of the heavyweight Finn fleet by picking up a fifth consecutive World Cup podium spot, while Paul Campbell-James and Mark Asquith will also hope to strengthen their position at the head of the 49er fleet. Fellow 49er sailors John Pink and Rick Peacock, who showed early form winning silvers in Miami and Palma, could break into the overall top three positions with a strong showing in Kiel.

Skandia Team GBR’s Megan Pascoe will be hoping for a second straight World Cup podium spot to add to her silver from last month’s Delta Lloyd Regatta in Holland; 470 World Champions Nic Asher and Elliot Willis will look to make up for their fourth place from the same event, while the British Laser Radial contingent will include Christina Bassadone, who is competing in only her second Laser Radial event since making the switch from the 470 class following the Beijing Games.

Skandia Team GBR at Kiel Week:

Star - Iain Percy-Andrew Simpson; John Gimson-Ed Greig

49er - Paul Campbell James-Mark Asquith; John Pink-Rick Peacock

Women’s Match Racing - Lucy Macgregor-Annie Lush-Ali Martin

Finn - Ed Wright

Laser - Paul Goodison; Nick Thompson; Max Holloway; Eifion Mon; Robert Godwin; Stuart Godwin

Laser Radial - Christina Bassadone; Charlotte Dobson; Alison Young; Rosie Chapman;

470 Men - Nic Asher-Elliot Willis; Luke Patience-Callum Macdonald; Matt Mee-Max Capener; Ben Muskett-Jonny Moss; James Rusden-Rob Partridge

2.4mR - Megan Pascoe