Britain’s Nick Thompson has unfinished Laser business

by Rob Kothe and the Sail-World team on 12 Oct 2013

Nick Thompson (GBR) Sail# 201402, Laser Standard fleet action - 2013 Semaine Olympique Francaise Breschi / FFVoile / SOF 2013 http://sof.ffvoile.com/

In the lead up to the 2012 London Olympics, two British Laser sailors were at the front of the pack. Paul Goodison had won Olympic Gold at the light weather Qingdao regatta in 2008, then the 2009 World Championships, while up and coming Nick Thompson was third.

In a reversal in the 2010 World Championship, Thompson came second behind Australian Tom Slingsby while Goodo was ninth. At Perth 2011 Slingsby won again, Thompson was second overall and Goodison was fifth.

However based on the Weymouth Sail for Gold regatta third place behind Slingsby and Kiwi Andrew Murdoch but ahead of Thompson, Goodison was selected for London 2012.

He did not start well while Slingsby was on fire, then his recurring back injury flared and put paid to his Olympic defence. Goodison has not announced his retirement from the Laser scene but has not raced the lightweight dinghy since Weymouth 2012.

Nick Thompson (GBR) © Sail-World.com http://www.sail-world.com

Now Nick Thompson is tracking towards Rio, after a long break, the longest break from dinghy sailing he has had since childhood. Thompson signalled he was coming up to speed again with a fourth at the European titles in Ireland last month.

He commented today. ‘The Europeans fourth was a frustrating result if I am honest.'

‘At the beginning of the season, I was a little bit slow at Palma and Hyeres. The long break affected me more than I thought it would. It was good to be back up to speed at the Euros fighting for the win but it was frustrating to all finish so close on points with me at the back of the group.

‘The Laser scene world-wide has changed as we thought it would for this quad. Back in 2011 Slingsby told me to expect to see Tom Burton and the rest of the Australian pack to issue challenges in this quad and they certainly are. It’s a lot like the British Finn class. You just push each other on.

‘Mind you, our own British Laser squad is really coming on, which is really pleasing. We have been training together over the winter, between Palma and now, and they have really made progress and I think in a couple of years they might be the ones to watch, so fingers crossed.

Laser Standard fleet in action during the 2013 Semaine Olympique Francaise © Breschi / FFVoile / SOF 2013 http://sof.ffvoile.com/

‘Now here in La Rochelle, I am feeling good' I am fired up... this is a really good warm up for the Laser Worlds next month in Oman.

‘Ash Bunning has been going well, as is Rutger van Schaardenburg, there are plenty of guys who can win races.

'The World's will be tough with the full Australian team and I expect to see Jesper Stalheim the Swedish guy and Phillip Buhl just back from doing his youth AC stuff back on the pace. Its going to be a very very tough light weather regatta, i am expecting in the eight to 12 knot range.

'After the Worlds, which is very important from lots of aspects including funding, the British Sailing Team is off to Rio in January for a pre-regatta and a regatta then on to Miami. Then I am off to Key West in the J70s because that’s a really good fleet and then its back to the Laser circuit, Palma, Hyeres here etc. and then the normal and keep pushing on.

Nick Thompson sails in the Laser Standard class at the 2013 Semaine Olympique Francaise © Breschi / FFVoile / SOF 2013 http://sof.ffvoile.com/

'I am one of the lighter Laser sailors so I think I will be able to sail at my natural weight should I get to Rio. Initially everyone gave it the China treatment, saying it was a write off for a sailing venue but my experience was that there was actually a bit of breeze. It’s just that it is really really shifty.

'Right now the focus is Oman.'

Laser Standard (after Jury decisions)

Time 18.37, Friday , October 11 2013

Results after 3 races ( Discards : 0 ) (63 entriess)

