Wright (GBR) takes lead in 2009 Finn Gold Cup



9:00 PM Thu 9 Jul 2009 GMT
'Ed Wright (GBR) - 2009 Finn Gold Cup Day 4' Tosca Zambra
Sailors and equipment underwent a thorough testing on day four of the Finn Gold Cup in Vallensbaek, Denmark with strong winds introducing a new element to the championship. It was also all change at the top after race wins for Ed Wright (GBR) and Jonas H?gh-Christensen (DEN). Wright climbs to the top, with Giles Scott (GBR) in second and Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic (CRO) moving up to third.

Giles Scott (GBR),2009 Finn Gold Cup Day 4 - Tosca Zambra


The wind shifting further into the north and coming off the shore produced a selection of intriguing right hand and left hand shifts for the sailors to choose from. The Oscar flag for free pumping remained up through both races with wind speeds averaging 15 knots and gusting to 25 at times, with the windward loop/triangle course set.

For the first time this week, race seven got underway first time. Winner Ed Wright said, 'I came off the line well and then tacked to the right. I had really good boatspeed and just pulled away to round the top mark in the lead.'

He was followed by Piotr Kula (POL), Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic (CRO), Marin Misura (CRO), Rafael Trujillo (ESP and Mark Andrews (GBR). Wright gained some distance on the first downwind. 'On the second beat I just loosely covered Rafa and the rest of the fleet and then sailed away from them again on the last reaches.'

Kljakovic-Gaspic finished third, 'It was a tough day for me but came good at the end. In the first race I had a bad start and I ended up on the left. I was sure it was going to be shifty conditions and I was sailing on a starboard lift getting going quite a long way to the left. Then a new wind came in and I got a big advantage from that to go back over to the right and rounded in the top ten. The rest of the race was quite easy for me as I was fast on the downwind. On the second upwind before the top I was on the left and the rest of the fleet were on the right and in the last 200 metres I got a nice shift from the left and gained 50 metres on the group.'

Meanwhile Trujillo climbed to second with H?gh Christensen finishing fourth just ahead of Giles Scott (GBR).

Race two started after a brief intermission to allow a rain storm to pass over. The clouds brought 30 knots winds and cold rain but it soon passed and the wind dropped to 12-14 knots for the start of race eight, which also got away first time.

Wright said, 'The second race was really difficult. Out of the start the guys on top of me weren't tacking. The rest of the fleet at the port end had tacked and were starting to cross us. They were taking all the lanes or I would have gone earlier, but I had good numbers so I was happy to keep going. But I was lucky that the right ran out of pressure. I rounded about 20th but then had a good downwind so that pulled me up to seventh and then on the last reach I was working really hard and finished fourth.'

Kljakovic-Gaspic had a much tougher time. 'I think on the top mark I was 35th and I knew I had just one downwind and it was really important to surf as much as possible and to make up a lot of ground. So after the top mark I
gave it 100 per cent and I gained lots and got in the middle of the top 15 and rounded close to the front pack. On the second upwind I sailed really smart and had some good moments to round the top mark in fourth with a
couple of boats around me and I was really fast on the reaches and finished third.'.

'It was a great day. The wind was was good, but still very shifty. You just have to get used to these conditions and use them the best you can. In the first two days I was expecting them to cancel the race, but that didn't happen so you just have to keep going and make the best of what you have. Today was really exhausting for me, especially the second race.'

Race winner, H?gh Christensen tells the story of race eight. 'The second race was very tricky. Before the start I thought I saw something coming out of the left and I was a little afraid because the right has been quite good
so far and I decided to start at the pin and got a half decent start there. I was lying next to Bryan Boyd and shouted at him to drop his traveller because he was pinching and we just needed to just get across the fleet. We did and then rounded the first mark first and second.'

Behind them were Zach Railey (USA), Daniel Birgmark (SWE 11), Rafael Truijillo (ESP) and Michael Maier (CZE).

'The wind came in from behind on the run and a lot of people moved up and Giles came past and led at the bottom. The next beat was really shifty and I managed to play the shifts a bit better than Giles and pulled out a little
bit. The left side came in quite well but I kept playing the middle and tried to stay safe and minimise the risk, and take a little out of Giles every time I had the chance.'

