After four years of going home with the runners up prize, André Budzien (GER) finally clinched the elusive World Masters title with a stunning series including five race wins. Report by Tim Carver and Andy Denison The 2007 Finn World Masters was sailed in the water of Los Alcázares, in Murcia, Spain from 28 May to 1 June in generally moderate to strong winds.

André Budzien led at every mark after the first start which was canned after a major wind change. The race re-started in settled winds of 15-18 knots. The first beat was a really tough two mile slog. Budzien put his disappointment behind him and sailed beautifully to win the race closely followed by Allen Burrell and Arwin Karssemeijer.

The fleet was released from the shore at 1.00pm and race two shortly got underway. Again the wind went through a large shift and the beat turned into a reach. This was unfortunate for Rory Barnes as he was lead boat at the time. After a couple of general recalls and a number of people falling foul to the black flag race two got underway again. The sea breeze had now kicked in 15-20 knots. Allen Burrell found the port hand side paid for him was first to the windward mark. Budzien again showed devastating downwind speed to lead at the first leeward mark and he then covered the fleet home. Burrell finished second closely followed by Tim Carver and a fast closing Francisco Villalonga. Again, after three general recalls and four hours already on the water, race three finally got underway in 15-20 knots. This was Francisco's race. Breaking André's run with a fantastic race win. Andre finished 2nd with Arwin Karssemeijer 3rd. This race was also notable for some damage incurred by Agustin Juarez Marrero. This prevented him from competing and removed his discard for the week. He now had no margin for error. A bull fight had been arranged for the evening but most sailors were too exhausted after a long day.

Tim Carver port tacked the fleet at the start of the race and led by 100 metres at the first mark. Unfortunately a gybe mark close call the previous day had left him with a damaged shoulder and unable to pump down the first reach. This opened the door to Andre who showed impeccable strength and technique to overtake with a fine demonstration of unrestricted 1-1 pumping. Tim hung on in 2nd followed by Hein-Pieter Okker.

Marco Passoni won race five, showing fantastic speed both upwind and down. Having picked already picked up a yellow flag and a black flag he had no margin for error but there was certainly nothing wrong with his speed. Hans Bergsma was a fine second followed by Juarez who was starting to show flashes of fantastic pace upwind. Burrell and Carver continued their battle with a solid 4 and 5. Race six was canned after the whole fleet parked up on the leeward mark. This was a major disappointment for Burrell who had sailed an immaculate race. With Budzien buried and a first in the bag it looked like a close fight would be for overall winner.

Budzien won his fourth race to guarantee his first Master Worlds and a well deserved and popular winner. The interest was now for the rest of the podium. Tim Carver knew what he had to do to finish second assuming the Race Officer only got one race in so he did it. He kept an eye on Juarez and covered Burrell.

The battle for the podium was on. Burrell went left off the start, Juarez played the middle and Carver went right. Two thirds of the way up the beat right was looking good, then the breeze clocked left. Burrell rounded in the top 3, Juarez top 10 and Carver buried in the 20s. Agustin showed fantastic speed to pull through to second behind an imperious Andre. There was nothing Burrell could do. He hung on to third but couldn't challenge the Spaniard. So at the end of the race Juarez had moved to second overall with a fantastic 2, 2 final day and Burrell had done enough to finish third. Carver's 9th place dropped him out of the medals.

A fabulous regatta, with great hospitality, free beer and pasta after all racing, stacks of space in the dinghy park, launching and recovery of 140 boats fairly straight forward. The race management was very good with racing starting quickly and generally the committee got it right. The Finn World Masters is something to be thoroughly recommended.

