|
|
|
When Glen Bourke won his third Laser worlds, everyone said that no one else would ever do it again in what is commonly accepted as sailing in its purest form. No one could repeat 3 World Titles in a class that has the dynamics of Laser racing, was the word in the boat park. Well, Robert Scheidt has proven them all wrong yet again. His dominance of the class firmly established with a 6th title in some of the toughest round the cans racing on the planet. You have to see a Laser Worlds to really 'get it'. Here in Hyannis the fleet was served up with everything they wanted and didn't want. From only one race on day one to three days of 20-30 with 4-6 footers as hurricane Gustavo breezed by offshore. In the breeze, these guys are just machines working the boat up and down the course, kicking up rooster tails in the reaching legs Each race lasts around 65 minutes with 2 races a day on trapezoid courses, a format that has been evolved over several years using the sailor's and coach's input. There is on the water judging with obscenely well-qualified international judges, the core of whom do Laser events all over the world. Rule 42 is enforced fully, though the class is working on a description that defines exactly what the rules are and where the lines in the sand lie. The sailors dig this. The chief judge, Takao Otani, is a World Council member and Japanese builder of the boat. Everyone here is passionate about this class.
In the last few years, the fleet has really tightened up to the top, everyone chasing Robert around the course, forever inching closer. This year I watched Robert do what he does. Get comfortable in the first few days then open up his stride and walks away from the crowd. That is not to say that the crowd is lacking, only that they are not he. Second placed Swede Carl Suneson, (ex competitive wrestler) is long overdue a for one of these titles and third placed Paul Goodison has the unenviable task of filling Ben Ainslies shoes as the top British laser rep. Further back were some folk who have been around for a bit. In pure retro style, Steve Bourdow, who got second in Newport 12 years ago when Scheidt made his debut scoring a 50th, was in 29th, not bad at all in this crowd. Class veterans Diego Negri (ITA), Daniel Birgmark (SWE), Peer Moberg (NOR) Gustavo Lima (POR) and Roope Sumalainen (FIN) all littered the upper ends of the fleet Top American was Andrew Lewis from Hawaii who trains with Olympian Jon Myrtle doing 20 milers upwind on an average weekday afternoon, this 20yr olds efforts paying off with a 20th, though beaten by top Canadian Bernard Luttmer who took and impressive 11th.
One wonderful aside that occurred here was the Laser designer, Bruce Kirby, being introduced to Robert (see photo), in what clearly was the meeting of two legends who have much admiration for each other. In Bruce, Robert saw a man who had drawn a boat that he was born to sail. In Robert, Bruce saw the man who had done things in it that he had only dreamt. It was a killer regatta, incredibly well run, blessed with a testing set of wind conditions. But I walk away from this crowd amazed at what a great bunch they are, not only as sailors, but as people and Robert is the consummate Olympian with no apparent head expansion, only grace and courtesy and the sly grin of a 6 time World Laser Champion. Full results and photos @ www.laserworlds2002.com/senior/ Thornton
Event "If everything seems in control, you're not going fast enough" |
