ISAF rankings

Goodison still heads Lasers, but Ainslie not yet leading Finns

On 31 July 2002 the ISAF World Sailing Rankings were released, with quite a few changes since the previous release on 3 July 2002.

Single-Handed Dinghy Men - Finn
With his domination at the Finn Europeans and the Finn Gold Cup, you might expect Ben AINSLIE (GBR) to be in the top 10 in the rankings. But having only completed 5 ranked Finn events, compared to the maximum 7 which make up an individual sailor's ranking, AINSLIE needs to compete in another two to start to maximise the rankings. However, his two recent wins have taken him from 53 in the world to 24.

Emilios PAPATHANASIOU (GRE) has usurped the previous world ranking leader Mateusz KUSZNIEREWICZ (POL) to claim the World Ranking title for the first time in his Finn sailing career. The British sailors look as though they may be set for a takeover in the Finn Class, as two more British sailors enter the top 10, giving three British crews in total.

Position- Crew-Nation-Previous Position- No of Events-Total Points
1. Emilios PAPATHANASIOU (GRE) - 2 - 7 - 5289
2. Mateusz KUSZNIEREWICZ (POL) - 1 - 7 - 5259
3. Karlo KURET (CRO) - 3 - 7 - 5224

Single-Handed Dinghy Open - Laser
No change at the top with Paul GOODISON (GBR) holding onto his lead for the second ranking.

Twelve ISAF Graded events have been included in this ranking, which sees room for quite some movement. However, whilst there are few sailors in the same positions, there is only one new entry into the top 10, and one into the top 20. Well done to Kalle SUNESON (SWE) who has leapt from 12 to 2 and to Fredrik Westman (FIN) who has entered the top 20 at 20 from a previous 39. Whilst SUNESON had a momentary drop out of the top 10, for WESTMAN this is his first appearance within the top 20, after some good results at SPA, Hyeres and the ISAF World Sailing Games amongst others.

As a result Robert Scheidt (BRA) has dropped down to third, his lowest placing since May 2001.

Position- Crew-Nation-Previous Position- No of Events-Total Points
1. Paul GOODISON (GBR) - 1 - 7 - 4866
2. Kalle SUNESON (SWE) - 12 - 7 - 4744
3. Robert SCHEIDT (BRA) - 2 - 7 - 4739

Single-Handed Dinghy Women - Europe
Sari Multala (FIN) continues to lead the rankings, for the fourth consecutive release, a position she has held since May 2001, with one brief slip into second place for one release in February 2002. No change in the top three, and just a swap around in positions between Min DEZILLIE (BEL) and Lenka SMIDOVA (CZE) who now sit in 4 and 5 respectively. Three new entries into the top 10, with two of the sailors Trine Julie AVRAHAMSEN (DEN) and Christiane PETZKE (GER) making a first-time appearance at the top.

Overall, it is the same sailors in the top 20 but just in different positions, with the exception of one mover out.
Position- Crew-Nation-Previous Position- No of Events-Total Points
1. Sari MULTALA (FIN) - 1 - 7 - 4596
2. Maria COLEMAN (IRL) - 2 - 7 - 4348
3. Carolijn BROUWER (NED) - 3 - 7 - 4181

Double-Handed Dinghy Men - 470
The results from the ISAF World Sailing Games, the only Grade 1 event including in this ranking, are significant in the movement in positions on the rankings.

Whilst placing eighth at the ISAF World Sailing Games, ranking leaders Eugeniy BRASLAVETS/ Igor MATVIYENKO (UKR) had enough of a points margin to retain their position for the second consecutive ranking.

However, their Bronze Medal has propelled Gustavo MARTINEZ/Tunte CANTERO (ESP) up into second overall in the world. Whilst they have been in the top 10 for over a year, this is only the second time the pair have broken into the world's top three, having previously done so in May 2002, for one ranking release.

The Russian sailors Dmitri BEREZKIN/Mikha KRUTIKOV have made a significant three place leap upwards into the top 10, at number 9, a position they have held once before just over a year ago.

The only new entry into the top 20 comes from the Gold Medallists in the men's double-handed event at the ISAF World Sailing Games, Josef YOGEV/Amir SHAHAF (ISR), their highest ever position. This duo have been steadily climbing the rankings over the past months, having placed 88 in the world 12 months ago and 211 in the world 18 months ago.

Position- Crew-Nation-Previous Position- No of Events-Total Points
1. Eugeniy BRASLAVETS/ Igor MATVIYENKO (UKR) - 1 - 7 - 4838
2. Gustavo MARTINEZ/Tunte CANTERO (ESP) - 4 - 7 - 4507
3. Andreas KOSMATOPOULOS/Kostas TRIGONIS (GRE) - 2- 7- 4497

Double-Handed Dinghy Women - 470
It has taken them just over a year, but the 2000 Olympic Gold Medallists Jenny ARMSTRONG/Belinda STOWELL (AUS) have reclaimed the top spot in the 470 Class, ousting the previous holders Sofia BEKATOROU/Emilia TSOULFA (GRE) to third.

Congratulations to Linur KLIGER/Anat FABRIKANT (ISR), Therese TORGERSSON/ Vendela ZACHRISSON (SWE) and Chizuko IJIMA/Makiko IKUTA (JPN) who have all entered the top 10 in the world for the first time on this ranking issue.

With the results from four ISAF Graded events included in this ranking release, there have been changes throughout the top 20, with 9 going up, 9 going down, and two crews retaining the same positions.

