Issue date
Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders, the NZL Sailing Team’s Nacra 17 multihull team were in La Grande Motte, France recently for the 2014 Nacra 17 European Championship.
A world class fleet of 71 boats were in France for the regatta.
The kiwi pair opened the series with a bullet going on to record clean single-digit results across the first half of the regatta until strong winds interrupted the programme and no racing was possible on day four.
The penultimate day of the championship at La Grande Motte didn’t go the way kiwis Jones and Saunders would have wanted. The New Zealand pair was 8th, 24th and 29th dropping them to 20th overall and missing out on the top ten medal race.
“Tough day on the water for us today,” said after day five. “Started the day well with an 8th in the first race, didn’t quite get it right for the second race finishing 24th and had a few breakages and capsizing in the last race where we finished 29th.”
They went on to sail on the final day to end the 2014 Nacra 17 European Championships in 19th place.
Spain’s Iker Martinez and Tara Pacheco took the title.
2014 Nacra 17 European Championships , La Grande Motte, France
What: Olympic mixed multihull
New Zealand’s Final Results
19thGemma Jones and Jason Saunders
NZL Sailing Team Coach: Will Howden
About the NZL Sailing Team
The NZL Sailing Team includes New Zealand’s top Olympic campaigners who have made the top 20% in their most recent (respective) class World Championships or pinnacle event and have shown consistency of performance over the year including other significant Championships.
Yachting New Zealand’s High Performance Programme is focussed on winning medals at the Olympics in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
NZL Sailing Team sailors all started out at grass roots yacht clubs around the country and with commitment, dedication and drive have risen to be world class athletes; they work hard in the gym, train long hours on the water and are supported by great coaches.
