Not so lucky Number 7

Paul Brotherton talks on his and Simon Hiscocks performance at the 49er Worlds

Having won Hyere and Kiel, and finished in third place at both Palma and Barcelona, the praises were being sung for Paul Brotherton and Simon Hiscocks one of Team GBR's 49er crews. The results and the talk boded well for a top result at this years' 49er World Championships at Lake Garda, Italy. Why then did they only finish 7th? Paul Brotherton explains.
"Yes we are a little bit disappointed that we ended up 7th" he says, "but really we should be satisfied with a good years work." While their goal for the Worlds was top three, the World Championships unearthed a number of factors they were always unable to control. "Mainly boats using different equipment." he added.

It seems like a strange thing to have to argue against as the 49er is allegedly a one-design class. However the class led by Julian Bethwaite decided to change the sail supplier and inevitably the design of the sails last year. "That would not be unreasonable if all boats had to use the new sails at the World and European championships immediately - but this year it was decided that both sails would be classed legal for all regattas," added Brotherton.

At the start of the year Hiscocks, Brotherton and Stephen Park (Olympic Squad Manager) took a long term view and decided that for better or worse in the short term, they would immediately start using the Neil Pryde sails in order that they could begin their rig development around these sails.

With the notion that getting used to the sails early would reap benefits in the long term, Brotherton and Hiscocks along with Alister Richardson and Peter Greenhalgh, another of Team GBR's 49er crew, shortly decided that there was no point in putting in training time with the North Sails. Their aim was to learn as much as they could about the Prydes - hopefully in time for the Worlds but with an eye to Athens 2004. It became apparent however as time went on, there were clear differences in the performance of the North and Pryde sails. The North's with a better performance in the light breezes, while the Pryde's excelled in the stronger windy conditions. What was the weather going to be like at the World Championships?

"Inevitably having put in a huge amount of work over the summer, we are disappointed that we only managed 7th - but the top six boats all had North sails." he explains, adding "We were a little unfortunate that the finals were conducted in relatively light winds on a one way track. The biggest single difference between the North rig and the Pryde rig seemed to be that the North's could still develop good height in the light winds."