Issue date
New Zealand is well placed to collect medals at the 49er and 49erFX European Championship in Helsinki with both Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, and Alexandra Maloney and Molly Meech leading going into the final day of the regatta.
At the 470 European Championships in Athens Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie have climbed into 3rd place after day three of racing.
Photo: Maloney and Meech in action by Mick Anderson, www.sailingpix.dk
49er and 49erFX
After a strong penultimate day the NZL Sailing Team lead in both the 49er and 49er FX going into the final day of the 2014 European Championships in Helsinki.
Despite an average result in the opening race of the day, a 16th, Peter Burling and Blair Tuke came back firing and scored two bullets in the following two races as the breeze built on the gold fleet course.
The kiwis, who are defending their 2013 European title, have opened an 11 point lead over Australians Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen who returned mixed results today.
Blair Tuke says; “Another good day for us. We started out the day with a 16th reminding us just how difficult Gold fleet racing can be when you don't execute 100%.”
“We bounced back nicely winning the next two and with the discard coming into play, we carry straight firsts through the gold fleet racing.”
“Three more races tomorrow for the top ten boats, in a theatre style format. It’s still all to play for with the chasing pack headed by the Aussies 11 points back.”
Continuing the kiwi charge Alexandra Maloney and Molly Meech have taken the overall lead in the 49erFX class after they placed 2nd, 5th and 4th in today’s racing.
Their leading margin is a narrow one point however with Denmark’s Ida Nielsen and Marie Olsen hot on their heels in 2nd place.
Like the men they have three races scheduled for tomorrow set to be run ‘theatre style’ – which means short courses and fast paced action.
Here you can view the video from day 5
Live TV coverage of the Theatre Style racing starts at 13:00 local time (2200 Sunday New Zealand time).
2014 49er and 49erFX European Championships, Helsinki, Finland
What: Olympic skiff classes (Men’s and Women’s)
When: Tuesday July 8th - Sunday July 13th
New Zealand’s Current standings
49er: (83 boats)
1st Peter Burling and Blair Tuke 28 points (23(cf), 1, 1, 1, 16, 1, 1)
30th (2nd Silver fleet) Marcus Hansen and Josh Porebski
53rd (25th Silver fleet) Logan Dunning-Beck and Jack Simpson
55th (27th Silver fleet) Ben Goodwin and Sam Bullock
49erFX: (51 boats)
1st Alexandra Maloney and Molly Meech 42 points (29 (cf), 1, 1, 7, 2, 5, 4)
28th Erica Dawson and Ellie Copeland
NZL Sailing Team Coaches: Jez Fanstone and Hamish Willcox
Men’s and Women’s 470
At the 470 European Championships in Athens Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie have improved their overall position from 5th up into 3rd place at after day three of racing.
The women sailed three races in winds of 15-18 knots with a challenging short wave chop on the race course; Aleh and Powrie placed 11th, 5th and 3rd and now have 27 points.
“We started out with what must have been one of our most badly sailed first legs in a long time,” says Jo Aleh. “Followed up by a very impressive comeback on the reach and downwind, only to follow it up again with a truly terrible upwind leg.”
“The second race started out far better, we had a great start and were clear ahead in the front few, but once again did some silly things and dropped ourselves back down the fleet a little way.”
“In the start of the third race, we were head to wind, going backwards, directly behind another boat AND at the wrong end of the line as the start gun went… really a very impressive combination,” says Aleh wryly.
“However we were fed up with being back in the fleet, so staged a rather epic comeback, taking about fifteen boats on the first reach leg, then chipping away at the rest to finish in 3rd. Much better.”
Austria’s Lara Vadlau and Jolanta Ogar are out in front with 17 points, while Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark (GBR) hold 2nd place with 18 points.
In the Men’s 470 fleet NZL Sailing Team pair Paul Snow-Hansen and Daniel Willcox are lying 33rd at the end of day three.
Tomorrow’s schedule provides for another two races for both the men and women. Light winds are predicted.
2014 Men’s and Women’s 470 European Championships, Athens, Greece
What: Olympic double-handed dinghy classes (Men’s and women’s)
When: Thursday July 10th - Tuesday July 15th
New Zealand’s current standings
Women’s 470
3rd Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie 25 points (5, 3, 17, 11, 5, 3)
Men’s 470
33rd Paul Snow-Hansen and Daniel Willcox 43 points (3, 21, 19, 22, 27, 18)
NZL Sailing Team Coaches: Nathan Handley and Pete Evans
Nacra 17
Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders have ended the 2014 Nacra 17 European Championships in 19th place among a world –class 71 boat fleet.
Racing wrapped up today at La Grande Motte, France. 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
19th Gemma 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.
For more information
Jodie Bakewell-White
Yachting New Zealand Communications Manager
Tel. 021 709 065
Email. jodie@yachtingnz.org.nz
