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She narrowly missed out on a medal at the Olympic test event but for Veerle ten Have her experience in Marseille was worth gold.
Ten Have, the country’s leading female windfoiler, finished sixth in a quality fleet at last month's event that serves as a dress rehearsal for next year’s Paris Olympics.
After sitting in the top three for much of the week, ten Have dropped to fourth overall on the final day of qualifying. She was eliminated in the first race in the medal series after finishing just outside of the top two.
“Overall, I’m really happy with the week as it’s probably the most consistent I’ve been on the iQFOil,” ten Have said.
“For pretty much five days I sat in third place, and it wasn’t until the medal series that I lost it. It’s a brutal race – with fourth and tenth being all equal.”
Veerle ten Have finished sixth in Marseille after wearing the red bib for much of the regatta. Photos / World Sailing
Ten Have was one of a handful of Kiwis to finish just outside the podium spots, with George Gautrey fourth overall in the ILCA 7 fleet and Isaac McHardie and Will McKenzie, and Micah Wilkinson and Erica Dawson fifth in the 49er and Nacra 17 classes respectively.
After a week off, ten Have last week got back to work with the rest of the NZL Sailing Team in Marseille before heading to The Hague for the Sailing World Championships starting next week.
New Zealand will have 35 sailors competing in 10 Olympic classes at the worlds, with the event the first opportunity to qualify boats and boards for the Games – where sailing will return to the Marseille Marina.
“The test event gave me very clear pointers to work on before The Hague. It was really good to get to know the venue. It’s a test event and that was what it was all about," ten Have said.
Joining her at the world championships are Stella Bilger and Aimee Bright, daughter of former windsurf Olympic champion Barbara Kendall.
Josh Armit heads the men's team of four after a ninth place at the test event. Thomas Crook, Eli Liefting and Patrick Haybittle will also be in action.
NZ squad for the Sailing World Championships in The Hague:
49er: Isaac McHardie/Will McKenzie, Logan Dunning Beck/Oscar Gunn, Campbell Stanton/Will Shapland, Sam Bacon/Cailen Rochford.
49er FX: Jo Aleh/Molly Meech, Courtney Reynolds-Smith/Brianna Reynolds-Smith.
Nacra 17: Micah Wilkinson/Erica Dawson.
ILCA 7: George Gautrey, Tom Saunders, Luke Deegan, Caleb Armit.
ILCA 6: Olivia Christie, Greta Pilkington.
470 (mixed): Brittany Wornall/Sam Street, Derek Scott/Rebecca Hume, Annabelle Rennie-Younger/Blake McGlashan.
Windfoil (men): Josh Armit, Thomas Crook, Eli Liefting, Patrick Haybittle.
Windfoil (women): Veerle ten Have, Aimee Bright, Stella Bilger.
Kitefoil (men): Lukas Walton-Keim.
Kitefoil (women): Justina Kitchen.
