1999 Finn Gold Cup - Melbourne, Australia


 

1

Fredrik Lööf

SWE 7

(14)

5

(14)

4

4

11

5

1

3

2

3

38

2

Mateusz Kusznierewicz

POL 17

8

(13)

3

6

5

3

2

5

4

3

(72)

39

3

Richard Clarke

CAN 11

(30)

(28)

10

9

7

4

6

15

2

4

6

63

4

Iain Percy

GBR 54

(19)

10

1

5

19

1

4

13

1

15

(72)

69

5

Karlo Kuret

CRO 11

5

3

11

(72)

6

5

8

12

(27)

13

9

72

6

Sebastien Godefroid

BEL 7

11

(15)

8

(15)

3

8

9

7

11

5

10

72

7

Michael Fellmann

GER 79

(32)

21

2

1

(37)

25

1

2

20

1

22

95

8

Martijn Van Muyden

NED 701

3

9

17

(72)

1

12

(22)

19

10

19

12

102

9

Xavier Rohart

FRA 1

13

24

5

2

13

7

(72)

4

34

(72)

8

110

10

Michael Maier

CZE 304

(36)

(30)

4

11

26

9

7

20

8

10

15

110

11

Ian Ainslie

RSA 1

22

6

(35)

8

8

17

11

16

19

7

(60)

114

12

Dave Mellor

GBR 540

24

(32)

9

12

17

13

3

(72)

7

6

26

117

13

John Driscoll

IRL 1

15

(41)

7

14

9

29

(72)

3

12

12

31

132

14

Andreas Buchert

GER 6

7

4

20

25

(34)

10

14

(34)

24

25

4

133

15

Nenad Viali

ITA 14

2

34

(37)

16

16

26

10

10

(36)

26

7

147

16

Paul McKenzie

AUS 222

16

36

12

7

10

14

16

8

32

(72)

(37)

151

17

Ian Baker

NZL 242

(62)

(39)

21

17

22

19

13

6

6

21

27

152

18

Philippe Rogge

BEL 2

18

18

22

20

12

28

(30)

21

14

(31)

18

171

19

Peter Theurer

SUI 464

21

23

31

3

(36)

21

25

(35)

18

17

13

172

20

Dominik Zycki

POL 4

12

11

(43)

26

2

2

34

29

23

35

(55)

174

21

Anthony Nossiter

AUS 221

17

27

(72)

21

21

24

19

9

(46)

20

20

178

22

Juri Tokovoi

UKR 21

(54)

(51)

18

13

29

16

31

23

29

9

11

179

23

Jamie Lea

GBR 564

6

(72)

19

42

30

(43)

36

22

5

18

5

183

24

Bartul Misura

CRO 1

1

20

32

22

18

(37)

17

28

15

33

(56)

186

25

Emilios Papathanasiou

GRE 6

25

12

23

36

(72)

6

12

11

39

37

(54)

201

26

Darrell Peck

USA 1151

31

38

6

(72)

14

40

21

14

26

11

(59)

201

27

Richard Stenhouse

GBR 550

10

(72)

16

23

15

32

(72)

33

17

29

28

203

28

Mark Bulka

AUS 220

20

(68)

27

37

11

22

18

24

21

(38)

23

203

29

Leith Armit

NZL 241

(48)

2

33

40

31

15

15

17

(42)

30

32

215

30

David Burrows

IRL 8

29

(46)

26

18

(40)

30

26

27

30

27

2

215

31

Javier Aguado

ESP 1

4

1

(49)

33

(49)

33

20

26

38

28

33

216

32

Finn Taylor

AUS 219

52

16

34

24

35

(72)

(72)

43

16

8

1

229

33

Massimo Gherarducci

ITA 71

(60)

8

24

28

(56)

20

23

25

40

24

45

237

34

Stuart Bannatyne

NZL 19

(58)

35

72

29

43

34

29

31

9

22

14

246

35

Carl Schmidt

AUS 223

38

55

29

10

24

39

(72)

18

(72)

14

19

246

36

Oleg Khoperski

RUS 10

(51)

47

15

27

50

31

24

(72)

13

23

29

259

37

Michael Hruby

CZE 479

27

7

(46)

19

38

38

28

41

31

(45)

42

271

38

Charlie Cumbley

GBR 15

9

40

36

38

23

(53)

39

(72)

28

41

17

271

39

George Kontogouris

GRE 1

26

19

39

41

25

(44)

32

32

(43)

32

30

276

40

Michael Deyett

USA 1146

(53)

33

52

(72)

20

36

40

39

35

46

16

317

41

Christoph Burger

SUI 451

47

(56)

28

34

32

23

27

38

(59)

44

46

319

42

Marc Blees

NED 707

46

22

(51)

43

27

18

45

(72)

