New match racing world champion

Baird versus Spithill clash decided on Lake Garda

American skipper Ed Baird is the new ISAF Match Racing World Champion.

With his crew of Thomas Burnham, John Ziskind and Andy Horton, Baird defeated Australian skipper James Spithill 3-1 in the finals this afternoon. The finals the typical southerly 15-20 breeze found on Lake Garda.

Spithill won the first race, overtaking Baird in the last downwind run. In the second match Baird and Spithill arrived at the first windward mark together, but Baird was able to round ahead and keep the lead throughout the race.

In match three the umpires gave a red flag penalty to Spithill, who therefore had to complete a turn immediately. Baird thus gained his second win.

In the fourth and deciding match, it was Baird¹s turn to get a penalty in the pre-start. However, the American skipper was able to take the lead and slowly extend it throughout the race. Right on the finish line, Baird completed the penalty turn and won his third race by a fraction, ahead of James Spithill. With his score of 3-1 Baird wins the ISAF Match Racing World Championship.

"Fantastic!" commented Baird afterwards. "What a great day. My crew worked really hard throughout the year to reach this level and help me, too, get to this point. This week everything we trained for worked really well. Today¹s matches were really tough. In race one we were ahead but in the last run downwind we got too close in the spectator fleet and we ended up in their wind shadow. Then we won the two following matches and got a penalty in the last pre-start. However, we were able to round the first mark ahead
and this enabled us to keep the lead and win the race. Today was just the kind of day when it is important to round the first mark in front, as you were then able to extend the lead. We will have a big party tonight and for the future I hope to have as much fun as I had this week!"

The petit final was won by Karol Jablonski, who defeated 2-1 French skipper Mathieu Richard.

At the end of the day the ten best placed skippers competed in the S. Pellegrino fleet race. Italian Paolo Cian won the race, followed by Russell Coutts and Karol Jablonski.

More photos on the following pages

FINAL STANDINGS

Ed Baird, USA ­ World Champion
James Spithill, Australia ­ Silver medal
Karol Jablonski, Poland ­ Bronze medal
Mathieu Richard, France ­ 4th
Jesper Radich, Denmark ­ 5th
Russell Coutts, New Zealand ­ 6th
Bjorn Hansen, Sweden ­ 7th
Jes Gram-Hansen, Denmark ­ 8th
Paolo Cian, Italy ­ 9th
Staffan Lindberg, Finland ­ 10th
Ian Williams ­ 11th
Mikael Lindqvist ­ 12th

RESULTS OF EACH FLIGHT SAILED TODAY ­ FINALS

FLIGHT 1
Spithill def. Bair
FLIGHT 2
Baird def. Spithill
FLIGHT 3
Baird def. Spithill
FLIGHT 4
Baird def. Spithill

RESULTS OF EACH FLIGHT SAILED TODAY ­ PETIT FINAL

FLIGHT 1
Jablonski sconf. Richard
FLIGHT 2
Richard sconf. Jablonski
FLIGHT 3
Jablonski sconf. Richard

RESULTS OF THE S. PELLEGRINO FLEET RACE

Paolo Cian
Russell Coutts
Karol Jablonski
Ed Baird
Jes Gram-Hansen
Jesper Radich
Staffan Lindberg
James Spithill
Bjorn Hansen
Mathieu Richard