Laser Worlds - Australia

A southerly change producing winds over 30 knots, big swells and heavy rain put a dampener on what showed the promise of a nail-biting finish to the Laser Worlds in Australia this week. Racing was postponed and the abandoned and defending champion Tom Slingsby of Australia was announced Laser World Champion for 2008.

Kiwis finish 5th, 10th and 13th at the regatta, and Michael Bullot has recorded his best ever Laser World Championship result finishing fifth in Terrigal, Australia after racing was cancelled yesterday and results became final.

For 23 year-old Michael Bullot who represents the Murrays Bay Sailing Club this fifth place is far and away his best result at a World Championship, his previous best being a 19th place in Korea in 2006, while in Portugal last year he placed 26th. Unfortunately for Bullot, who was in striking distance of the podium bad weather in Terrigal yesterday halted any chance of him climbing further.

David Weaver of New Zealand also sailed to his best world championship result ever with a tenth place making it two kiwis in the top ten at this 157 boat fleet. Just five points back from Weaver was New Zealand’s Olympic representative Andrew Murdoch who finished 13th overall.

While Murdoch would like to have finished further up the ladder, with the Olympic Games in Qingdao now less than six months away, he has been in preparation and training to peak in the light wind conditions expected at the Chinese venue. Conditons in Terrigal over the past week have been blustery and fresh working in favour of regatta winner Tom Slingsby.

Having held the lead the regatta at times, Argentine Julio Alsogaray had to settle for silver while Javier Hernandez of Spain won the bronze.

-- 2008 Laser World Championship - Top fifteen final results --

• 1st Tom Slingsby AUS
• 2nd Julio Alsogaray ARG
• 3rd Javier Hernandez ESP
• 4th Vasilij Zbogar SLO
• 5th Michael Bullot NZL
• 6th Alexander Schlonski GER
• 7th Paul Goodison GBR
• 8th Nick Thompson GBR
• 9th Brad Funk USA
• 10th David Weaver NZL
• 11th Bruno Fontes BRA
• 12th Milan Vujasinovic CRO
• 13th Andrew Murdoch NZL
• 14th Adonis Bougiouris GRE
• 15th Marc de Haas NED

Sailing Video: Laser Worlds