Australians Placings in World Sailing Rankings

by Katie Culbert on 11 May 2003 The ISAF last night released the latest update for the World Sailing Rankings for Olympic classes. The events included in these rankings include the Princess Sofia Trophy in Palma de Mallorca, Spain and the Semaine Olympique Francaise in Hyeres, France. There are no World Championships included in this rankings release, but the start of the European regatta season has seen some major movements in some classes.

Australia’s top 470 sailors have maintained their top 3 positions on their ranking lists, and are the only Australian crews ranked in the top 3 at this stage. Nathan Wilmot (AIS/NSWIS) & Malcolm Page (AIS/NSWIS) (470 Men) have retained their number 1 ranking – the only Australians to hold a number 1 ranking in any class. Olympic gold medallists Jenny Armstrong (AIS/NSWIS) & Belinda Stowell (AIS/WAIS) (470 Women) have maintained their number 2 ranking behind the current World champions from Greece.

Olympic silver medallists Darren Bundock (AIS/NSWIS) & John Forbes (AIS/NSWIS) (Tornado) have slipped back to number 10. Bundock has been sailing with Victorian Glenn Ashby in Europe to date, but will be joined by Forbes this month for the all important European Championships. Bundock & Ashby did not sail the recent Hyeres regatta and missed out on valuable ranking points from the grade 1 event. Expect the 2002 AIS Team of the Year, Bundock & Forbes, to rebound back up the ranking list over the next month or two.

The biggest increase by an Australian is by Olympic bronze medallist Michael Blackburn (NSWIS). The Sydney sailor has jumped an impressive 139 places to catapult into the top 40 and be ranked number 39. Blackburn who returned to the class in late 2002 has had great results in Europe recently, finishing 6th in Palma and 2nd in Hyéres – the second Olympic Nomination Regatta for the Australian Laser sailors.

Here’s a class by class review of the Australian athletes (previous ranking in brackets):

470 Men

As mentioned above Nathan Wilmot & Malcolm Page (AIS/NSWIS) have retained the number 1 ranking they have held since the 2002 World Championships. After their recent win in Palma, and top 10 finish in Hyéres, Queensland’s Belcher brothers – Mat & Dan have moved up to equal 13th. Australian places on the ranking list are as follows:

1. Nathan Wilmot & Malcolm Page (AIS/NSWIS)– 4972 points (1)
13. Mathew Belcher & Daniel Belcher (QLD) - 4380 points (17)
41. Shane Smith (QLD) & Andrew Verdon (NSW) – 2960 points (32)
77. Mark Padgett & Nick Behrens (TAS) – 1281 points (81)
154. Nathan Outteridge & Ayden Menzies (NSWIS) – 337 points (156)

470 Women

Olympic gold medallists Jenny Armstrong & Belinda Stowell continue to chase the Greek World Champions – Sofia Bekatorou & Emilia Tsoulfa, and maintain their number 2 world ranking. Australian rankings as at 8th May are:

2. Jenny Armstrong (AIS/NSWIS) & Belinda Stowell (AIS/WAIS) – 4786 points (2)
27. Lisa Charlson (QLD) & Friederike Ziegelmayer – 3378 points (25)

Tornado

As mentioned above Australia’s Darren Bundock (AIS/NSWIS) & John Forbes (AIS/NSWIS) have slid down the rankings to number 10 after missing the recent Hyéres regatta.

