Lucas third Paralympic sailor at 2.4mR Worlds

by RYA on 6 Aug 2006 The 2.4mR Open World Championship drew to a close on Friday (4 August) in Helsinki, Finland, with British sailor Helena Lucas finishing third out of the Paralympic sailors.

The 2.4mR, a single-handed keelboat, is generally known as a Paralympic class boat, but the World Championship in Finland was an open event allowing both able-bodied and disabled sailors to enter.

Skandia Team GBR's Lucas, 31 and from Southampton, was 11th overall out of the 96-boat fleet but was the third placed Paralympic sailor, behind Dutchman Thierry Schmitter and Germany's Heiko Kroeger. Sweden's Stellan Berlin won the open title.

A steady easterly gradient wind prevailed at the Helsingfors Segelklubb venue, increasing throughout the week up to 20 knots on the final day. With more than four times as many boats on the start line compared to the usual size of a Paralympic 2.4mR event, a change to big fleet tactics was required by the British Paralympic sailors, with good starts the key to a successful race series.

Lucas and teammates Megan Pascoe of Haywards Heath (Sussex) and Michael Cogswell of Pluckley (Kent) struggled to get the strong starts they needed amidst the big fleet for most of the week, although the world silver medallist Lucas cracked it on the final day to post a 4,6 in the last two races and boost her into 11th overall.

'It was a tough regatta,' explained Skandia Team GBR 2.4mR coach Adam May. 'We spend a lot of the year training for and competing in small fleet situations as that's what's involved for Paralympic competition, so it does require quite a big shift in tactics for open events where the start becomes all important.'

With the Worlds now over, Lucas's attention now turns to the Pre-Olympic Test Event in China (18-31 August), where she helms Shirley Robertson's Yngling crew of Annie Lush and Lucy Macgregor at the first major regatta at the 2008 Olympic competition venue in Qingdao.

There are no events scheduled at the Olympic site for the Paralympic classes before the Paralympic Games in September 2008, so Lucas will use the chance to fill in for Robertson during her maternity leave as a key opportunity to compete in Olympic waters prior to 2008.

For full results from the 2.4mR Open Worlds, visit http://www.24worlds2006.org/


2.4mR Open World Championship results
1. Stellan Berlin, SWE, ((22),5,2,1,1,(13),2,1,10,1) 33pts
2. Thierry Schmitter, NED, (5,6,(14),(19),11,7,7,5,2,1,3) 47pts
3. Harri Malm, FIN, (4,7,3,(11),4,10,(11),8,11,2,5,) 54pts

GBR
11. Helena Lucas ((19),17,15,7,13,11,10,15,(18),4,6) 98pts
25. Martin Pascoe (7,32,37,8,36,(46),38,36,(48),7,23) 224pts
26. Megan Pascoe (14,22,(BFD),15,44,(59),35,28,35,23,24) 240pts
65. Michael Cogswell (64,68,72,(75),55,56,50,38,68,46,(DNS)) 517pts