British sailors lead 49er and Star in Hyeres World Cup

by Lindsey Bell on 20 Apr 2009
Morrison and Rhodes back with a bang at French World Cup event, taking wins in the first two 49er races, while John Gimson and Ed Greig won their first race in the Star event and added a third place to finish the day overall leaders. Helena Lucus is second overall in the 2.4mR and Ed Wright third in the Finn event.

Britain’s Beijing 49er sailors Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes signalled their return to Olympic classes sailing in style at the opening day of the French Olympic Sailing Week on Sunday (19 April).

The Exmouth duo, who are being coached by fellow Exmouth sailor and double Olympic silver medallist Joe Glanfield at this fourth leg of the ISAF Sailing World Cup, ended their post-Beijing sabbatical with two race wins amid testing conditions on the French Riviera to see them take the early advantage in the 49er fleet.

In the Star event, John Gimson and Ed Greig won the first race and then finished third behind Amillios Papathanasi (GRE) and the Frenchmen Xavier Rohart, to lead overall.

Athens bronze medallist Chris Draper also enjoyed a positive start to his new 49er partnership with Peter Greenhalgh, with the pair ending their first day in fifth place – a spot also occupied by Beijing gold medallist Paul Goodison in the Laser class. The 31-year-old is also marking this return to international competition at this regatta, and picked up two fourth place finishes for his first days’ efforts in spite of the light and changeable conditions.

Nick Dempsey is in equal third place in the RS:X men’s windsurfing division with a solid opening race performance of second, while 2.4mR Paralympic sailor Helena Lucas crossed second in her only race so far to see her in second place, with Skandia Team GBR teammate Megan Pascoe in fifth.

The British Finn sailors endured mixed fortunes on their opening day. Ed Wright, silver medallist at the Palma leg of the World Cup two weeks ago, is in third overall while Palma winner Giles Scott suffered after picking up two yellow flag penalties from the on water jury for a rule 42 breach. He’s in 26th overall, with Andrew Mills in 14th.

Skandia Team GBR’s development squad duo Sophie Weguelin and Sophie Ainsworth are the best placed British boat after two races in the 470 women’s fleet, with the help of a win in their second race, while Star newcomers John Gimson and Ed Greig lead the six boat men’s keelboat fleet posting scores of 1,3 on Sunday.

World Champions Nic Asher and Elliot Willis had an inconsistent first day in the 470 men’s event, finishing 12th in their opening race and second in race two to see them in seventh place overall, with teammates Jonny Moss and Ben Muskett in an impressive eighth place just behind them.

The RS:X women’s and Laser Radial fleets managed just one race apiece on Sunday, with Olympic bronze medallist Bryony Shaw picking up 12th and Alison Young finishing eighth in their respective fleets.

Racing at the French Olympic Sailing Week continues through until Friday 24 April.

ISAF World Cup Hyeres - Overall Leaders after day 1

Star (after 2 races)
1. John Gimson-Ed Greig, GBR (4pts)
2. Aimilios Papathanasi-Apostolos Karnoutsos, GRE (6pts)
3. Xavier Rohart-Pierre Alex Ponsot, FRA (6pts)

49er (after 2 races)
1. Stevie Morrison-Ben Rhodes, GBR (2pts)
2. Lennart Briesenick-Morten Massmann, GER (6pts)
3. Morgan Lagraviere-Yann Rocherieux, FRA (7pts)
Selected GBR
5. Chris Draper-Peter Greenhalgh (10pts)
6. Andrew Walsh-Simon Marks (10pts)

2.4mR (after 1 race)
1. Thierry Schmitter, NED (1pt)
2. Helena Lucas, GBR (2pts)
3. Andre Rademaker (3pts)
Other GBR
5. Megan Pascoe (5pts)

Finn (after 2 races)
1.Gasper Vincec, SLO (3pts)
2. Ivan Kljakovic, CRO (3pts)
3. Ed Wright, GBR (11pts)
Other GBR
14. Andrew Mills (35pts)
26. Giles Scott (53pts)

470 Men (after 2 races)
1. Matias Buhler-Felix Steiger, SUI (3pts)
2. Harada Ryunosuke-Yoshido Yugo, JPN (9pts)
3. Gabrio Zandona-Edoardo Mancinelli, ITA (9pts)
Selected GBR
7. Nic Asher-Elliot Willis (14pts)
8. Jonny Moss-Ben Muskett (16pts)

470 Women (after 2 races)
1. Henriette Koch-Lene Sommer, DEN (3pts)
2. Gil Cohen-Dana Mamriev, ISR (10pts)
3. Sylvia Vogel-Carolina Flatscher, AUT (10pts)
GBR
4. Sophie Weguelin-Sophie Ainsworth (15pts)
6. Hannah Mills-Katrina Hughes (21pts)
13. Penny Clark-Saskia Clark (31pts)

RS:X Men (after 1 race)
1. Wu Liwei, CHN (1pt)
1. Piotr Myszka, POL (1pt)
3. Julien Bontemps, FRA (2pts)
3. Nick Dempsey, GBR (2pts)

RS:X Women (after 1 race)
1.Maavan Davidovich, ISR (1pt)
2. Blanca Manchon, ESP (2pts)
3. Chan Hei Man, HKG (3pts)
GBR
12. Bryony Shaw, (12pts)

Laser Radial
1. Veronika Fenclova, CZE (1pt)
2. Viktorija Andrulyte, LTU (2pts)
3. Susana Romero, ESP (3pts)
Selected GBR
8. Alison Young, (8pts)

Laser (after 2 races)
1. Julio Alsogaray, ARG (4pts)
2. Luka Radelic, CRO (6pts)
3. Tonci Stipanovic, CRO (8pts)
Selected GBR
5. Paul Goodison (8pts)