Pos	Sail	Competitors	Grp	P Net	P tot	r.1 C.F	r.2 Fin	r.3 Fin	Club/Country
1	GBR 201402	THOMPSON Nick	Gold	7.00	7.00	1 1.00	2 2.00	4 4.00	Grande-Bretagne
2	AUS 199014	BRUNNING Ashley	Gold	19.00	19.00	5 5.00	6 6.00	8 8.00	MHYC
3	ITA 196685	GALLO Marco	Gold	20.00	20.00	14 14.00	5 5.00	1 1.00	Italie
4	NED 204567	VAN SCHAARDENBURG Rutger	Gold	23.00	23.00	13 13.00	7 7.00	3 3.00	Hollande
5	EST 203724	RAMMO Karl-martin	Gold	25.00	25.00	6 6.00	4 4.00	15 15.00	ROPK/TJK
6	ITA 205243	FRANCESCO Marrai	Gold	26.00	26.00	20 20.00	1 1.00	5 5.00	SVGDF
7	ITA 204701	COCCOLUTO Giovanni	Gold	27.00	27.00	22 22.00	3 3.00	2 2.00	SEZ.VELA GDF - ZHIK
8	ITA 205247	SPADONI Alessio	Gold	27.00	27.00	10 10.00	8 8.00	9 9.00	C.C.ANIENE
9	NED 204566	HEINER Nicholas	Gold	32.00	32.00	12 12.00	14 14.00	6 6.00	Hollande
10	BEL 202016	VAN LAER Wannes	Gold	35.00	35.00	2 2.00	20 20.00	13 13.00	Belgique
11	FRA 170445	BERNAZ Jean-baptiste	Gold	36.00	36.00	7 7.00	19 19.00	10 10.00	CLUB NAUTIQUE SAINTE
12	SWE 204666	STALHEIM Jesper	Gold	37.00	37.00	4 4.00	12 12.00	21 21.00	Suede
13	GER 203170	BUHL Philipp	Gold	42.00	42.00	3 3.00	17 17.00	22 22.00	VEOLIA, - AUDI, SAP,
14	RUS 202692	KOMISSAROV Sergey	Gold	44.00	44.00	9 9.00	24 24.00	11 11.00	GBUMO CLUS CSK VMF
15	GBR 205648	MARTIN Evans	Gold	46.00	46.00	11 11.00	15 15.00	20 20.00	EXETER UNI
16	GBR 201481	WETHERELL Jack	Gold	51.00	51.00	18 18.00	16 16.00	17 17.00	BRITISH SAILING TEAM
17	FRA 203697	MERCERON Eliot	Gold	56.00	56.00	29 29.00	11 11.00	16 16.00	MOBIKY-SANDILINE-JUL
18	ESP 197295	BLANCO Joaquin	Gold	57.00	57.00	25 25.00	25 25.00	7 7.00	RCN GRAN CANARIA
19	FRA 200239	MUNOS Antony	Gold	62.00	62.00	8 8.00	29 29.00	25 25.00	YCPR, DECATHLON, MAG
20	GER 202143	GIELEN Fabian	Gold	63.00	63.00	31 31.00	9 9.00	23 23.00	BAUR-ENSURING THE FL
21	GBR 204887	CORNISH Ben	Gold	63.00	63.00	27 27.00	10 10.00	26 26.00	EXE SAILING CLUB
22	NED 204272	YURI Hummel	Gold	64.00	64.00	24 24.00	13 13.00	27 27.00	WV HET BOVENWATER
23	CRO 202974	MIHELIC Daniel	Gold	64.00	64.00	17 17.00	BFD 33.00	14 14.00	J.K.LABUD
24	NOR 201382	MOLLATT Mathias	Gold	65.00	65.00	15 15.00	21 21.00	29 29.00	INFOTJENESTER/ MOSS
25	FIN 198227	LINDFORS Mattias	Gold	65.00	65.00	21 21.00	26 26.00	18 18.00	BS
26	RUS 171513	NIKOLAEV Maxim	Gold	66.00	66.00	32 32.00	22 22.00	12 12.00	CSP KHLEBNIKOVO, CSK
27	NED 204270	BROEKENS Douwe	Gold	68.00	68.00	16 16.00	28 28.00	24 24.00	DELTA LLOYD
28	GBR 201404	HANSON Elliot	Gold	74.00	74.00	28 28.00	18 18.00	28 28.00	Redesmere SC
29	ESP 204673	JESUS Rogel Sanchez	Gold	76.00	76.00	30 30.00	27 27.00	19 19.00	Espagne
30	SWE 204437	EMIL CEDERGARDH Emil	Gold	82.00	82.00	19 19.00	BFD 33.00	30 30.00	RAMIRENT
31	GER 203739	SCHADEWALDT Tobias	Gold	82.00	82.00	26 26.00	23 23.00	DNF 33.00	AUDI STG, EWE, NRV
