Hart and Hall are Flying Fifteen World Champions

by Gerald New on 16 Jun 2007 The two final race sailed on Friday produced a nail biting finish to the 16th Flying Fifteen World Championships held at the Royal Port of Pollenca YC in Mallorca.

Britain's Mike Hart and Tim Hall, who had lead from day one, came under increasing pressure over the final two days from the defending champions, Australia's Nick and Janet Jerwood and from three time world champions, Steve Goacher and Phil Evans (GBR) making a great last day charge.

But despite Goacher and Evans winning the first race of the final day and with only one point separating them going into the final race, Hart and Hall held their nerve in a tight final race to finish sixth, two places ahead of Goacher and Evans and take the 2007 World Title by three points.

The Jerwoods, who for most of the week had been strong challengers, slipped from the leading trio after scoring a 17th and 4th to finish fourth overall, one point behind the New Zealand pair, Aaron Goodmanson and Alister Rowlan. Fifth overall went to Ireland's Darren Martin and Simon Murrey and sixth to Jeremy David and Richard Rigg (GBR).

With some of the best sailing conditions of the week, the fleet were able to enjoy two fast races. Race 6 was a win for the former champions, Goacher and Evans, who after a stuttering start to the week had moved into second place overall with a second and a first coming into the final day. Hart and Hall finished second to just maintain their overall lead and Rod Bzvrfeaux and Chris O'Keefe (AUS) took third. The Jerwoods blew their chances with a 17th.

Race 7 the final race of the championship, was down to a race-off between Hart and Hall, and Goacher and Evans. A long course was set and in ideal conditions the scene was set for the Title race.

While Goodmanson and Rowlan took the final race victory, overtaking Greg Wells and Mark Darling (GBR) 50 meters from the line, with David and Rigg in third. It was a match race scenario for Hart and Hall who kept a close cover on Goacher and Evans, ensuring that they finished ahead to clinch the title.

Classic and Silver Events

In the Classic and Silver events, the Silver title went to Vincent and Patrick Harris (ESP 2964) with Bouffant and Salmon (FRA 3061) second and John Walker and Dean Harper (ESP 2873) third. The Classic title went to
Simon Dangerfield and David Hemingway (GBR 2663), second Tim Linson and Mark Greer (GBR 2433) and third Jeremy Arnold and David Brown (GBR 2684).

