Australians dominate Tornado Worlds

by Rob Kothe on 19 Feb 2001 Tornado World Championships - Final Races & Summary

The second last race started in 12-14 knots of breeze.

Sensationally Mitch Booth was over the start line early and had to go back, blowing his prospects for an overall placing .Sydney Silver Medallists Darren Bundock and John Forbes led out of the start.

At the finish Bundock and Forbes had added another bullet to their impressive performance, with Andreas Hagara , doing well the the flukey conditions to snatch a second place. His brother Roman Hagara came in third with the Brits Styles and May fourth. Booth could only manage to climb back to seventh after his bad start. That made the British pairing equal second with the Sydney Olympic Gold Medallist, Roman Hagara, with one race to go.

In the final race, as expected became a match race. Bundock and Forbes cleared out to lead from the first windward mark and were never headed.

The Australians were followed into the first mark by Roman Hagara with Booth third and Styles and May fourth.

With Mitch Booth covering Styles and May, Andreas Hagara moved up to third position on the final windward leg, but it did not change the podium results.

Overall results after six days: (nine races with discards):

1. Darren Bundock and John Forbes (Australia) 12pts
2. Roman Hagara and Hans Peter Steinacher (Austria) 23pts
3. Hugh Styles and Adam May (Great Britain) 26pts

The dominance of the Australian wind is underlined by their points.

As a result of meeting held in at the Worlds it has been agreed that from March 1st 2001 the class will change configuration and become the Tornado Sport, with the mainsail plus an extra trapeze and a spinnaker (more precisely a gennaker).

Darren Bundock has already sailed in that configuration in late December on the Harbour and reported much superior boat speed to the 49ers.

Bundock and Forbes are very enthusiastic about the new Tornado Sport and their dominant display in South Africa their confidence is high and prospects look good for Athens.