Position- Crew-Nation-Previous Position- No of Events-Total Points
1. Jenny ARMSTRONG/Belinda STOWELL (AUS) - 2 - 7 - 4588
2. Natalia VIA DUFRESNE/Sandra AZON (ESP) - 3 - 7 - 4527
3. Sofia BEKATOROU/Emilia TSOULFA (GRE) - 1 - 7 - 4514

Keelboat Women - Yngling
Congratulations to a new world ranking leader in the keelboat women's event. After their domination at the Yngling Worlds, Monica AZON CANALDA/Laia TUTZO/Sandra AZON (ESP) have taken the number one position from Australia's Melanie DENNISON. DENNISON and crew had led the rankings since July 2001, but no more. AZON has been steadily climbing up the rankings, having held second place since April 2002, but it was her World Championship victory at the recent Yngling Worlds, where DENNISON finished 9th, that clinched her pole position.

The world leading crew includes helmswoman Monica's sister Sandra. As you may note from the 470 rankings, it is the same Sandra who is currently ranked number two in the world crewing in the 470 for Natalia VIA DUFRESNE.

The entire top 20 sailors have seen a re-shuffle with no crew in the same position, including three new entries into the top 20 and therefore 3 crews dropping out.

Position- Crew-Nation-Previous Position- No of Events-Total Points
1. Monica AZON CANALDA/Laia TUTZO/Sandra AZON (ESP) - 2 - 7 - 4180
2. Melanie DENNISON/ Fiona HERBERT/Caroline ADERS (AUS) - 1 - 7 - 3863
3. Ulrike SCHUMANN/Wibke BUELLE, Winnie LIPPERT (GER) - 4 - 7 - 3697

Keelboat Men - Star
With two events, Star North American Championship (1) and Travemunder Woche (3), included in this ranking, one would not necessarily expect too much movement amongst the world's top sailors, but on that count you would be wrong. However, there is no change in the top 4, with Jose Maria VAN DER PLOEG/ Diego FRUCTUOSO (ESP) continuing to hold the top slot for the fourth consecutive rankings, (since April 2002). A big leap for John A MACCAUSLAND/Rick PETERS (USA) who have reclaimed a position in the top 10, having been out for the 3 July ranking, and return at number 5. A fellow American crew also enter the top 10 at number 8, from their previous 15, with George SZABO/Austin SPERRY (USA) posting their highest ever position in the world rankings. Elsewhere, whilst only one crew has dropped out of the top 20, there is some considerable shifting of positions.

Position- Crew-Nation-Previous Position- No of Events-Total Points
1. Jose Maria VAN DER PLOEG/Diego FRUCTUOSO (ESP) - 1 - 7 - 4851
2. Mark REYNOLDS/Magnus LILJEDAHL (USA) - 2 - 7 - 4772
3. Mark MANSFIELD/Killian COLLINS (IRL) - 3 - 7 - 4381

High Performance Dinghy Open - 49er
No change at the top, in fact no change in the top 13 crews who all sit safe. There has been a reshuffle in places between the crews ranked 14 through to 17, as a result of Marcus Baur/ Max Groy (GER) dropping down from 14 to 17, but otherwise no change in the remainder of the top 20.

Position- Crew-Nation-Previous Position- No of Events-Total Points
1. Santiago-LOPEZ VAZQUEZ/Javier DE LA PLAZA (ESP) - 1 - 5073
2. Luka-RODION/George LEONCHUK (UKR) - 2 - 5043
3. Iker-MARTINEZ/Xabier FERNANDEZ (ESP) -3 - 4897

Multihull Open - Tornado
With the results of Vele di Pasqua (3); Tornado IDM (3); Warnemunder Woche (3); Travemunder Woche (2) included in this rankings, there has been surprisingly little movement, with the top 19 crews remaining in the same position. A new entry into the top 20 comes from Andrey KIRILYUK/Valery USHKOW (RUS), who have put in an impressive performance since the beginning of the year where they were placed 105 in the world, to their current 25 in the world.

Position- Crew-Nation-Previous Position- No of Events-Total Points
1. Roman HAGARA/Hans Peter STEINACHER (AUT) - 1 - 7 - 4767
2. Darren BUNDOCK/John FORBES (AUS) - 2- 7- 4733
3. Hugh STYLES/Adam MAY (GBR) - 3 - 7 - 4629

Boards Women - Mistral
With only a few graded events during July and therefore included in this ranking release, and the ranking leaders not participating in these lower graded events, there has been absolutely no change in the positions of the top 40 sailors, with Lai Shan LEE (HKG) leading overall.

However, with the results from the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship being included, which for many sailors was their first ISAF graded event, 7 new sailors were welcomed onto the rankings.

Position- Crew-Nation-Previous Position- No of Events-Total Points
1. Lai Shan LEE (HKG) - 1 - 7 - 4921
2. Sigrid RONDELEE (BEL) - 2 - 7 - 4561
3. Anna GRACZYK (POL) - 3 - 7 - 4471

Boards Men - Mistral
With a similar situation to the women, there is no change in the top 10, with Przemek MIARCZYNSKI (POL) in top spot for the third consecutive ranking.

Further down the rankings, there has been a few movements, with the most significant mover being Aron GADORFALVI (HUN) up 9 places to 32 from 41, primarily due to his third place at the ISAF Grade 2 Travemunder Woche.

Position- Crew-Nation-Previous Position- No of Events-Total Points
1. Przemek MIARCZYNSKI (POL) - 1 - 7 - 4729
2. Nick DEMPSEY (GBR) - 2 - 7 - 4595
3. Maxim OBEREMKO (UKR) - 3 - 7 - 4538

The next ISAF World Sailing Rankings will be released on 29 August 2002 following the ISAF Graded CORK Week Regatta in Canada. ISAF can email you the rankings the day they are issued, with a choice of the top 200 per event, or an overview combining the top 20 sailors in each event as one email. You can subscribe to this service via ISAF Sailor. Simply go to www.sailing.org/isafsailor and subscribe via the Email Services.