Breezy finale
The stage is set for a perfect finale to the Laser World Championships. The breeze is up, the waves threaten to be a little bigger and Tom Slingsby seems to only need to sail two solid races to win his third Laser world title.
Only four sailors in history have won the Laser world title more than once, Robert Scheidt (BRA), John Bertrand (USA), Glenn Bourke (AUS) and Slingsby (AUS).
With a black flag disqualification glued into his Finals scoreline as his discard he does have no margin to add any more letters of the alphabet to his overall tally today. And, as he said before, in 2006 he lead into the final day and lost out.
If, through a good, counting first race today, he can then gain enough breathing space maybe Nick Thompson can even get himself into a position to spoil it for Slingsby, but that does seem like a particular set of circumstances which appear a little more remote this morning. The 2009 ISAF world cup winner says he is heading out this morning with an open mind, ready for every eventuality.
And the battle lines are set in the Junior Worlds where Denmark’s Thorbjorn Scheirurp and Italy’s Francesco Marrai head out locked on the same points aggregate, but with the Dane holding the upper hand winning twice yesterday and leading on tie-break.
Tim Hancock (GBR/HISC), PRO:
“ Today should be an easier day for us as a race team with more solid breezes. It is due to be ESE, shifting no more than 10-15 degrees. It is a bit similar in direction to yesterday but stronger 16-18knots, so more exciting for the sailors, a few bigger gusts coming through bigger waves. It should be a good day’s sailing.
It is a nice to finish off with a good day. Hayling Bay in these conditions is just fabulous, good to play in the waves. And certainly good to finish off with a breezy day.”
Tom Slingsby (AUS):
“ Today will be the same as other days, just try to knock out two good races. I’m pretending we are back to the first day of the regatta I just want two good results and then I’ll be happy. Windy and waves is always my favourite. Yesterday I had a speed edge upwind and today I might again. In a bit more wind that might not be there so I have to play like I am the same as anyone else. I have grown up sailing in 25 knots every day, wind and big waves all the time so I am completely at home. I don’t know where I have got the speed edge upwind but if it keeps everyone guessing.”
Nick Thompson (GBR):
“We have two races to go. The first race is going to be about simply getting the best result that I can, reasonably consistent, and then from there assess the possibility of sailing someone out, or just going for another good result. Two finals races, as I have said every day, can change a lot. You just have to treat them like a first day of a regatta., going out with an open mind. With a little more breeze again that it will be interesting. As I mentioned yesterday Tom is reasonably fast in these conditions, so that bodes well for him but I think it will make some interesting racing for sure. I like the breeze and the waves for sure.
5/9/2010 10:59