The Dane rounded the top mark clear ahead of Scott, Misura, Kljakovic-Gaspic and Wright and extended his lead down the spray filled reaches to record his second race win of the series.

By the finish, Wright had moved up to fourth behind H?gh Christensen, Scott and Kljakovic-Gaspic with Maier in fifth.

H?gh Christensen continued, 'I would be happy with a top ten here but also when it's on, I'll do anything to win and today I gave myself that opportunity. There's still a good way to go and Ed has a good lead. If the forecast is right we are going to have a lot of breeze tomorrow and Ed usually doesn't make mistakes in that so he's going to be a hard guy to beat, it's going to be tight and a lot of good guys are in a good position.'

'For me, today couldn't be much better and I very much more relaxed than last year. I could see myself coming back to the class but right now there's no money to do that. That's my main problem right now. Sport in general in Denmark is getting a 20 per cent cut in funding, while everyone else is increasing by 20 per cent. I am all out of finance and I can't put myself in that sort of debt every year. So we'll see.'

The previous regatta leader Dan Slater (NZL) ended the day in sixth place after a 12th and 14th. He said, ' It was one of those days. I wasn't that quick and it was pretty hard to play the game. The lack of sailing since the Games
probably got found out a bit today to be honest. I'm also using equipment I've never really used before, especially in a breeze. I'm using a UK North for the first time in three years.'

'I kept being forced to tack off because I couldn't hold a lane so it's not just about missing shifts. But every time I was forced out of my lane it was another few boatlengths lost. It's one of those things. But we will have all closed up quite a lot today and there is still plenty to play for.'

One sailor who had a better day, Thursday was Pieter-Jan Postma (NED). With two ninth places he has moved up to 18th. Postma has been struggling with his form and not found the speed that led him to silver medal at the 2007
worlds and pre-olympics but is optimistic about the future. 'I am getting good starts. Off the line I am looking good. By my strategy and boatspeed are not 100 per cent and that creates some doubts and that's not good. It's tough, and the level is high, but I have faith and patience and I'll get there. So no worries. I'm not actually sure what the problem but sometimes it's good to analyse and put some distance on it to pin point the issues. The winter was a little bit messy and I think if you have a steady winter you have a better season.'

'But today was nice. Perfect conditions. It's also a perfect atmosphere here. They have arranged everything here really well. I think it is one of the best, if not the best regattas I have been to. When you come ashore you get a bit of music, some beer and a sandwich. On the water there are perfect races. I am really enjoying it.'

The two final qualification races are scheduled at 11.00 on Friday, with the medal race and the final race for the rest on Saturday.

