ISAF World Sailing Rankings - 5 March 2008

Australia holds on to its three world #1 spots and Great Britain fights back in the national standings in the latest release of the ISAF World Sailing Rankings.

There are two changes amongst the top spots in the latest Ranking release, with Poland’s Przemyslaw MIARCZYNSKI returning to the summit of the Men’s RS:X Rankings and the Russian team of Ekaterina SKUDINA, Diana KRUTSKIKH and Natalia IVANOVA moving top in the Yngling. Australia maintain their three Ranking top spots in the Men’s 470, Laser and Tornado, whilst Nick DEMPSEY’s (GBR) rise up to #3 in the Men’s RS:X Rankings mean that Great Britain is now the only nation to hold four top-three spots.

The next release of the ISAF World Sailing Rankings will next be on 9 April 2008, including results from the Laser Radial World Championship and Princess Sofia Trophy.

Click here to view a full list of the new events included in this Ranking release.

Men’s Windsurfer – RS:X

Przemyslaw MIARCZYNSKI (POL) is back at the top of the Men’s RS:X Rankings putting an end to the brief reign of Joao RODRIGUES (POR) in the world #1 spot. The Portuguese skipper drops back to #2, with Britain’s Nick DEMPSEY climbing up four places to complete the world top three.

MIARCZYNSKI’s team mate Piotr MYSZKA (POL) also climbs up in this Ranking to release, gaining four places to #4. Just behind him Athens silver medallist Nikolas KAKLAMANAKIS (GRE) has the biggest impact in this Ranking release, climbing ten places up to #5. KAKLAMANAKIS, who will represent Greece for this fifth time at the Beijing Olympic Games, won the ISAF Grade 1 Sail Auckland, his first ISAF Grade 1 event win on the RS:X board.

Switzerland’s Richard STAUFFACHER was another strong performer in Auckland, coming in sixth to move up seven places to a career-best Ranking of #15. Together with KAKLAMANAKIS’s victory in New Zealand, Greece also won the other new event included in this Ranking release, with Byron KOKKALANIS (GRE) retaining his title at the ISAF Grade 2 Athens Eurolymp Week.

Women’s Windsurfer – RS:X

Marina ALABAU (ESP) remains untouchable at the top of the Women’s RS:X Rankings, extending her points’ advantage with victory at the ISAF Grade 1 Sail Auckland. Reigning Olympic Champion Faustine MERRET (FRA) is also unmoved at #2, whilst triple Olympic medallist Barbara KENDALL (NZL), who was second behind ALABAU in Auckland, moves up two places to her best-ever Ranking of #3.

Germany’s Romy KINZL also benefits from a strong performance at Sail Auckland, with a third place finish lifting her three places back up the Rankings to #5. 2007 Olympic Test Event winner Bryony SHAW (GBR) is also on the rise up to #7 after a top-five finish in Auckland.

Australia’s Jessica CRISP is the highest of two new entries into the world top 20. She climbs steeply from #25 to #14 following on from a seventh place finish in Auckland. Outside the top 20 there’s less movement, with no new entries into the world top 50.

Men’s One Person Dinghy – Laser

Tom SLINGSBY  (AUS) remains well ahead in the latest Laser Rankings after successfully defending his title at the recent Laser Worlds in Terrigal. Paul GOODISON (GBR) stays put in the #2 position, with Andrew MURDOCH (NZL) moving up one place to #3, although neither skipper to mount as sustained challenge to SLINGSBY on his home waters.

Behind the leaders there are two new entries into the world top ten, headed by Athens bronze medallist Vasilij ZBOGAR (SLO), who was fourth at the Worlds and moves up four places to #8. Javier HERNANDEZ (ESP) put in an outstanding performance in Terrigal to win the bronze medal at the Worlds to obtain his best-ever Ranking of #10.

Another star performer in Terrigal was Argentina’s rapidly improving Julio ALSOGARAY. The 27 year old Argentine led for much of the regatta, eventually finishing with the silver medal. Combined with his fifth place finish at last year’s Olympic Test Event, ALSOGARAY is emerging as one of the names to watch in the run up to Beijing. His World Championship performance helps him climb up 12 places to a career high in the Rankings of #19.

Further down the Rankings, Raul AGUAYO (DOM) gains two places up to #76 after bouncing back from a very disappointing 85th place at the Worlds by winning the ISAF Grade 1 Laser Midwinters East in Florida. Pakistan’s Ashfaq IQBAL also notched up a win in the latest Ranking period, scoring victory at the ISAF Grade 3 Qatar International Regatta to soar over 200 places up the Rankings to #512.

