British sailors set for 49er Worlds assault

by Lindsey Bell on 14 Jul 2009
Skandia Team GBR's skiff sailors are in action at Lake Garda. Great Britain’s 49er sailors will have the formbook on their side when they start their quest for glory at the 49er World Championship at Lake Garda, Italy, on Tuesday (14 July).

British sailors have made the podium at every 49er World Championship since 2002, claiming gold three times, most recently in 2007 through Beijing representatives Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes, and Chris Draper and Simon Hiscocks in 2003 and 2006.

Now, with Morrison and Rhodes hitting form at the Dutch leg of the ISAF Sailing World Cup in May, and Athens bronze medallist Draper and Peter Greenhalgh making rapid in-roads in the three months since forming their new partnership, Skandia Team GBR’s sailors will be hopeful of World Championship honours come the medal race day this Sunday, 19 July.

In addition to the two G4S-backed teams of Morrison-Rhodes and Draper-Greenhalgh, two further Skandia Team GBR crews currently occupy the 49er podium spots in the ISAF Sailing World Cup series, with Paul Campbell-James and Mark Asquith leading the fleet, and John Pink-Rick Peacock in third.

Dave Evans and double Olympic medallist Simon Hiscocks have also medalled at the World Cup event in Palma this year, so the battle to emerge best of British looks to be almost as tough as the world title chase itself.

Also in action for Skandia Team GBR at the 49er World Championships are Dylan Fletcher-Alain Sign, Chris Rashley-Matt Gottrel, and Andrew Walsh sailing with Simon Marks.

http://www.rya.org.uk/