Green gets gold

GBR Challenge helm takes out Alinghi afterguard to win Laureus Sports Award regatta and Merc convertible

Ousted GBR Challenge helmsman Andy Green scored a double whammy in Monte Carlo yesterday when he achieved not only a pride restoring victory over Alinghi afterguard Jochen Schuemann in a match race final, but also won both a £50,000 Mercedes convertible and a watch worth 15,000 Euros into the bargain.

Green was one of eight skippers taking part in the Laureus Regatta attached to the glamorous Laureus World Sports Awards, a line-up that aside from he and the tall German serial Olympic medal winner included Paolo Cian, Peter and JJ Isler and Thierry Peponnet.

Going into the final day Green and Cian were level pegging. Had the wind failed to materialise and no racing taken place then the Mascalzone Latino helm would have won first prize. However Green dispatched Cian in two races - both highly aggressive pieces of match racing.

"It's always tough racing Paolo," commented Green afterwards. "Paolo has a similar style of match racing to mine and we are similar sailors. We were half asleep so we got a penalty at the start without entering which was pretty average - we thought we were the second start and actually we were the first. So then we had to try and start well. We knew we wanted the left in the pre-start and we won the left and we just managed to get ahead of him. And then we got lucky in the downwind leg and were able to do our penalty with about 10ft spare.

"The second race was another tight race. Both crews were really good. There was lot of tacks up the beat and we just managed to cross him. And then we had no spinnakers, so it was all on downwind and Paolo was doing all the right things trying to take us down to the committee boats. Both races were very tight."

Meanwhile Schuemann had also knocked out Peponnet 2-0. In the one race final race Green got the better start and was able to lead Schuemann around the course.

Racing took place in four Swan 45s off Monaco's Meridien hotel. The use of these fine yachts, which Nautor are marketing as a one design class, were kindly provided by their owners, along with crew. However there was a distinct disparity between the crews in particular Twins, which included French match racing champion Francois Brenac.

"The Twins crew was the superior crew in that event," commented Jochen Schuemann. "Andy won with the best team today and he did a great job sailing with that team."

He added: "We are used to fighting for trophies and medals and for the pride of winning. So having prestigous prizes like a car, it is really unusual. But we all come here to contribute to the Laureus idea that sport should be a great example in the world and help other to achieve goals. This car makes it a bit serious to be honest!"

After a destroying end to his time with GBR Challenge, when he was replaced as starting helmsman by Andy Beadsworth, the victory was particularly sweet for Green.

"You can think about all the times that you lost races you should have won and sometimes you win races you should have lost. And today we won a Mercedes. And it was good. It makes up for some bad times," he commented, adding that maybe next year the organisers should consider taking some children out on the course as this would be in the spirit of the regatta.

Peter Isler who had been knocked out on the first day summed up the feeling of the skippers. "One of the fun things about the event is that although you get great sailors coming to sail and some fantastic crews on some of the Swans, the spirit of the regatta is very much sharing the spriit of the overall Laureus event. Monaco weather, a little bit of shifts here and there, the X factor is the crew, you don't know the boats, what language everyone is going to be speaking and you are entertaining guests and teaching people about the sport of sailing. You come here and there is a car at the end of the rainbow and, yes, you get your competitive juices up during the race but at the same time I think this is a great group of sailors who are all classy individuals who are all here for a higher cause and happy to entertain."