Lewis beats boisterous water to hold Finn title

Press, 28 February 1980, Page 34

Lewis beats boisterous water to hold Finn title

From JOHN COFFEY in Auckland

Cam Lewis recovered from a near-capsize on the first read, to stay ahead of his fellow-American and archrival, John Bertrand, on the boisterous waters of the Hauraki Gulf yesterday and become only the fourth helmsman to retain the .World Finn Gold Cup. I After leading around the i top mark, Lewis sensed the strength of the challenge being issued by Bertrand, and over the final leg gave up all aspirations of seeking the winner’s gun to ensure that he was still ahead of h : s countryman at the finish. At the start of the final heat the outcome of the contest depended on whether Bertrand could beat Lewis to the line. One placing — no matter where in the fleet — would have been enough for Bertrand to gain one of yachting’s most sought-after trophies.

Such is Bertrand’s competitiveness that he was quite content that the contions suited Lewis yesterday, the south-westerly winds gusting up to 40 knots and causing a sizeable swell on the gulf. Bertrand wanted to take the fight to Lewis to erase the memories of his narrow defeat in England last year.

However, Bertrand’s prospects seemed decidedly dim

when he was a modest thirteenth to the first mark, with many outstanding sailors separating him from Lewis. It is not in Bertrand’s nature to concede, though, and he breezed through to fifth as Lewis lost the lead to Chris Law (Britain) on the reaches.

The Dane, Jorgen Lindhardtsen, surged to the front on the second beat, with Bertrand now fourth and only Law between him and Lewis. It was invigorating [stuff, as many of the less skilled skippers suffered from the elements and limpe< towards the shore. Lindhardtsen fell back off the wind, and Lewis was in the lead again, Law still keeping Bertrand at bay. It was then that Lewis kept his priorities in place and he was quite content to allow Law and Lindhardtsen their heads and settle for third place. As a bonus, the Finnish representative, Esko Rechardt, also reached the line to the good of Bertrand.

Happily sipping from a champagne' bottle, Lewis said after the race that matters had been a “bit scary” downwind, as the yachts outstripped all but the quickest of the escort launches and the gusts threatened to dash his dreams.

“John (Bertrand) and I had a bit of a chase on the start line before I shook him i

.ioff and got away quicker,” Lewis said. ‘‘lt was a close thing on the reaches when 1 nearly went over, and 1 was always aware just how great a competitor John is. It was ' pretty heavy out there.” Now that the Olympic Games selection which drew Lewis to the Finn class is unlikely to be realised, he is unsure of his yachting future and admits that he could even ‘‘have to work for a living.” He might seek to emulate the famous Brazilian, Joerg Bruder, and win a third consecutive Gold Cup in Poland, although he is s-wayed towards switching' to the- 505 class. On the over-all computlations, Lewis lost 29.7 (points and Bertrand 34.7. The Canadian, Larry Lemieux, was again well back yesterday — not relishing the forceful winds — and he was a distant 'third with 58 points-. Kent Carlson (Sweden), ever lurking near the top of the fleet, was fourth, and Andrew Menkart (United States) just held Law out of fifth place. Law. who emulated Lewis by winning two heats, belatedly showed the form which won him the title in 1976 after an early disqualification and some disappointing displays. .[ The top New Zealander! was Graham Deegan, although he had little to spare!

over Tom Dodson behind Lindhardtsen. Three other Auckland helmsmen, Bruce Deegan, Richard Dodson, [and John Douglas were tenth equal, easily New Zealand’s best all-round Gold Cup result. The former Canterbury skipper, Peter Lester, ended a sad series in twenty-fifth, but his former provincial teammate, Freerk Kempkers, was a creditable thirty-sec-ond. Neither Peter Kempkers (fifty-fourth) nor Ben Winters (sixty-first) started yesterday. Results:— Race seven.—C. Law (G. 8. 1, J. Lindhardtsen (Den.) 2. C. Lewis (U.S.) 3. E. Rechardt (Fin.) 4. ,). J. Bertrand (U.S.) 5. L. Armit (N.Z.) 6. K. Carlson (Swe.) 7, T. W. Dodson (N.Z.) 8. A. Menkart (U.S.) 9, M. Nissen (Ger.) 10. G. Deegan (N.Z.) 11, .1. S. Douglas (N.Z.) 12. J. Ferguson (Aust.) 13, L. Lemieux (Can.) 14, R. Woodbury (Can.) 15, G. Davidson (Aust.) 16. D. Breitenstein (Fin.) 17. M. Mclntyre 1'G.8.) 18. G. Wiig (N.Z.) 19. T. Law (G. 8. 20. Others.: P. Lester 25, F. Kempkers 31, P. Kempkers, B. Winters did not start. i

Final points.—Lewis 29.7. 1: Bertrand 34.7, 2; Lemieux 58, 3; Carlson 70.4, 4; Menkart 74, 5; Law 74.7, 6; G. Deegan 82.1, 7; T. W. Dodson 85. 8; Lindhardtsen 88.7, 9: B. Deegan (N.Z.), R. Dodson (N.Z.), Douglas, 108.7, equal 10: Armit 118.7. 13; Breitenstein 119.7. 14; Nissen 123, 15; Rechardt 133, 16; Ferguson 139, 17; D. Scbnidt (N.Z.) 145. 18; Mclntyre 151, 19; G. Woodroft'e (N.Z.) 152. 20, Others: Lester 173, 25; F. Kempkers 214. 32; P. Kempkers 331. 54; Winters 381. 61.