US improves at IFDS Worlds

by John Roberson on 21 Jan 2006 On a day when Germany overtook the British at the top of the leader board, American competitors put in some good results, to climb the ladder, and keep the medal hopes alive.

Roger Cleworth of St Petersburg Yacht Club, had a good day putting a third and a ninth on the scoreboard in the 2.4 Metre class, to end the day fourth overall, the best placed of the U.S. team.

A sixth place for Jen French, skipper of the three person Sonar team, was their best result to date, and has given them confidence that they are finally mastering the robust conditions.

Jen French, also of St Petersburg Yacht Club, who is crewed by Brad Kendell and Brad Johnson commented, ‘we did much better than yesterday, it was definitely fun, the wind picked up and the chop made it a great time for surfing the waves.’

Roger Cleworth also enjoyed the stronger winds, ‘it was pretty wild today,’ was his assessment of the conditions, ‘it was a good race, this wind, you feel like you're actually fighting,’ he said with enthusiasm.

It was another bad day for Rolex Yachtsman of the Year, Nick Scandone, who broke a backstay, which put him out of the second race of the day.

It was Germany's day on the water, with Heiko Kroeger chalking up a first and eight places in the 2.4 Metre class, while Jens Kroker and his crew of Holger Schoenberg and Tobias Schueltz, scored a very satisfying first and second places in the Sonar.

These results put the Jens Kroker/Schoenberg/Schueltz team level on points with the British team of John Robertson, Hannah Strodel and Stephen Thomas, but on a count back, the Germans take the top spot.

Heiko Kroeger's position at the top is as much courtesy of Helena Lucas's mistake as his good sailing, in the second race of the day, which dropped her down through the fleet.

Jens Kroker thoroughly enjoyed his day, ‘I think it was a magnificent day,’ he said through his smile, ‘couldn't have been better. I think we can be very satisfied with the day, it went very well.’

It was a gutsy day on the water for the competitors in both fleets, with the breeze gusting to over 30 knots, when the Fremantle Doctor was given a helping hand by the fringe effect of a cyclone gathering off north western Australia.
Helena Lucas finished just 4 seconds behind Heiko Kroeger in the first race, but commenting on the second race she said, ‘I was up near the front, but I ended up doing two turns, which was a bit stupid.’

It was another Brit who took the gun in the second 2.4 Metre race of the day, with Megan Pascoe surprised at her success. ‘I was a bit surprised to be up there,’ she admitted, ‘because I just seemed to tack, and tack, and tack, and there I was at the front.’

After four races of the eleven heat series, the points at the top of both fleets are incredibly close, and with Saturday a lay day, the teams will have time to consider what they have to do to win.

RESULTS: After 4 races, no discard.
Sonars

1. Jens Kroker/Schoenberg/Schuetz GER 10pts

2. John Robertson/Stodel/Thomas GBR 10pts

3. Dror Cohen/Efrati/Vexler ISR 18pts

13. Jen French/Kendell/Johnson USA 50pts

2.4 Metres

1. Heiko Kroeger GER 15pts

2. Helena Lucas GBR 16pts

3. Aaron Hill AUS 24pts

4. Roger Cleworth USA 24pts

12. Nick Scandone USA 44pts