Speed The Key To Robins' Perfect Performance
Sydney Morning Herald
Saturday October 28, 2000
Noel Robins has done most things in sailing America's Cup, Admiral's Cup, one-ton world championships and quite a bit in between. But winning a Paralympic sailing gold medal on Sydney Harbour yesterday was something special.
Robins and crew Graeme Martin and Jamie Dunross sailed an almost perfect race in their Sonar to seal the gold for Australia after going into the last day of the regatta just four points clear of Germany.
Robins said: ``Of course every win is special but this one was great because of the way it all came together, and I am so happy for Graeme and Jamie."
Robins, who is 65, said retirement plans were now on hold. ``In life there always seems to be one more race to run, so I'm not retiring. I really did enjoy this."
The gold medal ended a campaign that almost didn't happen.
It started just a year ago when Australian sailing officials were scratching around for a crew that could represent Australia at the Paralympics in the three-man Sonar. At the time there were very few Sonars in Australia and no active fleet.
Robins, an experienced campaigner who helmed AustraliaI in the 1977 America's Cup, put his crew together and they travelled to Europe and the United States, testing themselves against the world's best. They soon found they could compete at that level.
Back in Australia they trained against able-bodied sailors and developed the boat speed that gave them the winning edge in this regatta.
The race yesterday was a gem, with the German crew of Jens Kroker, Peter Muenter and Peter Reichl going on the attack from the start. They crossed the line to windward of the Australians but Robins was able to use their superior boat speed to get out from under the German cover.
The Australians were second at the first windward mark to the Great Britain boat but quickly passed it on the first downwind leg and after that were never headed.
Bronze went to the Canadian crew of David Williams, Paul Tingley and Brian MacDonald.
While it was joy for Australia in the Sonars, in the one-man 2.4m class Peter Thompson lost his chance of the bronze medal when he turned back after the start thinking he had been over the line when the gun went off.
While a number of other boats were adjudged to be over, Thompson wasn't one of them but once he turned back his medal chances were blown.
The gold went to Heiko Kroeger of Germany, who had a superb regatta with five wins and no finish worse than fourth. Silver went to Jens Andersen of Denmark, while Tom Brown of the US stormed back to take the bronze after winning the last race of the regatta.
© 2000 Sydney Morning Herald