1 Marin Mrduljas, CRO

2 Greg Davis, RSA

3 Martin Hughes, GBR

1 Luka Cicarelli, CRO

2 Jiri Outrate, CZE

3 John van Altena, NED

1 Seigfried Bohl, GER

2 Didier Poissant, FRA

3 Henri Roumaillac, FRA

1 André Buzdien GER71 1 1 2 1 6 1 1 7

2 Agustin Juarez Marrero ESP100 4 7 DNC 6 3 2 2 24

3 Allen Burell GBR2 2 2 10 9 4 6 3 26

4 Tim Carver GBR8 6 3 7 2 5 5 9 28

5 Luuk Kuijper NED83 7 10 5 8 9 4 5 38

6 Arwin Karssemeijer NED25 3 14 3 4 30 8 8 40

7 Francisco Villalonga ESP836 21 4 1 10 10 12 4 41

8 Han Bergsma NED61 8 13 37 16 2 7 6 52

9 Marin Mrduljas CRO88 13 8 6 24 15 18 7 67

10 Greg Davis RSA1 9 20 9 46 7 13 12 70

11 David Potter GBR66 19 BFD 12 18 8 10 13 80

12 Martin Hughes GBR56 16 18 15 14 28 BFD 11 102

13 Marc Allain Des BeauvaisFRA99 11 BFD 11 13 17 15 37 104

14 Paul Kamphorst NED27 17 19 34 20 12 26 15 109

15 Sander Kooij GBR65 35 21 BFD 15 18 11 16 116

16 Martin Atzwanger ITA80 18 12 8 43 16 27 42 123

17 Philip Baum RSA51 15 25 22 38 27 19 18 126

18 Adrian Bruton GBR64 BFD 6 4 11 72 23 17 133

19 Luka Cicarelli CRO11 14 32 27 22 13 35 31 139

20 Jiri Outrata CZE8 29 37 13 47 60 16 26 168

21 John Van Altena NED7 32 16 18 73 11 BFD 22 172

22 Russell Ward GBR4 27 29 BFD 61 14 34 14 179

23 Eddy Huisman NED55 12 17 21 64 63 22 46 181

24 Klaus Weixelbaumer RSA53 24 31 23 25 46 54 35 184

25 Gerko Visser NED81 44 53 31 7 53 32 21 188

26 Friedrich M¸ller GER14 42 33 16 27 44 BFD 29 191

27 Andy Denison GBR20 26 26 47 74 20 39 33 191

28 Henk De Jager NED11 25 43 BFD 21 59 17 27 192

29 Peter Sipos HUN2 76 47 26 37 40 20 23 193

30 Varga Lajos HUN4 62 39 41 32 23 31 30 196

31 Bruno Catalan ITA111 30 11 35 62 34 49 44 203

32 Jan Zetzema NED50 46 BFD RDG 34 31 33 19 213

33 Jan Van Der Horst NED1 43 46 29 51 45 14 40 217

34 Auke Woedermann NED77 39 28 49 30 36 44 45 222

35 Alan Tucker RSA54 57 67 28 52 22 38 28 225

36 Howard Sellars GBR77 47 24 BFD 67 29 24 34 225

37 Horst W¸hn GER31 38 BFD 19 81 48 9 43 238

38 Martin Plecity CZE318 41 44 45 44 37 28 62 239

39 Greg Shaw GBR55 40 58 BFD 35 19 36 53 241

40 Denis Mowbray NZL19 54 36 24 48 71 DNF 10 243

41 Pierre Mondetegue FRA2 20 27 DNC 28 109 25 39 248

42 Vaclav Cintl CZE7 22 BFD 42 12 83 51 41 251

43 Wobbe De Schiffart NED95 37 35 38 36 50 62 56 252

44 Philippe Lobert FRA862 DNF 22 40 39 91 43 25 260

45 Ricci Giorgio ITA938 36 BFD 48 58 25 47 47 261

46 Toman De Schiffart NED78 70 41 54 31 56 60 36 278

47 Florian Demetz ITA89 33 50 32 40 106 41 87 283

48 Paolo Cisbani ITA941 DNC 30 17 26 OCS 50 24 284

49 Pierluigi Pinzan ITA84 BFD 71 30 42 24 61 57 285

50 Hein-Pieter Okker NED10 5 9 BFD 3 DNC 3 DNC 294

51 Marco Passoni ITA6 10 5 BFD 5 1 DNC DNC 295

52 Franco Cinque ITA5 BFD 23 25 57 OCS 30 32 304

53 Panagiotis Davourlis GRE71 23 34 33 53 26 DNC DNC 306

54 Jorge Pinheiro De Melo POR5 28 BFD BFD 41 21 29 52 308

55 Rob Huisman NED56 50 54 44 OCS 54 42 64 308

56 Gregor Stimpfl ITA925 34 45 20 23 OCS BFD 54 313

57 Wolfgang Tamm GER13 31 15 BFD 19 93 21 DNC 316

58 John Heyes GBR61 45 BFD 57 84 65 45 20 316

59 Victor Serrano Conesa ESP260 53 63 43 55 41 DNC 61 316

60 Giles Henaff FRA846 DSQ 57 14 68 76 53 49 317

61 Lucas-Jan Groenhout NED72 58 61 52 76 70 37 58 336

62 Michael Pandler GER63 65 59 84 56 35 63 67 345

63 Wilfried Balthasar GER68 69 48 66 91 32 BFD 50 356

64 Rory Barnes GBR24 48 60 75 80 47 58 71 359

65 Hans Fatzer SUI11 73 40 61 69 84 57 60 360

66 Francisco Javier Moreno ESP295 64 52 DNC 71 38 66 70 361

67 Tony Lock GBR61 56 BFD 71 79 62 48 48 364

68 Remy Arnaud FRA85 63 BFD 39 100 64 40 59 365

69 Lucio Nodari NED87 52 86 62 70 39 56 DNC 365

