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Kiel Olympic Classes Regatta - Day 4
Author: Nigel Cherrie
DEMPSEY AND WALKER POISED FOR PODIUM FINISHES
The penultimate day of racing at the Kiel Olympic Classes Regatta was all
about handling the pressure. While the local conditions transformed the
race track into a game of snakes and ladders, Nick Dempsey and Ian Walker
withstood the pressure of being in hunted positions and navigated their way
through the pressure minefield of the South Baltic to hold second and third
overall in their respective fleets.
While Dempsey wasn't quite able to muster a response to former youth world
champion Alexandre Guyanders (France) two straight wins, a third and a six
moves him safely back into second place overall with a three point buffer
over Nicolas Huguet (France). "Tomorrow I really want to go out and win. I
haven't really been paying attention to the fleet on the first beat as it
has been so shifty and it's worked out pretty well so far. After the
windward mark I've been paying more attention to what other people have
been doing," explained Nick.
This has been Dempsey's most promising international regatta to date. More
so, his performance in the type of conditions most expect to see in Sydney
bodes well for September. "In preparation terms for Sydney, the light and
shifty conditions couldn't be better although I tend to go better in the
heavy airs. I've been doing a lot of training with Dominic (Tidey) since
the trials (Chernikeeff Sailing Regatta - Olympic Trials) and Barrie
(Edgington) my coach told me to put some pressure on myself to do well here
as it's the last event before the Olympics but also there's a lot of
pressure from myself. I want to go out and win for myself" said Nick.
While not moving up, Ian Walker and Mark Covell held on to third in the
Star fleet. "You almost needed to ignore the forecast today and if you were
under a cloud you treated it like your own private weather system,"
explained Walker after racing.
Barcelona Gold Medallist Mark Reynolds has tightened his grip on the fleet
and is now nine points clear in the lead of 1996 Olympic Champion Torben
Grael (Brazil) who in turn has a two point margin over Walker, but carries
a Black Flag disqualification whilst Ian and Mark's tenth place in the
first race today counts as their worst finish over the eight races sailed
so far in the 40 boat fleet.
Hugh Styles and Adam May, sailing BAE Systems, looked on form to chalk up a
top three in series heat seven having been amongst the first three for most
of race until the final beat turned into a lottery, dropping them to sixth.
"The beat was full of patches of pressure and if you weren't in a patch
that was going to get you to another patch, you're history," explained
Styles. "In the second race the guys we rolled on the line hit the right
and led at the windward mark by a country mile, it was that sort of race,"
added Hugh. They are now tenth overall.
A 'header' at the windward mark in the deciding match cost Andy Beadsworth,
Barry Parkin and Richard Sydenham the chance of semi final slot in the
Soling match racing. With only one place from each of the five boat two
round robins, the challenge was to win every race. Having beaten Neville
Wittey (Australia), Nicola Celon (Italy) and Manuel Doreste (Spain) the
United Airlines Soling team were looking safe against Stig Westergaard
(Denmark) after the first beat until a windshift cost them the inside berth
at the windward mark. "We were leading the race and doing everything we
should do and then a hit a header while to leeward and on the layline and
is was all over," explained middleman Richard Sydenham.
Everyone was going to lose a race in those conditions and it was impossible
to control your opponent, we just lost the wrong one," added bowman Barry
Parkin. Having won the same number of matches as Westergaard, they lost the
semi final spot on countback.
Racing concludes tomorrow.
GERMANY: Kiel Olympic Classes Regatta (after 4 days):
For further information, please contact Nigel Cherrie from the RYA on:
Email: nigel.cherrie@rya.org.uk
More Information:
- Sail for Gold
- Keil Week Website
See also: COLUMBIA 22 FK for sale