Sailed:8, Discards:1, To count:7, Entries:87, Scoring system:Appendix A
Rank BowNumber Nationality SailNo HelmName Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Race 4 Race 5 Race 6 Race 7 Race 8 Total Nett
1st 10 GBR 111 Edward Wright (46.0) 4.0 2.0 9.0 18.0 6.0 1.0 4.0 90.0 44.0
2nd 16 GBR 41 Giles Scott 6.0 16.0 1.0 13.0 (20.0) 8.0 5.0 2.0 71.0 51.0
3rd 3 CRO 524 Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic (31.0) 3.0 21.0 2.0 6.0 13.0 3.0 3.0 82.0 51.0
4th 6 USA 4 Zach Railey 10.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 (29.0) 4.0 7.0 13.0 81.0 52.0
5th 8 DEN 2 Jonas H?gh-Christensen 20.0 (35.0) 17.0 1.0 5.0 7.0 4.0 1.0 90.0 55.0
6th 13 NZL 1 Dan Slater (33.0) 1.0 3.0 5.0 3.0 20.0 12.0 14.0 91.0 58.0
7th 33 CRO 25 Marin Misura 3.0 (21.0) 10.0 11.0 21.0 1.0 6.0 10.0 83.0 62.0
8th 1 ESP 100 Rafael Trujillo 22.0 19.0 16.0 4.0 4.0 (31.0) 2.0 6.0 104.0 73.0
9th 18 GBR 634 Andrew Mills 7.0 5.0 (32.0) 16.0 2.0 16.0 13.0 16.0 107.0 75.0
10th 5 SWE 11 Daniel Birgmark 17.0 2.0 13.0 (20.0) 8.0 5.0 20.0 12.0 97.0 77.0
11th 44 FRA 115 Thomas Le Breton 5.0 18.0 18.0 25.0 12.0 14.0 (26.0) 8.0 126.0 100.0
12th 20 GBR 88 Mark Andrews 16.0 (52.0) 4.0 8.0 13.0 21.0 8.0 31.0 153.0 101.0
13th 17 CZE 1 Michael Maier 28.0 (47.0) 7.0 18.0 19.0 10.0 14.0 5.0 148.0 101.0
14th 12 NOR 1 Peer Moberg 2.0 13.0 15.0 22.0 22.0 17.0 17.0 (24.0) 132.0 108.0
15th 42 EST 2 Deniss Karpak 9.0 28.0 5.0 15.0 (88.0 DNF) 25.0 22.0 7.0 199.0 111.0
16th 7 FIN 218 Tapio Nirkko 12.0 34.0 (47.0) 3.0 9.0 18.0 19.0 21.0 163.0 116.0
17th 2 NED 842 Pieter Jan Postma 13.0 (56.0) 27.0 14.0 39.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 176.0 120.0
18th 11 POL 7 Rafal Szukiel 4.0 7.0 25.0 (33.0) 15.0 30.0 29.0 15.0 158.0 125.0
19th 24 ESP 7 Alejandro Muscat (37.0) 32.0 8.0 23.0 11.0 12.0 18.0 22.0 163.0 126.0
20th 22 AUT 3 Florian Raudaschl 27.0 23.0 14.0 10.0 10.0 27.0 16.0 (30.0) 157.0 127.0
21st 19 POL 17 Piotr Kula 8.0 29.0 12.0 28.0 31.0 (45.0) 11.0 17.0 181.0 136.0
22nd 14 RUS 9 Eduard Skornyakov 32.0 8.0 35.0 17.0 1.0 29.0 15.0 (88.0 DSQ) 225.0 137.0
23rd 21 FRA 112 Jonathan Lobert (57.0) 9.0 19.0 35.0 53.0 2.0 10.0 11.0 196.0 139.0
24th 29 USA 1140 Bryan Boyd 1.0 30.0 24.0 29.0 7.0 (54.0) 27.0 26.0 198.0 144.0
25th 27 ITA 101 Riccardo Cordovani 24.0 22.0 9.0 31.0 17.0 26.0 38.0 (44.0) 211.0 167.0
26th 23 SWE 6 Bj?rn Allansson 29.0 42.0 (44.0) 19.0 28.0 3.0 21.0 27.0 213.0 169.0
27th 59 BRA 109 Jorge Zarif (J) 26.0 10.0 23.0 41.0 (60.0) 11.0 39.0 41.0 251.0 191.0
28th 15 ITA 117 Giorgio Poggi 19.0 26.0 28.0 7.0 14.0 15.0 88.0 DNE (34.0) 231.0 197.0
