Aussies top place - others qualify at Laser Worlds

by Event Media on 17 May 2004 In perfect sailing conditions, two more races were completed to end the qualifying series of the Harken Laser World Championshjp in Turkey.

It was also a day when four more relieved competitors qualified their countries for the 2004 Olympics, as they qualified for the Gold fleet - Korea, Malaysia, Ireland and Uruguay.

Now the fleet is split into Gold and Silver, there will be equal interest in both fleets, as 22 countries are still trying to qualify for the remaining four Olympic spots in the Silver fleet.

Racing overnight was exciting at the front of both fleets in the fresh 17 to 20 knot winds, Robert Scheidt BRA and Michael Blackburn AUS looking like the two to beat.

In the first Yellow fleet race, Ali Kemal Turfekci from Turkey led at the halfway stage. He and the next four boats chose the port hand mark at the downwind gate, whilst Mathieu Murati FRA opted for the starboard mark, which proved correct, as he took a comfortable lead which he held to the finish line.

In the first race of the Blue fleet, Hamish Pepper NZL and Gareth Blanckenberg RSA sailed neck-and-neck down the first downwind leg, taking opposing marks at the gate.

Following Blankenberg to the right hand side of the course was Frederick Westman FIN, and Robert Scheidt BRA.

Master of the game, Scheidt was on a roll. He said, ‘I played the shifts on the second beat the same way I did on the first and was able to pass the guys in front of me. After that I just protected my lead.’

In the second race of the Yellow fleet, Michael Blackburn AUS started in the middle of the line. He commented after the race, ‘I had a good start and had good speed. I was patient and waited for the knock, and then I had a few good tacks sailing the high angles, and got to the top mark third behind Brendan Casey AUS and Mark Mendelblatt USA.

On the second windward I had a little bit of extra speed, which hasn't been the case in every race, and got to the top mark first.' Blackburn held his lead to finish ahead of Karl Suneson SWE and Casey with Mendelblatt fourth.

Scheidt completed a perfect day by winning the second race of the Blue fleet. ‘Again I played the shifts nicely up the first beat and came to the top mark behind Andreas Geritzer AUT. We had a bit of match race for the rest of the race and I managed to win by twenty metres.’

Results

1 BRA SCHEIDT Robert 9,0

2 AUS BLACKBURN Michael 15,0

3 USA MENDELBLATT Mark 15,0

4 SWE SUNESON Karl 20,0

5 NZL PEPPER Hamish 23,0

6 AUT GERITZER Andreas 24,0

7 RSA BLANCKENBERG Gareth 30,0

8 GBR GOODISON Paul 33,0

9 AUS CASEY Brendan 33,0

15 AUS SLINGSBY Tom 51,0

48 AUS IRONMONGER Ricky 109,0

Full results and more at the event website: www.laserchampionships.org/worlds04/