Women’s One Person Dinghy – Laser Radial

Jo ALEH (NZL) hangs on to the top spot in the Laser Radial Rankings, but only by the tiniest of margins. Anna TUNNICLIFFE’s (USA) bronze medal finish at the ISAF Grade 1 Sail Auckland (where ALEH was sixth) lifts her up one place to #2, just a mere four points away from reclaiming the world #1 spot she held for much of last year. With TUNNICLIFFE improving her Ranking, Tania ELIAS CALLES (MEX) drops back one place to #3.

Just outside of the top five, Charlotte DOBSON (GBR) gains four places up to #7 after finishing fifth in Auckland, a confidence-boasting performance ahead of the Worlds (also in Auckland) where she’ll also be battling for selection to the British Olympic team. Sari MULTALA (FIN) continued her strong start to the year with victory at Sail Auckland and slots in just behind DOBSON, gaining five places up to #8. China’s big medal hope for Beijing, Lijia XU has also been showing some good early season form. Her runners up spot in Auckland propels her five places up the Rankings and into the world top ten for the first time in her career at #9.

Whilst the majority of the big names in the Laser Radial fleet have been in New Zealand preparing for the start of the Worlds later this month, Florida has hosted two big North American fleets at the ISAF Grade 1 Laser Midwinters East and Laser Radial North American Championship. Although she missed out on Olympic selection to TUNNICLIFFE, Paige RAILEY (USA) proved she’s still one of the leading names in the class with victories at both events. 

Men’s Two Person Dinghy – 470

Nathan WILMOT and Malcolm PAGE (AUS) remain top of the Men’s 470 Rankings, their sixth consecutive Ranking release in the world #1 spot. Just behind them the world top three is also unchanged, with Nicolas CHARBONNIER and Olivier BAUSSET (FRA) at #2 Gideon KLIGER and Udi GAL (ISR) at #3.

Brothers Benjamin BONNAUD and Romain BONNAUD (FRA) are the most significant movers at the top, gaining two places up to #5, giving the French an impressive three crews inside the world top five. In what must have been a very tough decision, the French selectors for the Olympic 470 slot decided in favour of the world #2 crew CHARBONNIER and BAUSSET.

The only new 470 event counting in this Ranking release is the ISAF Grade 2 Athens Eurolymp Week which was won by the Greek crew of Panagiotis MANTIS and Theodoros POLICHRONIDIS. Their victory helps them climb one place up the Rankings to #24.

Women’s Two Person Dinghy – 470

Guilia CONTI and Giovanna MICOL (ITA) make it five-in-a-row at the top of the Women’s 470 Rankings. Behind them the world top ten remains unchanged, leaving the Japanese duo of Ai KONDO and Naoko KAMATA (JPN) and Yuka YOSHISAKO and Noriko OKUMA (JPN) at #2 and #3 respectively.

After the 470 Worlds in Melbourne at the end of January, February was a quiet month for the Women’s 470 fleet and consequently there are few changes in this Ranking release. That is set to change with the arrival of March and the start of the European season. The actions kicks off in Spain with the Barcelona Olympic Sailing Week followed by the ISAF Grade 2 Princess Sofia Trophy in Palma.

Skiff – 49er

It’s a case of as you were in the latest 49er Rankings with the top 20 unmoved and Italian brothers Pietro SIBELLO and Gianfranco SIBELLO (ITA) holding on to their world #1 status.

Following on from the 49er Worlds in Australia early on in the year, it’s been a quiet couple of months on the 49er circuit without any opportunities for the world #2 and #3 crews – Jan-Peter PECKOLT and Hannes PECKOLT (GER) and Stevie MORRISON and Ben RHODES (GBR) respectively – to make any impact on the narrow points advantage held by the Italians. However, that is set to change this month with the ISAF Grade 2 Princess Sofia Trophy in Palma, followed immediately by the ISAF Grade C1 Europeans on the same waters.

Together with the world top three, leading challengers heading towards the regattas in Spain are the 2008 World Champions Nathan OUTTERIDGE and Ben AUSTIN (AUS) and the reigning Olympic Champions and home favourites Iker MARTINEZ and Xabier FERNANDEZ (ESP). 

Heavyweight Dinghy – Finn

Jonas HOEGH-CHRISTENSEN (DEN) is once again unmoved at the world #1 spot in the Finn Rankings after a relatively quiet few weeks in the Finn fleet. Ed WRIGHT (GBR) and Emilios PAPATHANASIOU (GRE), who picked up two wins on his home waters at the ISAF Grade 2 Athens Eurolymp Week and ISAF Grade 3 Alexander the Great Cup, are also unchanged at #2 and #3 respectively.

