New ISAF Rankings - Great Britain team to beat

by ISAF media/G N on 10 Feb 2006 Whilst New Zealand have a great month picking up two number one spots in the Rankings, Great Britain remain the team to beat. Along with new RS:X leader Bryony Shaw, Chris Draper and Simon Hiscocks (GBR) in the 49er and Ben Ainslie (GBR) hold on to their number one spots and Britain have six other sailors in the top three positions.

France are their nearest challengers, with long time Women’s 470 leaders Ingrid Petitjean and Nadege Doroux spearheading a group of five sailors in top three positions. New Zealand and Spain follow with fours crews apiece in the top three, followed by Austria with two. However it is only these five nations which manage more than one crew in a top three position, indicating the strength in depth across the fleets around the world.

As the first release of the new year, the Rankings offer a suitably enticing glance at the battles which look set to define 2006. Olympic Champions Robert Scheidt (BRA) and Ainslie both hold on to their Rankings leads, in large part due to their dominance of the main events in 2005. However, with the new sailing season now in full throw, these two great champions are looking increasingly vulnerable in the top spots.

Defending the Laser lead however will not be a priority for Scheidt, whose Beijing 2008 campaign is set to take place in the Star. Although by no means perfect, the Brazilian got off to a promising start at the Rolex Miami OCR.

The new Olympic windsurfer equipment, the NP RS:X begins its run on the ISAF World Sailing Rankings in this release and has already met with a terrific response. Well over 100 sailors competed in four regattas in the first Rankings period, and with the first ISAF Graded RS:X European regatta kicking off in a few weeks time, the class looks set to grow and grow.

Jon-Paul Tobin (NZL) is the first ever leader of the RS:X Rankings, with victory at the ISAF Grade 2 Sail Auckland combined with second places at the ISAF Grade 1 Sail Melbourne and ISAF Grade 2 RS:X New Zealand Championship putting him at the forefront of a trio of Kiwis in the top three positions. Briton's Nick DEmpsey is in 13 place having only entered one event to date, which he won.

Bryony Shaw (GBR) is the first leader of the Women’s RS:X Rankings with her narrow victory at the in Florida, USA putting her top of the pile. Runner up in Miami, Marina Alabau (ESP) takes second place, with third going to another Brit Lucy Horwood. With two events in the opening Rankings period (the fleets at Sail Auckland and the RS:X New Zealand Championship failed to meet the ISAF Grading criteria) 20 sailors have made it on to the Rankings, 15 of which were formerly rated on the Mistral Rankings.

A plethora of events are adding points for sailors in the men's one-person Laser dinghy fleet for this ranking release and the three ISAF Grade 1 events and four Grade 2 events have made for plenty of changes. Laser legend Robert Scheidt (BRA) has not been shifted from the top spot just yet and his lead over Paul Goodison (GBR) remains at a fragile single point.

Goodison took the gold medal home from Miami but his points tally is so solid he does not add these points to his total at this time. Just behind Goodison in Miami was Felix Pruvot (FRA) and he climbs to number seven, the highest position to change on the rankings. MArk Powell (GBR) is in 23 place and Mark Howard in 34 place.

There is no surprise that the sailor at the top of the Laser Radial rankings has not changed. Paige Railey (USA) dominated the fleet in 2005 and has started 2006 in exactly the same way - at the top. Moving up to number two is Laura Baldwin (GBR) who has had a busy season already this year. A sixth place at Sail Melbourne, third at the Laser Australian Championship, fourth at Rolex Miami OCR and third at the North American's has helped Baldwin climb two places and gives her a solid cushion of events. Other Brits in the rankings are Lizzie Vickers at sixth, Andrea Brewster in seventh and Charlotte Dobson at 17.

All change throughout the top ten of the men’s 470 World Rankings, dominated by the arrival of a new ranking leader with Gidi Kliger and Ehud Gal (ISR) knocking Alvaro Marinho and Miguel Nunes (POR) off the top spot. A spot the Portuguese pair had held since June 2005.

Whilst there is a complete shuffle in positions in the top ten, only one crew make their claim up into the top ten. Nick Asher and Elliott Willis (GBR) move up into seventh position. Breaking into the ISAF World Sailing Rankings only two years ago with a 23 place at the ISAF Grade 1 Semaine Olympique Francaise, the pairing made their first ever appearance in Miami this year and swept the board. Other Britsh rankings are Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield at sixth and Luke Patience and Chris Grubb at 35.

Despite only two 470 women's events counting in this Ranking release, there is significant movement across the board. Ingrid Petitjean and Nadege Doroux (FRA) claiming victory to cement their position at the top and extend their points margin. Petitjean and Doroux have been indestructible at the top for more than two years, a position now held since 1 October 2003. However, there is plenty of fresh talent ready to take on the challenge.

In particular Christina Bassadone and Saskia Clark (GBR) who move up to two from five. Their results of fifth and second at the North Americans and Rolex Miami OCR have given them the edge needed to make the climb. Amongst their main rivals who surpassed them at the North Americans are team mates Pippa Wilson and Sheena Craig (GBR) who sit only a few spots behind in eighth. This Ranking’s release marks Wilson and Craig's debut into the world’s top ten - an impressive feat given that they only entered the ISAF World Sailing Rankings in March 2005.

Chris Draper and Simon Hiscocks (GBR) remain the top team in the 49er Rankings after a second place at the Rolex Miami OCR, but behind them the competition is beginning to line up in their attempts to knock the long time leaders off their perch. Olympic silver medallists and World Champions Rodion Luka and George Leonchuk (UKR) are now the British pair’s closest challengers, moving up to second from fifth place following third place finishes in both Miami and the 49er North American Championship following shortly after. Also moving up are Briton's Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes in sixth and John Pink and Alex Hopson at tenth.

Olympic Champion Ben Ainslie (GBR) remains at the top of the Rankings for the third consecutive release, although the four-time Gold Cup winner now has silver medallist in Athens Rafael Trujillo (ESP) right on his tail. Britain’s Ed Wright is the only new entry into the top ten, climbing five places from 14 to nine following top five finishes in both American events. Like Ainslie, Wright came to the Finn from the Laser, and in the absence of his medal laden senior, is leading the British challenge in the class. Since switching to the Finn just over a year ago, Wright has made rapid progress and this month climbs into the top ten of the Rankings for the first time.

World and European Champions and ISAF Rolex World Sailors of the Year Fernando Echavarri and Anton Paz (ESP) have strengthened their lead at the top of the Tornado rankings. Xavier Revil and Chis Espagnon of France move from seventh to second ahead of third place team Leigh McMillan and Will Howden (GBR). The Brits push Mitch Booth and Herbert Derksen (NED) down into fourth place. Andrew Walsh and Ed Barney (GBR) move from 30 to 15 and Rob Wilson and Mark Bulkley (GBR) up from 27 to 19.

Sharon Ferris, Raynor Smeal and Ashley Holtum are the new leaders of the Yngling Rankings, with the Kiwis gaining the top spot for the first time since they made the switch to the keelboat in 2002. Behind them are the winners of the North Americans Monica Azon, Graciela Pisonero and Sandra Azon (ESP), recording their best result in the Yngling since winning the Worlds back in 2002. Ne