Slingsby bags Euro-Gold in final pre-games regatta

'Tom Slingsby leads on Day of the European Championship for Laser Senior in Nieuwpoort, Belgium on July 16, 2008.' Thom Touw

Australian Laser sailor Tom Slingsby has won the 2008 Laser European Championships in Belgium overnight, with Australia's Laser Radial representative Sarah Blanck finishing fourth overall.

Slingsby, who is ranked number one in the world and holds both the 2008 and 2007 World Championship titles, crossed the line first in five of the ten races to win on 17 points. Great Britain's Paul Goodison finished second with 25 points and Slovenia's Vasilij Zbogar finished third with 32 points.

With average winds of 23 knots in the morning and a forecast of 28-32 knots for the afternoon with steep waves, organisers called off the final day's scheduled racing and winners were announced on accumulated points. It is the second time this year that Slingsby has won an event from shore after racing has been cancelled due to big conditions, somewhat disappointing for the NSW Central Coast sailor known for his love of big winds and big seas.

However, his ability to build a big points lead and adapt to changing conditions is seen as a plus going in to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games where he is now considered a firm medal favourite.

In the Laser Radial, Victoria's Sarah Blanck finished fourth with 30 points behind Finland's Sari Multala in first (11 points), France's Sophie de Turckheim in second (14 points) and Belgium's Evi Van Acker in third (16 points).

Slingsby and Blanck will meet the rest of the Australian Sailing Team in Hong Kong at the end of next week, where the team will gather at a pre-Games Assembly Camp before moving to Qingdao.