70 Roderik Casander NED8 72 72 60 78 42 68 55 369

71 Andrea Sandini ITA99 61 66 72 60 43 67 DNF 369

72 Nanne Boot NED15 77 62 70 45 75 70 51 373

73 Chiel Barends NED88 55 56 50 99 55 59 DNC 374

74 Andrea Roost SUI9 49 85 59 83 99 52 74 402

75 Thomas Pichler ITA39 66 55 51 OCS 52 55 DSQ 416

76 Ben Winters NZL3 BFD 42 DNC 65 69 46 65 424

77 Hans Zomer NED39 78 68 56 29 57 DNC DNC 425

78 Heini Unterhauser ITA1 82 76 80 54 61 75 81 427

79 Peter Verhoef NED32 80 87 73 90 82 71 38 431

80 Alphons Van Gent NED74 85 81 DNC 66 79 65 63 439

81 Robin Greaves RSA5 67 84 63 98 77 73 77 441

82 Rudolf Baumann SUI57 98 73 82 82 58 69 83 447

83 Ruurd Baerends NED4 60 69 DNC 17 33 BFD DNC 453

84 Jobs Isselmann NED9 89 74 68 77 OCS 74 76 458

85 Wouter Molenaar NED2 51 49 36 50 DNC DNC DNC 460

86 Jan Salin FRA827 79 93 58 92 85 78 75 467

87 Antonio Pitini ITA7 DNC 70 69 88 78 84 79 468

88 Jan-Jaap Lamme NED77 68 38 BFD 49 51 BFD DNC 480

89 Pietro Piram ITA43 86 77 90 93 67 90 72 482

90 Yves Zoccola FRA800 92 64 74 102 110 79 80 491

91 Harold Lensing NED13 74 97 76 108 81 76 89 493

92 Peter Kilchenmann SUI13 DNC 107 81 87 66 77 78 496

93 Siegfred Bˆhl GER10 102 99 65 113 94 64 73 497

94 Rolf Elsasser GER20 81 88 DNC 89 90 86 68 502

95 R¸diger Stelzl GER85 DNC 80 64 107 92 85 90 518

96 Martin Tas NED81 83 100 86 95 87 81 86 518

97 Jiri Kmoniceck CZE38 88 78 53 86 86 DNC DNC 528

98 Klaus Heufler ITA85 71 79 88 97 111 82 DNF 528

99 Alain Guillou FRA37 104 94 DNC 85 100 87 66 536

100 Mike Till GBR55 BFD 108 93 106 80 80 69 536

101 Willem Nagel NED31 DNC 51 46 63 103 DNC DNC 537

102 Petr Vinkl CZE222 87 91 79 109 116 91 85 542

103 Antonio Candela DomingoESP128 96 89 BFD 105 102 72 82 546

104 Jiri Huracek SUI7 94 104 87 96 101 94 94 566

105 Paul Brown GBR58 75 BFD 55 75 89 BFD DNC 568

106 Helmut Ziereis AUT78 97 105 83 111 96 96 91 568

107 Gunther Kellerman GER89 99 101 85 116 113 88 96 582

108 Jens Ott GER14 90 103 92 114 DNC 97 93 589

109 Olaf Von Heusden NED38 93 83 BFD 72 68 BFD DNC 590

110 Nikolaus Mair ITA93 103 BFD DNC 94 98 93 84 609

111 Umberto Giugni ITA88 95 82 DNC 103 115 89 DNC 621

112 HennieVan Den Brink NED82 DNC DNC DNC 33 49 DNC DNC 630

113 Didier Poissant FRA1 BFD 110 99 125 95 104 97 630

114 Bozena Smidova CZE4 106 114 97 119 97 103 DNC 636

115 Emilio Plagaro ESP179 DNC 112 94 121 118 100 92 637

116 Michael Stringer GBR57 101 102 95 122 121 99 DNC 640

117 Thomas Roost SUI44 DNC BFD 78 101 107 83 DNC 643

118 Egon Ede Payr HUN24 91 92 77 126 122 DNC DNC 645

119 Heinz Stammnitz SUI64 84 98 DNC 104 88 DNC DNC 648

120 Jean Liguet FRA785 100 95 91 115 120 DNC DNC 658

121 Pax Van De Griend NED84 DNC 65 DNC 110 73 DNC DNC 659

122 Bart Kraan NED83 DNC 113 DNC 118 112 92 98 670

123 Jack Kamminga NED86 DNC DNC DNC 112 105 95 88 674

124 Miklos Ruffy HUN22 DNC BFD 96 117 OCS 98 95 680

125 Werner Beuck GER1 DNC 75 DNC 59 DNC DNC DNC 682

126 JoseIgnacio Pinacho ESP303 DNF 111 BFD 124 117 101 99 689

127 Carlo Lazzari SUI16 105 BFD DNC DNC 74 102 OCS 692

128 Carlos Beltri FernandezESP872 DNF 90 67 DNC DNC DNC DNC 705

129 Jorgen Lecschly DEN24 DNC 96 100 DNC 104 DNC DNC 711

130 Manfred Pˆschl GER48 59 BFD DNC OCS OCS DNC DNC 744

131 Henri Roumaillac FRA46 DNC 109 DNC 120 108 DNC DNC 748

132 Helmut Klammer SUI2 DNC BFD 89 123 OCS DNC DNC 760

133 Bruno Marti SUI58 DNC DNC 98 DNC 114 DNC DNC 760

134 Francisco Javier GarciaESP316 DNC 106 DNC DNC 119 DNC DNC 773

135 Roland Balthasar GER66 DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC 822

135 Elsje Van Der Griend NED82 DNC DNC DNC DNFDNF DNC DNC 822