Following on from the Finn Gold Cup there’s been a slight lull in the Finn racing before the European season gets into full swing. Consequently there are no changes in the world top 20.

Just outside the top 20, Italy’s Giorgio POGGI (ITA) is showing the same form that bought him his best-ever Worlds performance with second place finishes at ISAF Grade 2 events in both France (Semaine Internationale Cannes) and Greece (Athens Eurolymp). He currently lies just outside the world top 20 at #21. Guillaume FLORENT (FRA), the winner in Cannes, makes the most significant move near the top of the Rankings, gaining six places up to #32.

Multihull – Tornado

Newly crowned World Champions Darren BUNDOCK and Glenn ASHBY (AUS) stay top of the Tornado Rankings after a sparkling run of form down under which culminated in World Championship victory in last week. The Australian duo have simple been unbeatable since the start of the year, with their World Championship win their fifth consecutive victory at ISAF Graded events.

For BUNDOCK, victory in New Zealand gave him a sixth World Championship title and a second with ASHBY alongside him. After a poor first day at the Worlds in Takapuna, they fought back strongly to top the leaderboard by the time the final day of racing was abandoned because of heavy winds and rain.

2007 World Champions Fernando ECHAVARRI and Anton PAZ (ESP) finished a disappointing seventh in New Zealand, but hold on to their world #2 spot, whist behind them Mitch BOOTH and Pim NIEUWENHUIS (NED) climb up two places to #3. Xavier REVIL and Christophe ESPAGNON (FRA) are also on the rise in this Ranking release, gaining five places up to #5 after top ten finishes at the ISAF Grade 1 Sail Auckland and at the Worlds.

Outside of the world top five, high risers after a strong World Championship showing are Roland GAEBLER and Gunnar STRUCKMANN (GER), who go from #17 to #10 after a fourth place in New Zealand. 

Women’s Keelboat – Yngling

The Russian team of Ekaterina SKUDINA, Diana KRUTSKIKH and Natalia IVANOVA hit the top spot in the Yngling Rankings after a top-five finish at the recent Yngling Worlds in Miami. Mandy MULDER (NED) and her rotating Dutch crew drop down one place to #2 with Ulrike SCHUEMANN, Julia BLECK and Ute HOEPFNER (GER) unmoved at #3

SKUDINA and her crew hit the world #1 spot with near-perfect timing as the Russian Federation is still to name which of its three Yngling crews to send to the 2008 Olympic Sailing Competition in Qingdao, China. The new Rankings leaders had a great few weeks in Miami, first finishing second at the ISAF Grade 1 Rolex Miami OCR, before coming in fifth overall at the Worlds. Together with their European Championship title win and a bronze medal performance at the Olympic Test Event in 2007, they have made an impressive case for Olympic selection.

The Dutch Yngling teams must have lined up at the Worlds brim full of confidence after taking first and third place at the preceding Rolex Miami OCR on the same waters. After two years of operating a much-discussed rotating crew policy, the teams stuck to the same line ups that had bought success a few weeks earlier, however this time the winning formula failed to materialize. MULDER, who won at the OCR, was again the best-placed finisher, but down in 13th place.

In contrast to the Dutch teams, Sarah AYTON, Sarah WEBB and Pippa WILSON (GBR) bounced back from a relatively disappointing performance at the OCR to storm to their second consecutive World Championship title. The British team led the regatta from start to finish and affectively had victory wrapped up with two races to spare. Although their Ranking position is unchanged at #4, they have closed the points’ gap dramatically on those above them.

Outside of the top ten, the big news is the rise of the Norwegian and Greek crews, both of whom are helmed by gold medallists from the Athens Olympic Games, namely Siren SUNDBY (NOR) and Sofia BEKATOROU (GRE). Both climb up four places: SUNDBY and her crew Lise Birgitte FREDRIKSEN and Alexandra KOEFOED to #13; and BEKATOROU and Sofia PAPADOPOULOU and Chrstina CHARAMOUDANI to #14. The best new entry is the reformed Australian crew, with 2004 Laser Radial World Champion Krystal WEIR replacing Nicky BETHWAITE at the helm (Karyn GOJNICH and Angela FARRELL remain as crew). They demonstrated a remarkable improvement in Miami, going from 26th in the 28-boat fleet at the OCR to winning the silver medal at the Worlds! Without doubt they will be a team to watch over the coming months.