32	GBR 203084	MILLS BARTON Alex	Gold	89.00	89.00	23 23.00	BFD 33.00	OCS 33.00	NEWHAVEN AND SEAFORD
33	NOR 201111	TOMASGAARD Hermann	Silver	15.00	15.00	1 1.00	13 13.00	1 1.00	KNS
34	LTU 202773	PAJARSKAS Martis	Silver	15.00	15.00	3 3.00	10 10.00	2 2.00	Lituanie
35	FRA 201776	FERRER Jules	Silver	21.00	21.00	9 9.00	1 1.00	11 11.00	GROUPAMA
36	SLO 191141	ZAN LUKA Zelko	Silver	28.00	28.00	12 12.00	4 4.00	12 12.00	BD SIDRO
37	LTU 202989	KAROLIS Janulionis	Silver	32.00	32.00	15 15.00	7 7.00	10 10.00	Lituanie
38	POL 196962	ARIAN Aleksander	Silver	35.00	35.00	10 10.00	3 3.00	22 22.00	PODKARPACKIE
39	FRA 202376	DUCAMIN Jean-baptiste	Silver	38.00	38.00	17 17.00	12 12.00	9 9.00	SR ROCHELAISES, PARI
40	EST 192655	KRUUSMAGI Kaarel	Silver	39.00	39.00	16 16.00	2 2.00	21 21.00	Estonie
41	POR 203371	SILVEIRA Rui	Silver	40.00	40.00	2 2.00	18 18.00	20 20.00	CLUBE NAVAL DA HORTA
42	FRA 201602	NAUD Mattis	Silver	41.00	41.00	5 5.00	D+D 32.00	4 4.00	France
43	SWE 201727	BENGTSON Emil	Silver	41.00	41.00	4 4.00	BFD 32.00	5 5.00	GKSS
44	FRA 204179	MAZARD Maxime	Silver	42.00	42.00	7 7.00	BFD 32.00	3 3.00	SR CALDONIENNE
45	SUI 202656	GIROD Guillaume	Silver	44.00	44.00	8 8.00	9 9.00	27 27.00	SWISS SAILING TEAM
46	ITA 204252	BENINI Mario	Silver	46.00	46.00	24 24.00	16 16.00	6 6.00	FRAGLIA VELA RIVA
47	FRA 204329	ROBIC Mael	Silver	47.00	47.00	25 25.00	14 14.00	8 8.00	USAM
48	NOR 201735	BEGBY Henrik	Silver	47.00	47.00	11 11.00	11 11.00	25 25.00	KNS
49	POL 200986	DAWID Kania	Silver	48.00	48.00	29 29.00	5 5.00	14 14.00	ZLKS POZNAN
50	FRA 191446	QUEYROUX Loïc	Silver	48.00	48.00	26 26.00	6 6.00	16 16.00	BNIG
51	DEN 193612	HOEJEN CHRISTIANSEN Andre	Silver	56.00	56.00	13 13.00	17 17.00	26 26.00	SNV
52	DEN 201408	STEINFURTH Stig	Silver	57.00	57.00	6 6.00	19 19.00	DNF 32.00	Danemark
53	DEN 197182	THUROE Victor	Silver	57.00	57.00	22 22.00	22 22.00	13 13.00	KERTEMINDE SEJLKLUB
54	FRA 204111	MORVAN Gaston	Silver	58.00	58.00	18 18.00	8 8.00	OCS 32.00	USAM/NEILPRYDE/DCNS
55	FRA 202191	LE PEN Etienne	Silver	58.00	58.00	19 19.00	15 15.00	24 24.00	SNO NANTES
56	FRA 202111	DEVINEAU Antoine	Silver	59.00	59.00	20 20.00	20 20.00	19 19.00	SNO - ARMA+
57	FRA 201769	MICHELIER Damian	Silver	62.00	62.00	23 23.00	BFD 32.00	7 7.00	CN RENNES
58	ITA 204313	BENAMATI Michele	Silver	69.00	69.00	14 14.00	BFD 32.00	23 23.00	FRAGLIA VELA RIVA
59	FRA 201560	PHELIPPOT Wilfried	Silver	74.00	74.00	27 27.00	BFD 32.00	15 15.00	USAM - DCNS
60	FRA 201176	DERRENDINGER Arnaud	Silver	74.00	74.00	21 21.00	21 21.00	OCS 32.00	SR BREST
61	FRA 205251	ARNAUD Antoine	Silver	79.00	79.00	28 28.00	23 23.00	28 28.00	CN RENNES
62	GER 200080	HERRMANN Nils	Silver	80.00	80.00	31 31.00	BFD 32.00	17 17.00	VSAW
63	BEL 192012	DECKES Thomas	Silver	80.00	80.00	30 30.00	BFD 32.00	18 18.00	LESLEY CHOW