Filip Matika CRO is Laser 4.7 World Champion

by Event media on 6 Jan 2008 The predicted stronger winds for the Friday of the event came through for the final day of the Laser 4.7 World Championships. Overall regatta leader Andraz Gulic (SLO) slipped to 8th overall and it was Filip Matika of Croatia's day as he moved up into first place with his results of four and fifth.

The fleet were held ashore until the conditions had stabilised and at around 12:00 the fleet set out for the race course. Conditions were windy with a short steep chop that would prove too much for some while others reveled in the conditions.

It was Greece's day as in both the Gold and Silver fleet of the first race it was Greece leading by a sizeable margin. In the Gold fleet Lazaros Theodosiadis (GRE) walked away from the rest of the fleet and by the finish was almost three quarters of a leg ahead.

The Silver fleet were also having there ups and downs with a number of capsizes and retirements in the first race. Antonia Psoma (GRE) won it by a comfortable margin and with her seventh in the second race of the day took top spot in the Silver fleet female division.

Race two for the day followed a very similar pattern to race one with George Kostomoris (GRE) with Utku Gonener (TUR) neck and neck out in front in the Gold fleet, however in the Silver fleet it was Leo Davis (RSA) who built up a commanding lead to take the win.

In the Gold fleet it was Gonener followed closely by Kostomoris who crossed the line with half a boat length between them, and a large gap between them and the next competitor in the fleet.

Overall there were a number of result changes in the Gold fleet in both male and female fleets as well as in the Silver fleet. In the Gold fleet overall regatta leader Andraz Gulic (SLO) slipped to 8th overall and it was Filip Matika of Croatia's day as he moved up into first place with his results of fourth and fifth..

Baepi Pinna (BRA) seventh overall yesterday moved up into second with two solid fifth's in today's races. Third overall went to Alexander Zimmerman (PER) who was fourth overall going into the final day.

In the Gold fleet female division overnight leader Ewa Makowska (POL) lost out to Tatjana Ganic (CRO) who's consistency earned her first place over Ewa by two points.

In the Silver fleet there was no change on the leader board with overnight leader Tiago Morais (POR) who was in first on a tie breaker took the win by two points from second placed Guillaume Girod (SUI) third place and one point behind second was Giovanni Canazza (ITA).

OVERALL RESULTS GOLD FLEET

1st Filip Matika CRO 187073
2nd Baepi Pinna BRA 185098
3rd Alexander Zimmerman PER 182329

OVERALL RESULTS SILVER FLEET

1st Tiago Morais POR 185021
2nd Guillume Girod SUI 184730
3rd Giovanni Canazza ITA 172979