Green through

Former GBR Challenge helm lands spot in RYA Winter Challenge final

Reigning Winter Challenge match racing champion Andy Green secured the right to defend his title at the Series final in March as he swept to victory in this weekend's round of the RYA Winter Challenge Match Racing Series 4 at Queen Mary Sailing Club.

A beautiful warm January weekend welcomed the teams from Britain, Poland, Finland, France and Turkey with perfect match race conditions.

The round robin was a keenly fought affair and ended with a three-way between Alistair Hall (GBR), Marek Stanczyk (POL) and Green (GBR), each with six wins and two losses apiece. Alexis Littoz-Baritel (FRA) was fourth in the round robin with five wins and three losses.

Hall and Littoz-Baritel had each won a race in their semi-final leaving a third match to decide who was to go into the next round, which the Frenchman won.

It was looking as if the other semi -final was going to need a third match as well. Green had won the first match but was trailing going down the last leg of the second.However, at the last minute he managed to get an overlap and rolled over the top of World number 29 Stanczyk to win.

In the final against Littoz-Baritel, Green won the first match before in the second he masterfully pushed Littoz-Baritel the wrong side of the committee boat at the start.  With the Frenchman already a penalty down as well, it was game over and Green sailing with Mark Bulkeley, Sam Richmond and Connor Myant took the victory.

Green praised RYA and David Campbell-James for organizing such a successful series and Queen Mary Sailing Club for making everyone welcome.

RYA Winter Challenge Match Racing Series 4 Results (Grade 3):
1. Andy Green (GBR), Mark Bulkeley, Sam Richmond, Connor Myant
2. Alexis Littoz-Baritel, Mathieu Moreaux, Antoine Carrae, Benjamin Tristan
3. Marek Stanczyk (POL), Dominik Niskiewicz, Rafal Sauicki, Zsignieu Gutkouski
4. Alistair Hall (GBR), Mark Lees, David Royse, Pete Davidson
5. Jon Eriksson (FIN) Jan Mattsson, Fenneth Nysten, Peter Anton
6. Andy Cornah (GBR), Sam Littlejohn, Jamie Marston, Charlie Wylie
7. Robert Inman (FIN), Pasi Petteri Palmu, Anders Jakas, Arthur Hallberg
8. Okun Soyer (TUR), Onursal Soyer, Cagatay Soyer, Ismail Inan
9. Robbie Allam (GBR), Jeremy Fowke, Adam Richards, Tom Odell    

2007-08 RYA Winter Challenge Match Racing Series Dates:
Winter Challenge 5 (Grade 2) 8 - 10 February
Women’s Winter Challenge (Grade 2) 22 - 24 February
Winter Challenge Final (Grade 2) 7 - 9 March 2008