29th 30 CZE 52 Tomas Vika (J) 34.0 40.0 11.0 26.0 26.0 42.0 (50.0) 19.0 248.0 198.0
30th 37 NED 64 Wietze Zetzema 18.0 39.0 50.0 24.0 (51.0) 22.0 24.0 38.0 266.0 215.0
31st 65 NED 839 Timo Hagoort 30.0 12.0 37.0 21.0 30.0 47.0 41.0 (52.0) 270.0 218.0
32nd 43 CAN 1 John Romanko 38.0 (59.0) 30.0 34.0 27.0 41.0 30.0 28.0 287.0 228.0
33rd 34 GRE 8 Alexandros Dragoutsis 41.0 (57.0) 22.0 48.0 24.0 36.0 37.0 23.0 288.0 231.0
34th 51 RUS 1 Alex Selivanov 15.0 11.0 45.0 62.0 23.0 (73.0) 55.0 39.0 323.0 250.0
35th 26 POR 5 Frederico Melo 56.0 (60.0) 29.0 37.0 36.0 23.0 23.0 50.0 314.0 254.0
36th 52 DEN 46 Kaspar Andresen 39.0 24.0 20.0 (59.0) 45.0 32.0 49.0 53.0 321.0 262.0
37th 50 NED 787 Nanno Schuttrups 23.0 14.0 51.0 42.0 55.0 (88.0 BFD) 36.0 45.0 354.0 266.0
38th 69 ITA 123 Filippo Baldassari (J) (65.0) 53.0 26.0 38.0 54.0 34.0 34.0 29.0 333.0 268.0
39th 45 GBR 99 Henry Bagnall 53.0 43.0 (70.0) 39.0 32.0 46.0 35.0 25.0 343.0 273.0
40th 56 RUS 707 Egor Larionov (J) 48.0 27.0 38.0 43.0 (74.0) 35.0 25.0 62.0 352.0 278.0
41st 60 DEN 9 Thomas M?rup-Petersen 54.0 25.0 42.0 46.0 (88.0 BFD) 40.0 31.0 42.0 368.0 280.0
42nd 28 NED 41 Karel van Hellemond 49.0 33.0 39.0 30.0 (65.0) 49.0 28.0 59.0 352.0 287.0
43rd 25 IND 11 Nachhatar Johal (64.0) 15.0 31.0 49.0 50.0 44.0 53.0 54.0 360.0 296.0
44th 35 TUR 7 Akif Muslubas 11.0 55.0 33.0 52.0 (73.0) 37.0 56.0 63.0 380.0 307.0
45th 39 CZE 3 Rudolf Lidarik 44.0 50.0 34.0 45.0 41.0 39.0 58.0 (60.0) 371.0 311.0
46th 31 USA 5 Andrew Casey 50.0 (67.0) 59.0 27.0 35.0 59.0 33.0 49.0 379.0 312.0
47th 48 BUL 24 Mihail Kopanov (69.0) 46.0 41.0 54.0 33.0 51.0 52.0 37.0 383.0 314.0
48th 98 USA 619 Caleb Paine (J) 14.0 64.0 48.0 44.0 (67.0) 24.0 65.0 56.0 382.0 315.0
49th 41 HUN 8 M?rton Beliczay 35.0 54.0 (74.0) 53.0 25.0 72.0 48.0 43.0 404.0 330.0
50th 36 HUN 6 Gaszton Pal (85.0) 41.0 36.0 51.0 34.0 38.0 66.0 65.0 416.0 331.0
51st 64 EST 11 Lauri V?insalu (J) 25.0 38.0 54.0 (88.0 DNF) 47.0 58.0 40.0 70.0 420.0 332.0
52nd 86 AUS 235 Timothy Castles (87.0) 58.0 63.0 32.0 76.0 33.0 54.0 18.0 421.0 334.0
53rd 40 USA 9 Ian Cook (J) 52.0 49.0 55.0 50.0 43.0 28.0 (60.0) 58.0 395.0 335.0
54th 32 UKR 1 Oleksiy Borysov 66.0 (88.0 DNC) 88.0 DNC 88.0 DNC 16.0 19.0 43.0 20.0 428.0 340.0
55th 71 DEN 231 Kenneth B?ggild (76.0) 20.0 40.0 70.0 48.0 55.0 62.0 47.0 418.0 342.0
56th 79 NED 844 Gert van der Heijden 45.0 37.0 (64.0) 57.0 44.0 52.0 59.0 51.0 409.0 345.0
57th 78 UKR 21 Anton Sadchykov (J) 40.0 44.0 (66.0) 58.0 61.0 66.0 44.0 33.0 412.0 346.0
58th 55 CAN 7 Adam Nicholson 59.0 51.0 67.0 47.0 49.0 (68.0) 42.0 35.0 418.0 350.0
59th 61 BRA 5 Henry Boening (82.0) 74.0 49.0 40.0 40.0 61.0 47.0 48.0 441.0 359.0
