Sailing: Princess Sofia Mapfre regatta-Julie and Govinden come up against tough opposition |12 April 2012

The third of the International Sailing Federation’s (ISAF) seven world cup regattas, the Princess Sofia competition was a good opportunity for sailors who are preparing for the Olympic Games, as well as those still aiming to qualify at the forthcoming world championships, to fine-tune their techniques.

Julie finished the competition 84th overall with 241 points after discarding his worst result which was a 40th finish in race number seven. His other results were 37th (race one), 10th (race two), 17th (race three), 32nd (race four), 33rd (race five), 34th (race six), 20th (race eight), 28th (race nine) and 30th (race 10).

As for Govinden, he finished 122nd overall with 255 points after his worst result – 44th position in the sixth race – was discarded.

Govinden’s other final placings were 41st (race one), 40th (race two), 32nd (race three), 36th (race four), 42nd (race five), 22nd (race seven), 19th (race eight) and 23rd (race nine).

German Simon Grotelueschen won the regatta with 58 points and he had just one first-place finish in the 10th of the 11 races. His worst performance was in race number seven where he finished in 40th position.

Second to Grotelueschen was Englishman Paul Goodison who clinched the title last year. World champion in 2009 and Olympic gold medallist at the Beijing Games in 2008, Goodison, who is hoping to repeat the feat in London in the summer of 2012, garnered 67 points and one first-place finish in race number four.

In fact, Goodison was joint-first with Australian Tom Burton in that race. Burton finished third overall with 69 points.

Other Laser class legends (past Olympians, world champions, and European champions) like Maciej Grabowski of Poland (25th overall with 148 points) and Karl Suneson of Sweden (60th overall with 165 points) also competed in the Princess Sofia regatta.

Both Julie and Govinden are presently based in Hyères, France, where they are preparing for the World Laser Standard Seniors Championship which will take place from May 4-10 at the German shore side of the East Sea at Boltenhagen.

R. D.