What turned out to be the final and decisive race of the series started in light trapezing conditions, testing the flexibility of many competitors knee ligaments!

There was a lumpy sea state which meant keeping the boat driving upwind essential as the boat would stall out at any given opportunity.

The start got away at the second attempt under a black flag, with no one succumbing to an early black flag bath. The fleet split both sides upwind and converged at the top mark with neither side fairing badly, although Goetz rounded first with a 50yrd lead from the right followed by Versari, Bonzio and Lambertini.

With the jury boat on the prowl the reaches were timid affairs, although Kuhlmann and Aston went low gaining on the leading boats and Andreasen pulling through the fleet.

The wind has shifted right so the second reach was tighter allowing some trapezing which stretched the fleet out a little by the leeward mark. This wind shift formed a procession up the next beat as the fleet headed right, with a few tacking off for clear air. The strengthening breeze allowed for full wiring. By the top mark the order remained unchanged, although the fleet were greeted by the pumping flag.

This made the run a critical leg as the boats rolled and surfed their way to the bottom mark. Goetz still led but Andreasen and Bonezzi were on a charge, moving up to 4th and 6th respectively. Up the last beat again the majority went right after clearing their air.

Goetz held his lead to the finish whilst Versari held off Bonzio for 2nd, Kuhlmann and Aston went for the right-hand lay line to the finish and pipped Bonezzi and Lambertini for 5th and 6th, while Andreasen held on to 4th. Goetz's well earned victory made up for his DSQ the previous day.

Race 8 (Gold fleet)

The fleet were let go under another black flag, however within a matter of minutes of the start the wind had shifted right allowing boats at the committee boat end to sail straight for the top mark. This made for a bewildering sight for those that had gone left who then found themselves laying the stern of the committee boat when they tacked onto port. Simon Mussell (who had gone furthest left) commented that the entire Silver fleet would have crossed ahead of him by the time he had reached the right-hand side of the course.   

The foreboding storm clouds forming over the coastal hills eventually rolled over the race course swinging the wind through 180 degrees before killing it.

The PRO had no option but to abandon the race and any further racing, as the sailors drifted ashore.

This left Italian Giovanni Bonzio sitting pretty ahead of Australian Marcus Hamilton to win a deserved first major championship.

2nd ITA 99 Versari

3rd ITA 47 Bonzio

4th DEN 44 Andreasen

5th GER 1 Kuhlmann

6th GBR 702 Aston

7th ITA 11 Bonezzi

8th ITA 315 Lambertini

9th AUS 2323 Hamilton

10th GBR 2421 Langdown

1st ITA 47 Bonzio 21pts

2nd AUS 2323 Hamilton 22pts

3rd ITA 11 Bonezzi 24pts

4th GBR 2421 Langdown 31pts

5th DEN 44 Andreasen 34pts

6th GBR 701 Jones 39pts

7th GBR 702 Aston 41pts

8th ITA 99 Versari 42pts

9th GBR 720 Scott 43pts

10th GER 551 Homeier 62pts