60th 58 NED 45 Dennis de Ruiter 63.0 (71.0) 52.0 67.0 69.0 53.0 32.0 36.0 443.0 372.0
61st 47 GER 165 Dirk Meid 60.0 (73.0) 56.0 56.0 64.0 60.0 46.0 40.0 455.0 382.0
62nd 81 DEN 3 J?rgen Svendsen 47.0 69.0 43.0 61.0 46.0 (75.0) 68.0 55.0 464.0 389.0
63rd 49 EST 7 Harles Liiv 73.0 48.0 (88.0 DNC) 36.0 68.0 88.0 DNC 45.0 32.0 478.0 390.0
64th 53 GER 203 Hartmut Duisberg 55.0 70.0 69.0 (73.0) 57.0 43.0 51.0 46.0 464.0 391.0
65th 4 SLO 5 Gasper Vincec 21.0 17.0 (88.0 DNF) 12.0 88.0 DNC 88.0 DNC 88.0 DNC 88.0 DNC 490.0 402.0
66th 95 NED 11 Henk de Jager (78.0) 62.0 53.0 64.0 63.0 50.0 57.0 57.0 484.0 406.0
67th 75 HUN 128 Peter Haidekker 58.0 45.0 46.0 77.0 42.0 77.0 67.0 (88.0 DNC) 500.0 412.0
68th 57 USA 808 R. Phillip Ramming (86.0) 36.0 61.0 74.0 72.0 48.0 61.0 61.0 499.0 413.0
69th 63 ITA 2 Marco Buglielli 67.0 31.0 (79.0) 63.0 71.0 74.0 63.0 66.0 514.0 435.0
70th 83 SUI 496 Thomas Gautschi 62.0 65.0 (76.0) 75.0 37.0 65.0 64.0 67.0 511.0 435.0
71st 67 GRE 71 Panagiotis Davourlis 36.0 68.0 65.0 65.0 (81.0) 70.0 69.0 64.0 518.0 437.0
72nd 94 ITA 38 Claudio Bosetti 42.0 78.0 62.0 66.0 52.0 71.0 (88.0 DNF) 88.0 DNC 547.0 459.0
73rd 96 SWE 1 Olof Lundqvist 75.0 76.0 75.0 72.0 38.0 62.0 (88.0 DNF) 69.0 555.0 467.0
74th 54 ITA 97 Carlo Recchi (J) 51.0 75.0 58.0 55.0 56.0 (88.0 DNC) 88.0 DNC 88.0 DNC 559.0 471.0
75th 93 HUN 728 Elemer Haidekker (J) 43.0 83.0 81.0 81.0 66.0 56.0 73.0 (88.0 DNC) 571.0 483.0
76th 89 DEN 218 Jesper Petersen 70.0 79.0 68.0 69.0 59.0 67.0 (88.0 DNC) 71.0 571.0 483.0
77th 88 DEN 6 Lars Hall 61.0 63.0 72.0 60.0 58.0 (88.0 DNF) 88.0 DNF 88.0 DNC 578.0 490.0
78th 76 CZE 11 Patrik Deutcher (J) 71.0 80.0 57.0 71.0 82.0 64.0 71.0 (88.0 DNC) 584.0 496.0
79th 80 DEN 201 Nikolai Ratzlaff 79.0 66.0 (88.0 DNC) 76.0 79.0 57.0 72.0 68.0 585.0 497.0
80th 91 GER 242 Peter Corbett 77.0 82.0 71.0 80.0 78.0 63.0 70.0 (88.0 DNC) 609.0 521.0
81st 74 GER 262 Uwe Barthel 72.0 72.0 73.0 79.0 62.0 81.0 (88.0 DNC) 88.0 DNC 615.0 527.0
82nd 97 SWE 40 Sverker H?rd 84.0 61.0 78.0 (88.0 DNC) 70.0 79.0 88.0 DNC 88.0 DNC 636.0 548.0
83rd 46 GER 174 Matthias Bohn 74.0 (88.0 DNF) 60.0 68.0 88.0 DNC 88.0 DNC 88.0 DNC 88.0 DNC 642.0 554.0
84th 85 USA 56 Charles Heimler 83.0 84.0 77.0 78.0 77.0 69.0 (88.0 DNC) 88.0 DNC 644.0 556.0
85th 77 DEN 258 Christian Qvist 81.0 77.0 80.0 82.0 75.0 76.0 (88.0 DNF) 88.0 DNC 647.0 559.0
86th 90 GBR 631 Richard Hart 80.0 81.0 (88.0 DNF) 88.0 DNC 80.0 78.0 88.0 DNC 88.0 DNC 671.0 583.0
87th 82 HUN 212 Richard Hirschler (J) 68.0 (88.0 DNF) 88.0 DNC 88.0 DNC 88.0 BFD 80.0 88.0 DNC 88.0 DNC 676.0 588.0




by Robert Deaves




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