International 14 World Championship, Wakayama, Japan. Overall.

Having already reached an unbeatable position yesterday, Rob Greenhalgh and Dan Johnson decided to be spectators for the sixth and final race of the championship today (Sunday), and the race was all about finding out who would finish in the remaining overall positions.

The weather allowed the regatta to finish on a suitable high note, with blue skies, sparkling sea and a good 15 knot breeze.

Ian Pinnell and Sam Gardiner rounded the first windward mark in first place, but the Australians Lindsay Irwin and Andrew Perry soon took over the lead and held on to it for the remainder of the race. Jarrod Simpson and Harvey Hillary finished second, ahead of James Fawcett and Bruce Grant.

The anticipated battle for second place overall between Archie Massey and George Nurton and the Americans Zach Berkowitz and Mike Martin came to nothing when the British boys had to retire with gear problems. The leading overall championship positions are Greenhalgh and Johnson in first place, with Berkowitz and Martin second, and Massey and Nurton third. Irwin and Perry took fourth place by virtue of their excellent strong wind performances on Thursday and today, putting them ahead of Andy Partington and Ben Vernieres, and European champions Fawcett and Grant.

There is general agreement that this has been a most enjoyable and well organised world championship, which has benefitted enormously from a huge amount of planning and hard work by the Japanese and international organisers.

Race 6 results:

1. AUS 616, Lindsay Irwin and Andrew Perry

2. GBR 1489, Jarrod Simpson and Harvey Hillary

3. GBR 1484, James Fawcett and Bruce Grant

4. GBR 1481, Andy Partington and Ben Vernieres

5. GBR 1483, Victor Brellisford and Damian Ash

6. AUS 623, Mark Krstic and Rob Oshlack

7. GBR 1461, Ian Pinnell and Sam Gardiner

8. AUS 617, Alan Vickery and Andrew Wilson

9. AUS 624, David Alexander and Don Hart

10. USA 1137, Zach Berkowitz and Mike Martin

World Championship overall, after 6 races with one discard:

1. GBR 1482, Rob Greenhalgh and Dan Johnson, 7 points

2. USA 1137, Zach Berkowitz and Mike Martin, 24 points

3. GBR 1476, Archie Massey and George Nurton, 26 points

4. AUS 616, Lindsay Irwin and Andrew Perry, 27 points

5. GBR 1481, Andy Partington and Ben Vernieres, 29 points

6. GBR 1484, James Fawcett and Bruce Grant, 31 points

7. GBR 1483, Victor Brellisford and Damian Ash, 43 points

8. AUS 617, Alan Vickery and Andrew Wilson, 51 points

9. AUS 623, Mark Krstic and Rob Oshlack, 52 points

10. GBR 1489, Jarrod Simpson and Harvey Hillary, 53 points

Peter Danby