Men’s Keelboat – Star

Mateusz KUSZNIEREWICZ and Dominik ZYCKI (POL) stay top of the Star Rankings after a quiet month in the keelboat event as the top crews prepare for next month’s Worlds. In fact, the entire world top 20 remains unchanged, leaving Fredrik LOOF and Anders EKSTROM (SWE) at #2 and Diego NEGRI and Luigi VIALE (ITA) at #3.

With the 2008 Star Worlds scheduled for Miami, this year’s Bacardi Cup contest is particularly intriguing as it gives the world’s top crews a run out on the waters of Biscayne Bay. After their recent Olympic selection trials the Brazil crews are already well into their competitive groove and have impressed early on.

Reigning World Champions Robert SCHEIDT and Bruno PRADA (BRA), who currently have a World Ranking of #6, secured their spot in Qingdao at the Brazilian trials and have made a solid start in Miami. After a fantastic 2007, the Brazilian pair will be the team to beat in April.

Click on the links below to view the latest Rankings or go to the ISAF World Sailing Rankings homepage – www.sailing.org/rankings.

470 – Men’s Two Person Dinghy – www.sailing.org/470mRankings  
470 – Women’s Two Person Dinghy – www.sailing.org/470wRankings  
49er – Skiff – www.sailing.org/49erRankings  
Finn – Heavyweight Dinghy – www.sailing.org/FinnRankings  
Laser – Men’s One Person Dinghy – www.sailing.org/LaserRankings  
Laser Radial – Women?s One Person Dinghy – www.sailing.org/RadialRankings  
RS:X – Men’s Windsurfer – www.sailing.org/RSXmRankings  
RS:X – Women’s Windsurfer – www.sailing.org/RSXwRankings  
Star – Men’s Keelboat – www.sailing.org/StarRankings  
Tornado – Multihull – www.sailing.org/TornadoRankings  
Yngling – Women?s Keelboat – www.sailing.org/YnglingRankings  

The next release of the ISAF World Sailing Rankings will next be on 9 April 2008, including results from the Laser Radial World Championship and Princess Sofia Trophy.

New Events Included

Results from the following events have been newly included in the ISAF World Sailing Rankings since their last release on 5 February 2008.

Class	Event (Grade)
Tornado	Tornado World Championships (W); Sail Auckland (1);
Star	–
Laser	Laser World Championship (W); Sail Auckland (1); Laser Midwinters East (1); Sail the Gulf – Qatar International Regatta (3); Andalusian Olympic Week (3); Alexander the Great Cup (former Tzeni Grammalidou Cup) (3)
Finn	Semaine International Cannes (2); Finn Midwinter Championship (2); Athens Eurolymp Week (2); Athens Eurolymp Week (3); Alexander the Great Cup (former Tzeni Grammalidou Cup) (3)
Laser Radial	Women’s Laser Radial North American Championship (1); Sail Auckland (1) Laser Midwinters East (1); Athens Eurolymp Week (3)
49er	–
470 men & women	Athens Eurolymp Week M-470 (2)
M-RSX & W-RSX	Sail Auckland (1); Athens Eurolymp Week M-RSX (2)
Yngling	W-Yngling Women’s World Championships (W)

Graded events which have not been included are listed below.

Event	Classes not included:	Reason:
Sail Auckland	M-470 (1); W-470 (1)	Not enough entrants
Sail Auckland	Finn (1)	No Racing
Athens Eurolymp Week	49er (2); W-470 (2); Tornado (2); W-Yngling (2); Star (2); W-RSX (2)	Not enough entrants
470 South American Championship	M-470 (2); W-470 (2)	Postponed until October
International Carnival Week	W-Laser (3); 49er (3); Laser (3); M-470 (3); W-470 (3); Finn (3)	Could not obtain results
Semana de Mar del Plata	M-470 (3); W-470 (3)	No Racing
Semana de Mar del Plata	W-Laser (3)	Not eligible to enter
Sail the Gulf – Qatar International Regatta	W-Laser (3); M-470 (3)	Not enough entrants
Sail the Gulf – Qatar International Regatta	W-470 (3)	No Racing
Andalusian Olympic Week	M-RSX (3); W-RSX (3); W-Laser (3); M-470 (3); W-470 (3)	Not enough entrants
Andalusian Olympic Week	49er (3); Tornado (3); Finn (3); Star (3); W-Yngling (3)	Not enough entrants
Campeonato Rioplatense	W-Laser (3); Laser (3)	No Racing
Alexander the Great Cup (former Tzeni Grammalidou Cup)	W-Laser (3); Tornado (3)	Not enough entrants
Alexander the Great Cup (former Tzeni Grammalidou Cup)	M-470 (3); W-470 (3)	Not eligible to enter

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ISAF World Sailing Rankings – www.sailing.org/rankings