HYANNIS, USA-(15-9-2002) Under sunny skies and in a 12 knot wind 2 more races were completed today in the Laser World Championship off Cape Cod, USA. The fleet is divided in half with each fleet racing two races over a trapezoid course of 6 miles with each race lasting 70 minutes.
Sweden’s Karl Suneson had a perfect day winning both races in his group. Suneson had an easy victory in his first race. Behind him Brendan Casey from Australia won a three continent battle between Roope Suomalainen (Finland), Gareth Blackenberg (South Africa) and Paul Goodison (Great Britain). He had to work hard in the second race. Leading at the first mark he was overtaken on the downwind leg by 4 boats but climbed back to second on the next upwind behind Blackenberg. Sunneson overtook Blackenberg on the next downwind to hold his lead until the finish. Casey said “I’m pretty happy with my two races. It was very close racing with most of the place changes taking place downwind. Everyone is going fast!”
First place honours were shared in the other group between Ben Lamb from Australia and defending champion Robert Scheidt from Brazil. Lamb’s performance was especially good considering his best previous position of 23rd. He won the start at the port end and went left to take the lead for the rest of the race. Unfortunately a premature start in the second race of the day cost him a good tenth place. Scheidt made a good recovery in his first race to finish 5th which moves him up to second overall after races have been completed.
The weather forecast for the day predicted a breeze backing to the left throughout the day and most of the fleet in all the races favoured the left hand side of the upwind legs. In fact the wind held steady with only 10 degree oscillations for the first race before shifting 10 degrees to the left for the second race. Apart from Lamb the leading sailors chose a conservative course working the shifts.
Overnight leader, Ed Wright from Great Britain learnt his lesson after a 19th in the first race of the day when he finished 3rd in the second race. Wright said “It was very pleasant racing but very testing. I’m more tired today than I was in the stronger winds of yesterday.”
Wright retains his overall lead by 2 points after dropping his 19th place. Behind the cream is coming to the top with 7 other sailors all counting single figure results.
Thunderstorms, rain squalls and thirty five knot winds are forecast for Sunday, the last day of the qualifier series before the fleet is split into gold and silver groups. The Race Committee have scheduled and early start in attempt to get one more qualifier race completed before the frontal system arrives.
Overall results after 5 races
Results take into account 1 discard
1, GBR 176056, Edward Wright, 7.0, 2, 1, 1, (19), 3
2, BRA 176015, Robert Scheidt, 9.0, (15), 1, 2, 5, 1
3, AUS 176059, Brendan Casey, 10.0, 3, 4, 1, 2, (5)
4, SWE 176013, Karl Suneson, 12.0, 8, 2, (10), 1, 1
5, RSA 176101, Gareth Blanckenberg, 12.0, 1, (5), 4, 5, 2
6, GBR 176061, Paul Goodison, 18.0, 8, 3, (19), 4, 3
7, FIN 176041, Roope Suomalainen, 22.0, (39), 6, 9, 3, 4
8, SLO 176138, Vasilij Zbogar, 22.0, 5, 8, (10), 4, 5
9, FIN 176027, Fredrik Westman, 23.0, 12, 2, 2, (42), 7
10, SWE 176012, Peter Santen, 26.0, 6, (8), 5, 7, 8
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