25

50

48

324

43

Mike Milner

CAN 4

44

(58)

50

24

41

42

35

37

22

40

(63)

335

44

Clifton Webb

NZL 27

28

44

25

31

28

35

41

(72)

37

(72)

72

341

45

Lasse Hjortnäs

DEN 143

34

29

42

46

72

45

46

36

(56)

49

25

352

46

Bruno Prada

BRA 1

(66)

43

38

35

47

48

33

(72)

51

34

24

353

47

Tyler Bjorn

CAN 1107

35

42

41

(72)

39

49

37

(72)

58

43

21

365

48

Mario Salani

ITA 11

72

67

45

32

53

(72)

38

30

52

16

34

367

49

Walter Riosa

ITA 55

42

31

40

39

44

41

43

(72)

(55)

47

49

376

50

John Callahan

USA 1140

39

(57)

48

45

(52)

51

44

40

33

39

38

377

51

Michele Marchesini

ITA 15

40

(62)

44

30

59

46

(72)

46

48

48

44

405

52

Scott Griffiths

USA 1138

(64)

(63)

53

47

33

50

50

44

49

51

39

416

53

Daniel Bush

NZL 12

23

52

47

50

55

(58)

48

(72)

50

54

40

419

54

Russell Ward

GBR 4

49

25

(72)

(72)

45

52

51

72

47

56

35

432

55

Akif Muslubas

TUR 44

(63)

49

54

44

48

(56)

47

42

54

42

52

432

56

Colin Chapman

IRL 10

43

14

30

(72)

42

27

(72)

72

72

72

72

444

57

David Beyers

USA 1150

61

17

58

53

51

(62)

53

(72)

60

59

41

453

58

Mauricio Bueno

BRA 100

33

60

55

51

61

(65)

(72)

48

63

52

36

459

59

Hong Quan Li

CHN 1

59

37

56

48

(64)

47

52

(72)

57

60

43

459

60

Chic Parsons

USA 1149

57

61

(72)

(72)

46

54

42

72

41

36

58

467

61

Ben Beer

ISV 13

37

48

(61)

54

57

60

58

47

61

(63)

50

472

62

Vladimir Zuev

BLR 17

65

50

(72)

(72)

58

57

49

45

44

53

64

485

63

Mo Hart

USA 1161

(72)

45

59

(72)

54

55

72

72

45

55

47

504

64

Hugh Dimock

NZL 245

45

53

63

55

60

61

56

(72)

(72)

64

57

514

65

Luca Devoti

ITA 1

50

26

13

(72)

(72)

72

72

72

72

72

72

521

66

Patrick Meehan

AUS 165

(69)

66

62

49

65

64

54

(72)

53

58

53

524

67

August Miller

USA 1087

56

59

60

56

(67)

66

57

(72)

64

61

51

530

68

Jake Gunther

AUS 213

67

64

57

52

63

59

55

(72)

62

57

(72)

536

69

Takuya Maeda

JPN 24

55

54

(72)

57

66

67

60

(72)

65

65

61

550

70

John Shallvey

AUS 224

68

65

(72)

(72)

62

63

59

49

66

62

62

556

71

Graeme Taylor

AUS 225

41

69

(72)

(72)

72

72

72

72

72

72

72

614

 

 

 

1999 Finn Gold Cup report

 

The 1999 Finn Gold Cup was held at Sandringham Yacht Club, Melbourne from 10-15 January. A range of conditions and the new format of 11 races tested the competitors to the limit. Defending Champion Mateusz Kusznierewicz was leading overall until the final race when Fredrik Lööf won his third Gold Cup. Sarah Kingston Reports.               

 

As part of the 1999 Combined Olympic Classes World Championship, the 1999 Finn Gold Cup was held in Melbourne. The Finns were based at the Sandringham Yacht Club together with the International 14s - other Olympic Classes were spread around other yacht clubs around Port Philip Bay. The Finn Class was delighted to return to Melbourne - in 1995 the Gold Cup was held at the Black Rock Yacht Club, and in 1956 the Finns sailed here in the Olympic regatta.        

 

A very strong fleet of 71 Finn sailors from 28 countries competed for the 1999 Finn Gold Cup. It was particularly pleasing to see China, Japan, Belarus and the US Virgin Islands represented this year.            

The 1998 AGM had agreed to change the format and courses for this year. 11 races over 6 days were sailed and in winds lighter than 12 knots the Olympic trapezoid course would be used whilst in stronger winds the traditional Finn Gold Cup course (triangle) would be used.               

 

Day 1

The fleet was tested under light and flukey winds for their first two races, resulting in a frustrating day for many, but some new faces at the top of the scoreboard. The Spaniard Javier Aguado performed the most consistently with a 4th in the first race and a 1st in Race 2. Bartul Misura won Race 1, just ahead of Nenad Viali and Martijn van Muyden. Richard Stenhouse had led throughout the second race, however much to his disappointment was judged to have been OCS at the start.

