Pink-Peacock Take The Title In Kiele
Written by Harvey Hillary | 27 June 2010
After a week that saw all three British teams wear the Yellow Jersey it was John Pink and Rick Peacock who emerged victorious after the tightest Medal Race of the Year!
Going into the final, Fletcher-Sign held a slender two point lead over the Danish Toff brothers with five others teams all in with a shot at the title including Greenhalgh-Draper.
The medal race is double points and non discardable so that effectively meant that the order the top teams finished in would decide the podium. After an exceptional week, Fletcher and Sign made a decisive call early on to attack the left while the other teams stayed central. At the first mark, however, its was the AUT and GER teams who lead round with the final shift into the mark favouring the right of the course.
Behind it was a close fight between Draper and Toff both gybe setting with the Dane picking up a penalty for not keeping clear of the Brit. That brought Pink back into contention and a great run put him ahead of Draper at the Gate. Having rounded seventh Fletcher moved back into a medalling position at the leeward mark but would lose this up the next beat to drop back into seventh and effectively cost Dylan and Alain their place on the podium.
At the front, first and second were clear but DEN9 was gaining on 3 Brits and on the final run took a gust inside both teams and in doing so dropped Draper and Greenhalgh off the podium. Such was the pressure he was in, that he closed in on Pink at the finishing line to score a dead heat with GBR8.
So, with AUT taking the bullet they moved into third overall, with first and second tied not only in the race but overall. In this situation the rules count back on number of 1st during the whole regatta which split the teams and pushed Pink-Peacock into 1st overall.
So, a great showing from the Brits but disappointment for Draper-Greenhalgh and Fletcher-Sign. Both teams travelled home having felt a podium slipped from their grasp but will be eager to set the record straight at the Europeans in two weeks time in Poland. In the meantime, its an overnight drive back through Europe to catch a 2am ferry to Dover with SeaFrance. Next week, its back into preparations for the Europeans and teams set their sights on the main goal for the year, the Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta at the Olympic venue of Weymouth and Portland.
Harvey