JPMorgan Fleming Dragon Gold Cup overall
by Vivienne Molloy 18 Jul 2004 12:12 BST
SCHOENHERR WINS THE JPMORGAN FLEMING DRAGON GOLD CUP 2004 - THE EVENT DRAWS TO AN EXCITING CLOSE
Today was the fifth and final day of racing at the JPMorgan Fleming Dragon Gold Cup 2004. The event hosted by the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club has resulted in some exciting sailing that has not only raised some surprises but has demonstrated who the true competition within the class is.
Race 6 - Shouded in the fog:
Race 6 was the final race of the Dragon Gold Cup and although it was not ideal sailing conditions today the final race did produce some nerve tingling moments for the leading competitors.
Jeff Martin the Royal Cornwall Race Officer had an uneasy time as Falmouth Bay was shrouded in fog with a light Westerly breeze shifting and fading in the fog banks. The visibility lifted sufficiently for racing to commence at 11.30am but the fleet refused to co-operate and only started at the third attempt and then under the black flag.
The wind then started to play tricks on the competitors with a thirty-degree shift down at the leeward mark although at the windward mark it remained a fairly constant 240 degrees. Places changed throughout the race and new faces emerged at the front of the fleet as the shifts started to produce losers and winners on the course. An additional handicap were fog patches which also give the race additional interest for the spectator fleet.
The wind remained steady at the windward mark and despite much debate and discussion on the Committee Boat the race proceeded and went the full 12 miles.
It will have been a nerve racking race for the leading boats who did not manage to sail as easily in these very testing weather conditions.
Jorgen Schoenherr last year’s winner was leading the event by 17 points from fellow Dane, Frank Berg, and providing he enjoyed a steady race and carded a reasonable score then the Cup would be returning to Denmark. The lack of a discard meant Schoenherr had to race and in the history of the event a poor last race has cost several competitors the Cup. A feature of Schoenherr’s sailing this week has been his steady tactics and unflustered sailing, which has been risk free and conservative. This race was no exception and despite suffering along with several of the leading competitors being at the wrong side of several shifts a 15th place was sufficient for him to retain the Cup.
Results for Race 6:
1st Vincent Saleau sailing Armaout, FRA 330
2nd Philipp Ocker sailing Roberto, GER975
3rd Werner Frir sailing Occasione, Ger 950
4th Nigel Cole sailing Tsunami, GBR 644
5th Andre du Pon sailing Hard Tack, NED 353
6th David Sherriff sailing Dancing Brave, GBR692
Review of Today’s Results:
- Werner Frir was 3rd overall in the standings and despite being the only leading contender to finish in the top 6 in the final race he was unable to deny Schoenherr a well deserved second Gold Cup win.
- Frank Berg had an equally frustrating day in his efforts to overtake Schoenherr and could only manage 18th which ensured his 2nd overall for the second successive year.
- This was Denmark’s sixth success in the Gold Cup in the last 10 years and other than Germany no other nation has won the Gold Cup in that period. The domination of the Baltic Dragon fleets was reflected in the overall results with Rory Bowman sailing Yeah Baby, GBR 662 being the highest placed UK boat finishing eighth.
- It was hoped that with the Gold Cup visiting England for only the second time in its 60 year history a home win was on the cards however the sailing of Schoenherr and Berg meant that the Vikings once again left with the cup.
- Jorgen and Anders have been sailing 505’s and Flying Dutchman dingys for years and only moved to Dragon sailing last year. In their first year in a Dragon they won the Dragon Gold Cup last year and have retained the cup this year winning the JPMorgan Fleming Dragon Gold Cup 2004.
Winning skippering, Jorgen Schoenherr, thanked JPMorgan Fleming in his prize giving speech and commented on his win: “I am delighted to win the Gold Cup as it is an open Dragon event unlike the World Dragon Championship and it is the one event I particularly wanted to win this year.”
David Barron, Head of Investment Trusts, JPMorgan Fleming, said this about today’s events: “This has been a marvellous event with a very high quality of sailing each day. The excitement has held right up to the last race with the winning sailors having to cope with a variety of different weather conditions on fair and testing courses. We at, JPMorgan Fleming, are delighted to be associated with such a successful and prestigious event.”
Overall Results:
1st Jorgen Schoenherr sailing African Queen, DEN 345
2nd Frank Berg sailing My Way, DEN 266
3rd Werner Frir sailing Occasione, GER 950
For further results please go to www.royalcornwallyachtclub.org