Flying 15 World Championship Final Results

1 GBR 3817 MIKE HART TIM HALL PORT DINORWIC SC GBR 1.00 3.00 10.00 1.00 16.00 15.00
2 GBR 3721 STEVE GOACHER PHIL EVANS ROYAL WINDERMERE YC GBR 9.00 24.00 5.00 2.00 1.00 17.00
3 AUS 3743 NICK JERWOOD JANET JERWOOD RFBYC / SOPYC AUS 4.00 2.00 9.00 16.00 2.00 17.00
4 IRL 3866 DARREN MARTIN SIMON MURRAY STRANGFORD LOUF Y.C. IRL 10.00 29.00 4.00 8.00 3.00 25.00
5 NZL 3739 AARON GOOGMANSON ALISTER ROWLAN CHARTENIS BAY Y.C. NZL 5.00 7.00 6.00 40.00 8.00 26.00
6 GBR 3716 JUSTIN WAPLES IAN STONE GRAFHAN WATER SC GBR 7.00 8.00 18.00 5.00 30.00 38.00
7 GBR 3760 JEREMY DAVID RICHARD RIGG HAYLING ISLAND YC GBR 14.00 9.00 13.00 7.00 27.00 43.00
8 GBR 3883 ALAN BAX PAUL BUSBY HAYLING ISLAND YC GBR 2.00 74.00 23.00 14.00 9.00 48.00
9 GBR 3842 SIMON KNELLER DAVE LUCAS GBR 11.00 54.00 3.00 9.00 26.00 49.00
10 GBR 3897 CHARLES APTHORP DAVID RICHARDS HAYLING ISLAND YC GBR 16.00 27.00 1.00 6.00 28.00 50.00
11 AUS 3833 GRANT ANDERSON DEAN McAULAY R.F.B.Y.C. AUS 17.00 32.00 2.00 29.00 5.00 53.00
12 AUS 3619 RON PACKER PETER MUNDFORD ROYAL FRESHMATER YC AUS 19.00 1.00 22.00 15.00 19.00 54.00
13 RSA 3868 PATRICK HARRIS JEMMY KRIEK ROYAL NATAL Y.C. RSA 20.00 11.00 26.00 47.00 7.00 64.00
14 AUS 3781 ROD BZVRFEAUX CHRIS O'ICEEFE R.F.B.Y.C. AUS 23.00 41.00 28.00 10.00 6.00 67.00
15 GBR 3853 ROBERT HOGBEN ADAM KIGSTONE BEWLVALLEY SC GBR 24.00 21.00 12.00 12.00 23.00 68.00
16 GBR 3805 DAVID McKEE CHRIS HEWKIN DOVERSTONE SC GBR 3.00 74.00 25.00 3.00 38.00 69.00
17 IRL 3886 ANDREW McCLEERY COLIN DOUGAN KILLYE AGH Y.C. IRL 64.00 22.00 21.00 20.00 12.00 75.00
18 IRL 3773 JOHN LAVERY DAVIS O'BRIEN NAZONAR YC IRL 30.00 15.00 15.00 17.00 43.00 77.00
19 IRL 3641 ANDY MARTIN RORY MARTIN S.L.Y.C. IRL 13.00 74.00 19.00 13.00 33.00 78.00
20 GBR 3675 ADRIAN TEATTERSALL TIM SHART RYA GBR 33.00 10.00 16.00 52.00 22.00 81.00
21 AUS 3800 RUPERT LESLIE GRAEME LILLINGSTON SOUTH PERTH Y.C. AUS 15.00 16.00 36.00 66.00 14.00 81.00
22 GBR 3734 HOWARD GREEN IAN PRESTON LEIGH AND SLONTON GBR 18.00 74.00 11.00 50.00 4.00 83.00
23 IRL 3850 JUSTIN BURKE CHRIS DOORLEY NATIONAL Y.C. IRL 8.00 42.00 20.00 44.00 13.00 83.00
24 GBR 3681 PIP HUDSON ALIS HUDSON BROX BOURNE SC GBR 42.00 12.00 24.00 11.00 52.00 89.00
25 ESP 3796 JAVIER CHACARTEGUI MIGUEL SANTAURSULA C.N.ARENAL ESP 35.00 31.00 7.00 36.00 25.00 98.00
26 GBR 3736 PETER BANNISTER SUW BANNISTER HAYLING ISLAND YC GBR 32.00 37.00 27.00 4.00 41.00 100.00
27 ESP 3804 PACO IBAÑEZ JUAN IGNACIO MERAYO R.C.N.P.POLLENSA ESP 29.00 38.00 8.00 25.00 74.00 100.00
28 GBR 3890 GEOFFREY BAYLISS MARTIN GRADY HAYLING ISLAND YC GBR 37.00 13.00 14.00 45.00 39.00 103.00
29 NZL 3840 MURRAY GILBERT JOHN BURGUES R.A.Y.C. NZL 38.00 17.00 31.00 34.00 21.00 103.00
