Booth Comes Under Fire In Games Bid

Sydney Morning Herald

Monday January 15, 1996

BOB ROSS

While the consistent German Olympic crew of Roland Gaebler and Frank Parlow comfortably won the Tornado class world championship off Mooloolaba at the weekend, the battle for Australian team selection became a cliffhanger.

Mitch Booth and Andrew Landenberger beat Darren Bundock and John Forbes by one point on the Australian Yachting Federation's selection criteria.

Booth went into the worlds three points ahead in the selection process after earlier qualifying regattas.

After six races of the 10-race world championship, he and Landenberger were in second place to the Germans, while Bundock and Forbes at 11th looked well out of contention.

But on the last two days, Bundock and Forbes, with good starts, excellent speed - especially downwind - and sound tactics, finished 1-2-8-1 to end the regatta third overall behind Gaebler/Parlow and the Spanish crew of Fernando Leon/Jose Luis Ballester.

Booth/Landenberger, meanwhile, placed 17-4-34-10 to finish fifth overall, with one place in hand over Bundock/Forbes on the selection criteria.

In the last race, Booth and Landenberger, only 25th at the first mark, showed great speed to finish 10th and head off Bundock/Forbes by the single point on the selection scoreboard.

The AYF will not announce the Tornado Olympic team selection until March.

It is understood it may face a challenge to its selection criteria on the grounds that Booth changed his crew from Scott Anderson to Landenberger after the initial qualifying regatta.

© 1996 Sydney Morning Herald

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