Rate it!

0 votes

There were mixed fortunes for the British sailors in major regatta action on July 11, with Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson clinching the Star European Championship title, and Giles Scott narrowly missing out on his first World Championship medal at the Finn Gold Cup.

Percy and Simpson were contesting the Star Europeans in Kiel, Germany - only their second event back in the two-man keelboat since taking gold at the Beijing Games last year.

The week-long regatta turned into a three boat battle at the top of the leaderboard between the Skandia Team GBR duo, Sweden's Freddy Loof and Johan Tillander, and Olympic silver medallists Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada - ineligible for the European title as Brazilian nationals.

Scheidt and Prada led the regatta by a point over the Brits heading into Saturday's final two races and managed to hold on to their overall lead at the end of the final day, while Percy and Simpson did just enough to clinch the European crown, finishing on equal points with the Swedes but taking the title on countback.

"It was frustrating to lose the overall regatta to Robert," Percy explained, "but the other guys have been fully on it for nine months. We haven't been to the gym in nine months, or at least that's what it feels like! - so all things considered it's encouraging that we have the European title.

"It's a quiet year for us in the Star," Percy continued, "The aim with our Star sailing this year was for enjoyment, to keep our hand in and give something back for our sponsors, Skandia and Citroen, so we're happily surprised to be in the hunt!"

Fellow Skandia Team GBR Star sailors John Gimson and Ed Greig finished the event as the eighth European boat, in 11th place overall.

Meanwhile, in Copenhagen (DEN), the Finn Gold Cup drew to a close on Saturday with 22-year-old sailor Giles Scott remaining upbeat in spite of missing out on a first ever podium finish at the world championship for the heavyweight class, which was won by Olympic Champion Ben Ainslie for a record fifth time last year.

Huntingdon's Scott, who finished 14th at last year's Finn Gold Cup, was poised in the bronze medal position heading into the final medal race, but suffered a setback on the first downwind leg of the race, from which he was unable to recover.

"You needed to be in decent pressure," Scott explained, "but somehow I managed to sail myself into a massive hole that I just couldn't get out of while boats were sailing all around me, which was pretty annoying.

"Other than today, it's been a really good week for me- I've been sailing well and I think I'd put together the best series, including discard, out of everyone but just couldn't round it off.

"It was only the medal race where things didn't really work out so that's something I need to look at."

In spite of the lack of silverware, it was a strong team performance by Skandia Team GBR's Finn sailors, with four of them finishing in the top 11.

Ed Wright - whose hopes of a podium spot evaporated on Thursday when he was disqualified from race nine for jumping the gun - hit back on Saturday to finish fourth in the medal race and end the regatta in sixth overall. Development squad sailor Andrew Mills stormed the medal race, crossing second behind the Finn Gold Cup winner Jonas Hoegh Christensen to secure a Gold Cup personal best of tenth overall, while Mark Andrews, a Skandia Team GBR training partner, held on to 11th place to claim his best ever Finn Gold Cup result.

"It was a good overall team performance, but also a week of what if's'," concluded Skandia Team GBR Finn coach Matt Howard.

"The goal for Giles for the event was a top eight finish, so although it's disappointing for him that he didn't get a medal he's still sailed well this week and is ahead of the game.

"Ed picked himself up from his disappointment yesterday to finish sixth overall, Andrew did a great job in the medal race today, as did Mark in his final race to keep hold of 11th, so it's pleasing that our overall programme is well on track."

Official website / Eurosport