Winners are Grinners - 2008 Laser World titles

by Di Pearson on 13 Feb 2008 Defending world champion Tom Slingsby was declared the 2008 World Laser Champion after nasty southerly winds and whipped up seas forced Race Organisers to abandon all attempts at racing off Terrigal this afternoon.

Principal Race Officer Tony Denham and his crew made their way out to the race track this morning and waited for any sign that either of the two remaining races in the Finals could be sailed. At one stage around 1.30pm NSW time, the AP flag was dropped, but winds increased again and racing abandoned.

Slingsby, who finished on 27 points, has won the Championship from Argentina’s Julio Alsogaray by two points, the Argentinean not having the opportunity to turn the tables. Javier Hernandez from Spain finished third with 39 points.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet,” said Slingsby in the boat park, where sailors were readying to make their way out to the race area. “It’s a weird feeling when they (race committee) pull up the AP flag – it’s a strange way to win a Championship, but I’m over the moon, especially to win on my local waters.”

Slingsby has not sailed at Terrigal, where he is a member of Championship host venue Gosford Sailing Club, since November. “The weather was very different then,” he said.

Conditions for most of the 2008 World’s has been mostly windy. “”Fresh is my preferred conditions,” Slingsby confessed, “but I am getting there in the light winds. Yesterday (he scored two from two wins) was my perfect conditions, but I’ve had good speed all week. Sometimes speed can take you the wrong way though, as it did day before yesterday and I have to be careful of that,” he said.

The 23 year-old from Frederick’s Point on the Central Coast also paid tribute to second place getter Julio Alsogaray. “Julio did a great job here; he didn’t finish any worse than ninth place. He will be a big threat at the Games in China. He sailed awesome.

“He has all the tools to win in any conditions, but in China, it will be whoever can perform best that week.”

Slingsby was surprised his greatest rivals Paul Goodison (GBR) and Andrew Murdoch (NZL) did not do better (Goodison finished seventh, Murdoch 14th). “I thought they would do better, but the first day of racing was a hard one for a lot of sailors.”

Agreeing that he knew he had a good chance of successfully defending his 2007 world title, Slingsby nevertheless admitted: “while you feel confident, you never know in a great fleet of sailors like this.” He will now get on with the job of training for the Olympics to be held in Qingdao, China, in August.

“My diet for China started 10 minutes ago. I have a goal weight of 74-75 kilos which I think is achievable,” he said referring to the renowned lighter conditions expected at the Sailing Competition venue.

Arthur Brett, Slingsby’s coach of over four years and a world sailing champion himself, was feeling very emotional. “Winning is always emotional for me, because of the athlete/coach relationship. Things have to be said sometimes and we have a terrific relationship and can talk openly and honestly, said Brett, who won the 2001/02 Contender World Championship.

“I’m a pretty lucky guy to coach someone like Tom. He’s a pretty special talent – and I knew that four and a half years ago when I started coaching him.”

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Brett conceded: “If there wasn’t Olympics this year, you wouldn’t be thinking of anything but the ecstasy of winning, but with the Games coming up, you tend to feel conservative in your thoughts.”

Slingsby’s win will be celebrated at the official closing ceremony this evening starting from 7.30pm at the Terrigal Trojan Rugby Club which has made all welcome this week.

While the Laser World Championship is over, regatta management now has the final planning for the Laser Masters World Championships with racing set to get underway on Sunday from 12.00pm.

Laser World Championship site http:⁄⁄aus08.laserinternational.org/