Defending World Champion Ben Ainslie is back on top after a strong day for GBR’s Finn sailors.
9 December 2011
After a week’s competition at the ISAF World Championships in Perth, Western Australia, a number of GBR sailors are in contention for a podium position this weekend. Competition is back in full swing and in great weather conditions following disruption to the schedule due to electrical storms earlier in the week.
Triple Olympic sailing gold medallist and five-time Finn World Champion Ben Ainslie regained control in the battle for this year’s title resuming pole position with 3 races remaining. Ainslie finished first and second in today’s two gold fleet races, the second of which saw four British boats in the first four positions across the line.
Luke Patience and Stuart Bithell had a good day in the 470 men’s event, consolidating their overall second position while the Australians extended their lead.
The Women’s Match Racing trio of Lucy Macgregor, Annie Lush and Kate Macgregor were back in action for the final day of their round robin group B racing. The girls narrowly missed out on automatic qualifying so will now have to fight it out through a 15-race repechage if they are to claim one of the four remaining quarter-final berths.
“I think you can see it both ways but for the long term goal, I think it’s probably a good thing we’ve got a lot more racing to do. We now will definitely race all the team that are likely to qualify for the Olympics so that’s a big plus” explained Annie Lush.
Best of luck to all the Skandia GBR Teams competing this weekend, which will see the medal races in the Finn, RS:X Women, Laser Radial and 470 men’s classes.
G4S sponsored duo Ben Rhodes and Stevie Morrison will also be commencing their world title campaign in the 49er class and G4S 4teen’s Juan Maegli will begin competition in the Laser class on 12 December.
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