News about Laser Match Racing Championships
Sven Kramer thunders to victory in Laser match racing A total of 18 Lasers started in the pre-qualification race, won by Kramer, followed by Clayton and Coates. The first twelve sailors went into the match race and the remaining six ended up in the plate competition. A round-robin competition was sailed as a series of short races, starting a minute after each other. No mass starts as sailors were racing one-to-one, frequently tacking to find free wind or cover their opponent. The sailing conditions had been fine with light wind and blue sky. However, after lunch dark clouds gathered around the course and the wind picked up to set the scene for a grande finale. The last match race turned out to be the decider in both groups. Sven Kramer survived a scare from Gordon Servant to stay unbeaten, while Rashid Al Said won his race to become runner-up in this group. In the other group, Andy Lovell and feather-weight David Bugg, both unbeaten so far, decided in a direct fight that Andy was the better heavy weather sailor. The plate competition was convincingly won by experienced David Nam. Meanwhile, thunders were repeatedly lightening up the mountains and sea, as the match racing finals were to be sailed between the two best and two runners-up. In this dramatic scene, Andy Lovell must have been somewhat distracted as Sven Kramer could make the most out of the various wind shifts to win the last race to become 1997 Laser Match Racing Champion. Rashid was less impressed by the rumblings and finished strong in third position, with David Bugg fourth. At the prize giving, Ray Smith (officer of the day) and Jan Egan (rescue cover) were thanked for their support, and Airworks for sponsoring the prizes and sailors' dinner. |