49er

25 September 2000 - Olympic Regatta

Following a final race showdown with the Americans Ian Barker and Simon Hiscocks secured the Silver medal. The Americam McKee brothers won the final race, but the Brits stayed within 6 places of them, and finally finished 3rd to clain the first sailing medal of the 2000 Olympics for Team GBR. 23 September 2000 - Olympic Regatta

Ian Barker & Simon Hiscocks laid clain to the first British sailing medal today. Although the gold has gone, Ian & Simon can do no worse than 3rd in the regatta, and have to stay within 6 places of the USA team in the final race on Monday to win a silver.
This must surely be the pinnacle of Ian & Simons sailing careers, and is just reward for all the effort and skill they have shown over the last couple of years.

21 September 2000 - Olympic Regatta

Day 5 of the Olympic Regatta and day 3 for the 49ers saw Ian & Simon get right back in the medal hunt. Positions of 2nd, 4th, and 2nd in the days 3 races left the Brits in 3rd place overall, but with only 2 points covering the top 4 places this series is to say the least wide open. Every competitor has at least 2 positions outside the top 10, and with only 2 discards allowed in a scheduled 16 race series consistancy will be the key.

18 September 2000 - Olympic Regatta

Ian Barker & Simon Hiscocks got off to the best possible start in race 1, leading round the first 4 marks. However a 180 degree wind shift turned the run into a beat, turned the fleet upside down and Ian & Simon finished 13th. Later the British pair filed a protest against the Race Committee with support from several other teams, saying the race should have been abandoned at this stage; the protest was dismissed although the committee did agree that the Brits suffered because of the windshift.

Ian & Simon came back in race2 to finish 5th and lie overall 8th after 2 races, but promise much to come in this highly competitive fleet which will see some high scoring.

Day two of the 49er event has been postponed as there are problems with the highly painted spinnakers that have been supplied to each team by the International 49er Class Association. Apparently the coating had to be removed from the sail cloth to allow the paint to stick, allowing each boat to fly the flag!!
Not surprisingly this weakened the cloth to such an extent that they have already begun to tear. The teams will each be supplied with a brand new spinnaker for Wednesday, all at the expense of the organising authority (International Sailng Federation), sadly the flags will not be seen again.

April 2000 - Selection Trials

After just about the closest trials you could imagine, Ian Barker & Simon Hiscocks were selected to represent Team GBR at the 2000 games.
The top British 49er crews have all trained together, so there was little between them at the trials, Ian & Simon winning by 1 point. Ian has been sailing the 49er since it was first selected as an Olympic Class, and his experience will be very valuable in the heat of competition, making this team a strong medal prospect.

January 2000 - South Pacific 49er Champs

Final results of the South Pacific Championships held at Geelong Yacht Club

South Pacific Champs 2000
1st D Slater & N Hadley NZ 50pts

2nd P Brotherton & M Gray UK 51pts

3rd J & C McKee USA 54pts

6th A & I Budgen GBR 75pts

8th T Robinson & Z Eliott GBR 93pts

December 1998 - Brotherton & McDonald

Musto announce that they are to sponsor Paul Brotherton and Neil McDonald in their 49er, for the run in to the Sydney 2000 games.

October 1998 - Pre Pre Olympic Regatta

A top class fleet of 49er sailors competed in the Pre Pre Olympics, with hot favourite and current World Champion Chris Nicholson (AUS), failing to find top form with new crew Ed Smyth in the early races.
However it all came good in the latter stages allowing them to take first place with a day to spare.

Top British crew were the Budgen brothers, they led after two days but dropped back to finish fourth with some poor results on the last two days. Despite this a fourth place in Sydney and second at the worlds puts Andy and Ian firmly in the elite bracket in this class. The second British crew of Paul Brotherton and Neil McDonald finished eighth a very creditable performance and only just off the pace.

Pre Pre Olympic Results
1st C Nicholson & E Smyth AUS 53pts

2nd M Larson & K Hall USA 84pts

3rd J & C McKee USA 90pts

4th A & I Budgen GBR 93pts

8th P Brotherton & N McDonald GBR 122pts