10. Darren Bundock (AIS/NSWIS) & John Forbes (AIS/NSWIS) – 4368 points (2)

Yngling

Australia’s Melanie Dennison (AIS/VIS) / Caroline Aders (AIS/NSWIS) / Fiona Herbert (AIS/NSWIS) have moved up a couple of places to number 4. Australian placing’s on the ranking list are as follows:

4. Dennison (AIS/VIS) / Aders (AIS/NSWIS) / Herbert (AIS/NSWIS) – 4240 points (6)
26. Bethwaite (NSWIS) / McHugh / Kosmala (NSWIS) – 2039 points (22)
36. Warn / Kawella / Warn (NSW) – 1381 points (32)

Laser

All members of the National Olympic Squad are now ranked in the top 40 laser sailors in the world. Queensland’s Brendan Casey (AIS) maintains his place in the top 10. Jon Holroyd has moved up 21 places into 28th, with Tom Slingsby (NSWIS) moving up 23 places into 34th. As mentioned above the biggest jump has been by Michael Blackburn (NSWIS) into 39th position. Other Australian rankings are:

7. Brendan Casey (AIS) – 4706 points (6)
28. Jon Holroyd – 3645 points (49)
34. Tom Slingsby (NSWIS) – 3432 points (57)
39. Michael Blackburn (NSWIS) – 3289 points (178)
54. Ben Lamb – 2752 points (60)
79. Nick Skulander – 2372 points (94)

Finn

Olympian Anthony Nossiter (NSWIS) has continued his journey up the rankings, moving into the top 20, to 17th place.

17. Anthony Nossiter (NSWIS) – 3851 points (26)
45. Josh Beaver (WA) – 2629 points (39)
49. Paul McKenzie (VIC) – 2260 points (62)

Europe

Australia’s current World Champion Sarah Blanck (AIS/VIS) has moved into the top 10, jumping ten places from 19th to 9th on the ranking list. Australian’s on the ranking list are:

9. Sarah Blanck (AIS/VIS) – 4394 points (19)
31. Jo Dikkenberg (NSWIS) – 3270 points (34)
242. Alana Slingsby (NSW) – 174 points (211)
285. Clare Hozack (NSW) – 34 points (282)

Mistral Women

Young Sydneysider Allison Shreeve (NSWIS) has moved up a further two places to maintain her position in the top 20.

18. Allison Shreeve (NSWIS) – 3702 points (20)
57. Jessica Crisp (NSW) – 1238 points (55)

Mistral Men

The Australian men’s mistral sailors have moved up the rankings. Michael Lancey (NSWIS) moves to 31 while Jono Bonnitcha (NSWIS) has jumped from 91 to 70. Australian men’s rankings were:

31. Michael Lancey (NSWIS) – 3135 points (34)
70. Jono Bonnitcha (NSWIS) – 1914 points (91)
151. Lars Kleppich (NSW) – 529 points (149)
215. James Grunfelder (NSWIS) – 277 points (217)

Star

The biggest movers in the Star class have been National Olympic Squad members Iain Murray (NSW) and Andrew Palfrey (NSW), who have moved from 47th to 35th. The other Australian ranking’s in the Star class are:

35. Iain Murray & Andrew Palfrey (NSW) – 2688 points (47)
54. Ian 'Barney' Walker & Nick Williams (VIC) – 1836 points (54)
60. Colin Beashel (AIS) & David Giles (AIS) – 1639 points (53)
74. Andrew Hunn (TAS) & Mick O’Brien (QLD) – 1352 points (79)
87. Rod Hagebols & Will Finlay (NSW) – 1086 points (83)
259. Phil Baker Jnr & Phil Baker (NSW) – 200 points (127)

49er

There has been little movement in the 49er class rankings as far as Australians are concerned. Olympic 470 gold medallist Mark Turnbull (VIS) and crew Nick Partridge (VIS) are still the highest ranked Aussies at number 23.

23. Mark Turnbull & Nick Partridge (VIS) – 3508 points (25)
46. Chris Nicholson (NSWIS) & Gary Boyd (NSWIS) – 2509 points (43)
49. John Harris & Euan McNicol (NSW) – 2211 points (51)
51. Ben Tardrew & Marcus Tardrew (VIC) – 2183 points (58)
56. Jason Beebe & Phil Manning (QLD) – 2013 points (55)
60. Emmett Lazich (NSW) & Dave Mann (WA) – 1868 points (54)

The next ranking’s update will be released on 30th May 2003 and will include regattas up to and including the Spa Regatta in Medimblik, The Netherlands.