 

Day 2

With an increased wind, more familiar names were at the top of the results sheet. Michael Fellmann scored a 2nd and a 1st; Iain Percy scored a 1st and a 5th; Xavier Rohart scored a 5th and a 2nd.

 

Day 3

The conditions for day 3 were a complete contrast to the previous day’s high seas and 25 knot winds. A trapezoid course was set for both races under grey overcast skies, flat seas and 7-8 knots of wind. After a general recall and then a start under a black flag, race 5 began with Martijn Van Muyden and Sebastien Godefroid vying for first place around most of the marks. The Dutchman gained a clear 3 boat length lead at the finish. Dominik Zycki made a last minute bid for the finish and beat Sebastien on the line to clinch second place.      

 

Iain Percy led throughout race 6 which started under a black flag, in 10-12 knots of wind. Although Finn Taylor reached the windward mark first, he was swiftly sent home by the Race Committee, having been judged as OCS at the start. The two Polish sailors, Dominik Zycki and Mateusz Kusznierewicz, finished 2nd and 3rd. Percy commented ashore: “In the first race the shifting winds were difficult. I was unlucky in the first and got lucky in the second. This is my first year racing Finns full time and I’d be over the moon if I finished in the top five.”

 

Day 4

Both races were completed in strong winds gusting to 28 knots. Michael Fellmann again showed his supremacy in strong winds by winning race 7 and finishing second in race 8. Mateusz scored a 2nd and a 5th and increased his points score over the rest of the fleet. Fredrik Lööf scored 5th and 1st and knocked Karlo Kuret out of second position. On the other hand, Martijn Van Muyden did not performed quite so well on the windy days and he dropped to 8th place overall. Australian Paul McKenzie had a good day (16th and 8th) and moved up to 9th overall. It was an expensive day for some - Marc Blees and Dave Mellor both shredded their sails just prior to the start of Race 8, and Clifton Webb was forced to retire due to a damaged mast.      

 

Day 5

The first race of the day (Race 9) was started under blue skies, warm temperatures and a constant 11-12 knot wind. The Olympic Trapezoid course was used. Iain Percy had an excellent race, leading from the first mark with Fredrik Lööf rounding the second mark alongside Percy. Fredrik was then given a yellow flag by the Jury for pumping and as a result lost his slight advantage. The Brit took off downwind, in conditions that had freshened to over 15 knots, to win his third race with a clear 100 metre lead over Richard Clarke in second place and Fredrik in third.

 

An increase in wind strength to 15-17 knots meant that the triangle course was set for Race 10. Michael Fellmann yet again showed the fleet that he loves the stronger wind conditions and choppy seas - he flew, and took his third win of the week. Fredrik finished second and Mateusz was third.

 

Mateusz, the defending World Champion, was pleased with his performance on Day 5. Going into the final day, he was reasonably confident “I think my strength is in my preparation for the regatta, to be good in all weather conditions. My focus was to gain good speed both upwind and downwind, and I think this has been my advantage in this championship. I’m happy because I have the silver for sure but I really want to win.” After 10 races, 2 discards were taken into account, leaving Mateusz in first, Fredrik in second and Iain Percy in third.

 

Day 6

The final, 11th race was sailed in a dying north wind that started at about 12 knots and quickly faded to 6 knots at the top of the first beat, and 2 knots by the end. It was a tricky and nerve racking race for most of the top competitors, with none of the medal positions decided before the start. Mateusz Kusznierewicz and Iain Percy both had a bad race and subsequently retired. This put the pressure on Fredrik Lööf, but he did just enough - achieving a third place in the race and thus winning the Gold Cup by just one point over the Olympic and 1998 World Champion.

 

As Iain Percy sailed home, Richard Clarke knew that he now had the chance of a medal, “I was involved in a collision near the end of the leg as I tried to cross a starboard tacker but did not make it. After some damage to the right side of the boat and two penalty circles I continued to race and rounded the first mark 10th. I had another stellar run and passed a few guys to round the bottom mark 5th. The rest of the race was very slow and nerve racking but I maintained my composure and only lost one more boat on the final run to finish 6th.” Enough to give him the bronze medal. Having had a bad start to the Championship with a 30th and 28th in the first two races, he performed consistently well throughout the remainder of the races. His achievement not only qualified his country for a place in the Finn event of the 2000 Olympic Games, but his third place assures him of being the Canadian representative for the Finn in Sydney.

 

Summary

1999 has seen a fantastic Gold Cup held in a wide range of conditions. Congratulations to Freddy Lööf for his third Gold Cup win, and many thanks to our hosts - 99 Worlds and the Sandringham Yacht Club.      

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