Christensen wins Finn Gold Cup. NZL 18th

by Corinne McKenzie on 17 Jul 2006 Jonas Hoegh Christensen (DEN) has won the 2006 Finn Gold Cup by finishing 6th in the last race. Once more Papathanasiou (GRE) will take the Silver medal in the Finn Gold Cup, with Ed Wright (GBR) placing third on the podium.

Mark Andrews (GBR) is confirmed as winner of the Junior event. Second place went to Henry Bagnall (GBR) and third to Piotr Kula (POL).

Jonas Hoegh Christensen has proved this week he really is the No.1 Finn sailor in the World by winning the 50th Finn Gold Cup. He had to face some of the best sailors in a fierce competition where the smallest mistakes were paid dearly.

One of the most disputed Finn Gold Cup in years; this edition assembled 99 sailors from over 30 countries on the same starting line. Hoegh Christensen’s display of skills was impressive in a field of talented opponents and in varied conditions. He is winning by a small three points margin from Emilios Papathanasiou.

The Greek won the last race with brio but his second victory in the Championship was not enough to overcome the Dane. The Bronze medal is going to Ed Wright of Briton who raced the most constant regatta scoring only top 10 results. He finishes in second position in this last race.

Wright has made a rapid progression after stepping from the Laser to the Finn last year. Also coming from the Laser is Daniel Birgmark who is acceding to fourth position after finishing seventh in the last race.

Rafael Trujillo (ESP) was probably the fastest sailor in this regatta, the early leader won three races in the championship but the Bura wind has been fatal for the Athens Silver medallist who after collecting a 39th today misses the podium to step down to fifth position overall.

Opposite situation for Guillaume Florent who after a slow start into the championship scored a fifth and two fourth places. He is placed in sixth position after taking one year off.

The best Croatian is yesterday race winner, Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic in 8th position. He will pass on the Jorg Bruder Silver Cup to the new Junior World Champion, Mark Andrews (GBR). Second Junior is Henry Bagnall also from Great Britain.

The third position in the Junior division has been fought for very hard during all week. After a very slow start into the Championship, Piotr Kula has reached the third place by distancing his teammates Krzysztof Dabkowski and Piotr Mazur by a few points.

Piotr Kula is satisfied with his results, despite collecting two disqualifications, he is placed 50th overall in his first major Finn regatta. The 19 years old has realised his best results in Kiel Week finishing 18th after a few months in the Finn.

The Finn class is thankful to the Labud Yacht Club and the Grisogono brothers who have provided the Finn sailors with a great championship.

2006 FINN GOLD CUP - OFFICIAL FINAL RESULTS

99

boats

TOTAL RANK

99

sailors

FINN

16.7.2006

14:46:13

total

rank

point

s.nb.

sail

helmsman

club

race

R1

R2

R3

R4

R5

R6

R7

R8

points

1

23

24

DEN 2

CHRISTENSEN JONAS HOGH

ROYAL DAISH YC

2

4

2

5

1

3

*33

6

2

26

42

GRE 7

PAPATHANASIOU EMILIOS

OSFP

4

1

5

10

2

*DSQ

3

1

3

32

96

GBR 111

WRIGHT EDWARD

PARKSTONE

1

*10

7

2

3

10

7

2

4

54

90

SWE 11

BIRGMARK DANIEL

GKSS

11

6

3

8

15

4

*27

7

5

56

87

ESP 100

TRUJILLO RAFAEL JOAQUIN

R.C. NAUTICO LA LINEA

9

2

1

1

8

1

34

*38

6

63

33

FRA 73

GUILLAME FLORENT

X

*19

11

12

11

16

5

4

4

7

69

91

SWE 736

TILLANDER JOHAN

JKV

12

5

13

6

7

14

*16

12

8

73

16

CRO 524

KLJAKOVIĆ GAŠPIĆ IVAN

ZENTA

5

12

*OCS

18

10

17

1

10

9

76

10

CAN 41

COOK CHRISTOPHER

ROYAL CANADIAN YC

*21

7

10

13

14

11

12

9

10

79

99

GBR 550

HOWARD MATT

RYA

6

13

6

*68

9

13

13

19

11

83

97

GBR 54

PERCY IAIN

HAYLING ISLAND

7

3

21

12

4

8

28

*RAF

12

93

115

NED 842

POSTMA PIETER JAN

KWS

8

23

4

*39

19

2

21

16

13

93

77

NOR 1

MOBERG PEER

KNS

10

9

14

*32

11

25

11

13

14

110

1

AUS 221

NOSSITER ANTHONY

MIDDLE HARBOR

25

14

22

20

17

9

*46

3

15

113

85

SLO 5

VINČEC GAŠPER

FINN SLOVENIJA

*BFD

29

8

22

13

7

6

28

16

116

3

AUT 271

RAUDASCHL FLORIAN

WOLFGANGSEE

16

*34

19

4

27

16

17

17

17

116

12

CRO 11

KURET KARLO

LABUD

37

20

26

7

6

6

14

*44

18

123

113

NZL 1

SLATER DANIEL

MBSC

3

8

*OCS

19

12

18

30

33

19

126

79

POL 12

SZUKIEL WACLAW

AZS UWM OLSZTYN

32

28

*38

3

5

26

24

8

20

127

31

FIN 216

TAPIO NIRKKO

EPS

23

15

9

27

*34

24

2

27

21

138

88

ESP 310

ARRARTE PABLO

SANTANDER

27

25

*29

17

23

12

10

24

22

144

20

CZE 1

MAIER MICHAEL

YCR

34

16

*47

16

26

23

8

21

23

150

35

FRA 972

ISMAEL BRUNO

CNSCHOELCHER

15

22

31

14

22

*43

35

11

24

171

51

IRL 10

O'GRADY AARON

NATIONAL YC

31

19

35

*42

25

19

37

5

25

174

101

GBR 625

GREIG ED

RYA

38

26

11

*52

36

15

19

29

26

176

15

CRO 25

MIŠURA MARIN

LABUD

28

17

34

36

*44

20

9

32

27

185

83

POL 7

SZUKIEL RAFAL

AZS UWM OLSZTYN

17

18

33

29

29

22

*39

37

28

189

52

IRL 5

GOODBODY TIMOTHY

ROYAL IRISH YC

26

37

16

9

31

31

*53

39

29

190

108

USA 4

RAILEY ZACH

SFYC

22

21

27

*71

20

27

22

51

30

197

67

LTU 7

GUZYS GIEDRIUS

LYC

14

30

30

*43

41

21

20

41

31

198

104

GBR 88

ANDREWS MARK

LARGS

24

27

24

34

35

29

*50

25

32

219

44

GRE 8

DRAGOUTSIS ALEXANDROS

SEA SPORTS CLUB

18

31

48

15

32

32

43

*60

33

222

18

CRO 69

MIŠURA BARTUL

LABUD

40

24

23

53

33

*62

23

26

34

230

14

CRO 16

TOMAŠEVIĆ EMIL

MORNAR

20

35

40

*70

43

34

38

20

35

237

21

CZE 3

LIDARIK RUDOLF

BRNO

30

50

46

40

38

*56

15

18