30 NZL 3754 STEPHEN WILSON GRAEMER ROBINSON R.A.Y.C. NZL 47.00 34.00 46.00 21.00 10.00 111.00
31 GBR 3815 ATHOL KING TREVOR BELLIS DERWENT RESERVOIR SC GBR 45.00 23.00 30.00 23.00 35.00 111.00
32 IRL 3691 IAN MATHEWS BEN MULLIGAN NATIONAL Y.C. IRL 27.00 19.00 51.00 56.00 17.00 114.00
33 GBR 3611 STEVE DOVTHATE PAUL AVERLEY DERWENT RESERVOIR SC GBR 59.00 6.00 53.00 33.00 24.00 116.00
34 GBR 3885 TONY LEE CHRIS HOUGH DERWENT RESERVOIR SC GBR 31.00 55.00 17.00 18.00 51.00 117.00
35 AUS 3717 GREC LEAVERSUCH PETER BARBUSH R.F.B.Y.C. AUS 25.00 36.00 44.00 27.00 32.00 120.00
36 GBR 3776 GREG WELLIS MARK DARWING HAYLING ISLAND YC GBR 26.00 43.00 49.00 41.00 11.00 121.00
37 NZL 3534 PHIL QUINN ROWENA CREMER R.A.Y.C. NZL 21.00 20.00 37.00 53.00 46.00 124.00
38 IRL 3892 BRIAN McKEE IAN SMITH STRANGFORD LOUF Y.C. IRL 54.00 5.00 67.00 30.00 36.00 125.00
39 IRL 3753 KEN DUMPLETON JOHN McNEILLY NATIONAL Y.C. IRL 46.00 33.00 29.00 19.00 61.00 127.00
40 IRL 3803 MORGAN SHEEHY ALAN GREEN KINGSALE Y.C. IRL 74.00 4.00 48.00 22.00 60.00 134.00
41 AUS 3855 PETER ROOKR MARTIN ARROWSMITH SOUTH OF PERTH Y.C. AUS 28.00 40.00 35.00 51.00 31.00 134.00
42 HKG 3830 HOWARD WILLIAMS ANDY SERVICE R.H.K.Y.C. HKG 12.00 26.00 52.00 48.00 63.00 138.00
43 NZL 3809 SARAH KIFF GERALD MARTIN NAPIER SAILING CLUB NZL 55.00 14.00 43.00 38.00 49.00 144.00
44 GBR 3818 GILL BROWNING TIM RUMFIT HAYLING ISLAND YC GBR 49.00 57.00 38.00 42.00 15.00 144.00
45 AUS 3775 PHILIPPA PACKER THOMAS BROWN R.F.B.Y.C. AUS 39.00 39.00 39.00 74.00 34.00 151.00
46 GBR 3851 IAN LINDER KEVIN SWEETMAN BURGFIELD SC GBR 51.00 51.00 40.00 26.00 37.00 154.00
47 RSA 3872 STEVE HEGERSTROM JOE BOX ROYAL NATAL Y.C. RSA 58.00 74.00 47.00 31.00 20.00 156.00
48 GBR 3816 NIGEL TULLET GAVIN TULLET R.W.Y.C. GBR 6.00 49.00 74.00 49.00 56.00 160.00
49 GBR 3801 JOHN HARDITSTY ROGER ERRINGTON DERWENT RESERVOIR SC GBR 50.00 50.00 62.00 43.00 18.00 161.00
50 GBR 3737 SIMON ROBINSON DAVID VASEY GBR 36.00 45.00 42.00 39.00 58.00 162.00
51 GBR 3787 DAVID BROCKBANK JANET LEFTON ROYAL WINDERMERE YC GBR 48.00 46.00 32.00 46.00 40.00 164.00
52 RSA 3870 GREGG HURTER GREG DOBSON ROYAL NATAL Y.C. RSA 63.00 18.00 61.00 35.00 55.00 169.00
53 GBR 3615 ROGER PLAMER BEV MOSS HAYLING ISLAND YC GBR 22.00 28.00 66.00 57.00 62.00 169.00
54 AUS 3719 JOHN WILSON NICK HANCOCK ROYAL FRESHMATER Y.C. AUS 40.00 44.00 68.00 58.00 29.00 171.00
55 NZL 3553 RICHARD GUEY GRAHAM GUEY R.A.Y.C. NZL 34.00 74.00 57.00 37.00 45.00 173.00
56 ESP 3728 PACO PALMER JAUME PUJADAS R.C.N.P.POLLENSA ESP 53.00 35.00 34.00 54.00 53.00 175.00
57 RSA 3777 RICHARD BATE HENRY FRENCKENN POINT Y.C. RSA 56.00 74.00 33.00 28.00 64.00 181.00
58 GBR 3835 ANDY GOOGARD COLIN PIERCE DOVERSTONE SC GBR 43.00 30.00 41.00 69.00 70.00 18