NZL Yachting Trust Youth Team day four: Gold in bag with another medal likely at ISAF Youth Worlds

With one day to go New Zealand is assured of a gold medal at the 2013 Sail First ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships now drawing to a close in Cyprus with Isaac McHardie (Hamilton Yacht Club/RAYC) and Micah Wilkinson (Ngaroto Sailing Club/RAYC) now unbeatable in the SL16 multihull.

Across the other four classes where the 2013 NZL Yachting Trust Youth Team feature, our sailors remain in the top seven places with Markus Somerville and Jack Simpson (Wakatere Boating Club) now in 2^nd place and eyeing a podium finish in the 29er skiff. Just one day remains with only one race on the schedule to determine the final placings.

“This is New Zealand’s first medal in the catamaran in the history of the event, we are stoked for the guys,” says Ian Neely, YNZ Talent Development Manager.  “With one more day to go, the whole team plans to finish this regatta with the same professional approach that they entered this regatta, we are going to finish strong.”

Isaac and Micah will be back on the water tomorrow but with a 6, 1, 4 from today they have opened a 15 point margin over the chasing Australian crew, and the kiwis now have the gold in the bag. They are understandably excited. Victory video here.

“We just needed to keep the Aussies behind us in most of the races, and be consistent top five and we did that so we’re very happy,” says Micah describing what needed to be done on the water today. “Awesome, so proud, so happy to be representing New Zealand and winning, and beating the Aussies,” he adds. 

The young kiwis plan to enjoy tomorrow’s final race of the regatta; “We’ll make the most of it and just go sailing with the boys I guess.”

Pairing up at the start of the season 16 year-old Isaac and 17 year-old Micah have gone from strength to strength demonstrating massive performance gains as they build their partnership, despite an injury set-back early in the summer when Micah broke his arm.

Recently they sailed the SL16 World Championships as a lead-up regatta where they finished 6^th overall and clearly gained some valuable experience in the multihull class. Following the ISAF Youth Worlds they will go on to compete at the 29er World Championships on in Arhus, Denmark.

Markus Somerville and Jack Simpson (Wakatere Boating Club) are in a strong position to secure a medal for New Zealand in the 29er skiff with another good day on the water today returning a 6^th, a 7^th and a 4^th. They have overtaken the Swedish crew to grab 2^nd overall going into the final day but just one point separates the Kiwis and the Swedes making for a high pressure last race.

France’s Rual and Amoros are out in front with a seemingly unassailable lead.

New Zealand’s 420 boy’s pair of Sam Barnett  and Zak Merton (Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club) are in 5^th place overall just one point adrift of the Japanese crew in 4^th.

Andrew McKenzie (Kohimarama Yacht Club) is in 6^th overall in the 56 strong boy’s Laser radial fleet at the end of the penultimate day of racing.

And 420 girl’s Olivia Mackay and Abby Goodwin (Napier Sailing Club) are lying 7^th in the 27 boat fleet.

The ISAF Youth World Championships is arguably the most important youth sailing event of the year and the pinnacle of youth sailing in general. History shows that often the winners of this competition become future Olympic medallists and form the crews of America’s Cup, Volvo Ocean Race and all the most challenging global sailing disciplines.  

Tomorrow is the final day of the regatta with prize-giving and the closing ceremony to follow racing.

2013 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships
NZL Yachting Trust Youth Team standings after day four

1^st  Isaac McHardie (Hamilton Yacht Club/RAYC) and Micah Wilkinson (Ngaroto Sailing Club/RAYC) – SL16 Multihull
2^nd  Markus Somerville and Jack Simpson (Wakatere Boating Club) – 29er
6^th  Andrew McKenzie (Kohimarama Yacht Club) – Laser Radial
5^th  Sam Barnett  and Zak Merton (Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club) – Boy’s 420
7^th  Olivia Mackay and Abby Goodwin (Napier Sailing Club) – Girl’s 420
 

Nations Trophy current standings:
1^st Italy
2^nd Spain
3^rd New Zealand

Team support
Ian Neely, Jim Maloney and Karin Adelinger

The regatta schedule:

Saturday 13^th July: Registration and equipment allocation
Sunday 14^th July: Training day and practice racing
Monday 15^th – Friday 19^th July: Competition Racing (no rest day)

Media information:

Daily reports focussing on the performance and standings of the 2013 NZL Yachting Trust Youth Team will be issued by Yachting New Zealand during the regatta and published on yachtingnz.org.nz

Editorial rights free images are available during the event via ISAF's Flickr stream at http://www.flickr.com/isafmedialibrary

Links:
Sailor profiles
ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships Regatta website

Follow the Event

The 2013 Sail First ISAF Youth Worlds Live Blog will be following the event from 15-19 July. View it on the ISAF website here http://www.isafyouthworlds.com/editions/2013/live-blog.php.

Each course has its own Twitter account. @ISAFyw13_Alpha will be following the Laser Radials and 29er, @ISAFyw13_Bravo will be focusing on the RS:X windsurfers and @ISAFyw13_Charli will keep an eye on the 420s and SL16 fleets.

For more information contact:

Jodie Bakewell-White
Yachting New Zealand Communications Manager
M: 021 709 065
E: jodie@yachtingnz.org.nz

The team is proudly supported by the following…
NZL Yachting Trust
HPSNZ
Oceanbridge Shipping
SLAM