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Smith displays sportsmanship and killer instinct

Promising young sailor Benn Smith continued his dominant form to win two of the five Gold fleet races of the Optimist Winter Series in Granaway Deep last weekend.

Racing in near perfect conditions, 21 boats competed in the Gold and Silver fleets, which saw Campbell Patton also win two races, though his pair of fourth place finishes saw him tie on 10 points with Matilda Nicholls.

Smith, the overall winner of Series 1 racing, also won applause from spectators for an act of good sportsmanship.

Both he and Campbell Patton sailed the wrong course during one of the race; realising their mistake they headed back in the right direction.

Patton had been leading at the time but was overtaken by Smith as they corrected their error, however Benn slowed up to allow his rival back into first place.

Former Olympian and International race officer Jay Hooper said: “It's great to see such a fantastic sporting gesture on the water today from a sailor so young.”

Bermuda Optimist Dinghy sailing development officer, Ben Nicholls, said: “Benn Smith is to be commended for his unwavering good sportsmanship this weekend.

“Benn like others before him is able to demonstrate that it is possible to win races and let good sportsmanship prevail. Benn is a very talented sailor and the training he has been doing this winter with coaches Tom Herbert-Evans and Paul Doughty is realy starting make a difference.”

Series 2 takes place on Sunday, with racing on March 4, 11, 18 and 25.

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Published March 01, 2012 at 1:00 am (Updated March 01, 2012 at 7:44 am)

Smith displays sportsmanship and killer instinct

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