Singapore awarded sportsmanship trophy

by Ho Shu Fen, singaporeSailing on 20 Jul 2008 The podium positions were decided yesterday on the final day of racing at the 2008 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship in Århus, Denmark. Although narrowly missing out on the medals, the Singapore team did not leave Århus empty handed. They won the Bengt Julin Trophy for Sportsmanship, re-introduced at this year’s championship and voted for by other teams and competitors. The team won this for their friendly attitude and helpful manner towards everyone at the championships, especially the Athlete Participation Programme (APP) sailors.

The top Singaporean finishers were 2007 SEA Games Silver medallists and 2008 Dutch Youth Regatta Gold medallists in the Hobie 16 class, Low Wen Chun and Jonathan Russel Chew in the SL 16 event. The focus was on the battle for silver and bronze after French brothers Valentin and Romain Bellet had secured overall victory. Of the four teams who had a shot at a medal, Singapore put in the best performance with a 2nd place but it was not quite enough. The South African team of helm Matthew Whitehead and crew Michael Ovenstone, scored their worst result of the regatta with a tenth place finish, but crucially their closest challengers for second place overall, the British team of James Ellis and Andrew Glover were only one place ahead. This gave Whitehead and Ovenstone the silver medal, whilst Ellis and Glover won bronze on count back from Singaporeans Chun and Chew.

The Volvo Trophy went to Great Britain for the best performing nation, but the fight for second place was a close match with New Zealand pipping Australia to the post with only two points separating them.

The competitors were awarded their medals and trophies at the Musikhuset in Århus last night, bringing the 2008 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships to a close. Next year’s event will be held in Buzios, Brazil on 9-18 July 2009.

Singapore was represented by:

LO Jun Hao – Laser Standard (23rd/45)
Elizabeth YIN – Laser Radial (7th/40)
Justin LIU and Sherman CHENG – 29er Boys (15th/25)
Griselda KHNG and Cecilia LOW – 29er Girls (9th/18)
Leonard ONG – Windsurfing RSX Boys (21st/27)
LOW Wen Chun and Jonathan Russel CHEW (4th/16)
Susan FERRIS (Team Leader/Coach)
Mark PLUMMER (Coach)
T C Chua (Coach)
Josephine KO (Physiotherapist)
Andrew SANDERS (CEO, SingaporeSailing)

For overall results please go to:http://www.youthworlds2008.org/Results.aspx