Hat-trick of titles for Skandia Team GBR at Palamós Christmas Race

by RYA on 23 Dec 2008
Skandia Team GBR secured a hat-trick of titles as up-and-coming stars of the Development Squad shone at the 33rd Palamós Christmas Race.

With the medal races taking place in Spain yesterday (Monday 22 December), Andrew Mills, recently voted Skandia Team GBR Development Squad Sailor of the Year by sailors and members of the STGBR support team, sealed medal race victory to leapfrog fellow Brit Giles Scott into top spot in the Finn class.

Scott, the World Under 21 champion, had been leading the class going into the final double points showdown, but after he was declared OCS (on course side) at the start of the race, it enabled 23-year-old Mills, who had been lying second at the start of the day, to take the initiative and wrap up Christmas Race gold.

Eifion Mon made no mistake in letting Laser victory slip through his grasp as he also romped to medal race victory to win the men’s single-handed dinghy class by 12 points from Development Squad teammate Robert Godwin.

Meanwhile, third place in the final battle was enough for John Pink and Rick Peacock to top the podium in the 49er class.

STGBR Performance Squad pair Dave Evans and Simon Hiscocks wrapped up the medal race win but with Pink/Peacock finishing so high up the fleet it wasn’t enough for Evans/Hiscocks to overcome their lead, Pink/Peacock finally boasting a 13 point advantage over their teammates overall.

Sophie Weguelin and Sophie Ainsworth also enjoyed a regatta to write home about, with a fifth in the 470 Women’s medal race enough to consolidate their overall second placing while Luke Patience and Chris Grube also secured a top three finish in the Men’s 470 thanks to their medal race fourth.

Double Olympic silver medallist Nick Rogers, sailing with Pom Green, had to settle for fourth overall after a medal race eighth saw them drop from second overall.

Palamós Christmas Race – Skandia Team GBR results:

49er:
1st John Pink/Rick Peacock
2nd Dave Evans/Simon Hiscocks
7th Dylan Fletcher/Alain Sign
11th Andy Walsh/Simon Marks
13th Chris Rashley/Matt Gotrel

Finn:
1st Andrew Mills
5th Giles Scott

Laser Radial:
10th Sarah Butterfield (RYA Youth)
11th Rosie Chapman
14th Hannah Diamond
16th Chloe Martin
22nd Sophie McKeeman (RYA Youth)
24th Mary Fenton-Jones (RYA Youth)

Laser Standard:
1st Eifion Mon
2nd Robert Godwin
6th Max Holloway
9th Alex Mills-Barton (RYA Youth)
11th Stuart Godwin
12th Phillip Reynolds (RYA Youth)
14th Martin Evans (RYA Youth)
15th Rob Spencer
27th Dan Belben

470 Men:
3rd Luke Patience/Chris Grube
4th Nick Rogers/Pom Green
6th Matt Mee/Sam Brearey
16th Ben Saxton/David Kohler
17th James Rusden/Dan Schieber
26th Ben Muskett/ Jonny Moss

470 Women:
2nd Sophie Weguelin/Sophie Ainsworth
5th Hannah Mills/Katrina Hughes