NZL Sailing Team Update: Three crews lying top two in Rio

Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie have taken the lead in the Women’s 470 at the Olympic Sailing Test Event (Aquece Rio – International Sailing Regatta 2014) on now in Rio, Brazil.

New Zealand also holds second place in both the men’s and women’s skiff events with World Champion crews Peter Burling and Blair Tuke moving up in the 49er ranks and Alexandra Maloney and Molly Meech delivering more keeper results today.

Aleh and Powrie recorded a faultless performance, racing on the Niteroi course outside Guanabara Bay, the experienced pair took two guns from two races sailed in the women’s double-handed 470 pushing them to the top of the leader board after lying 3^rd going into today. With five races on the board they are three points clear of the USA crew lying 2^nd with GBR in 3^rd place.

The kiwis were prominent on the 49er course today where two races were sailed by the 19 boat fleet featuring the world’s top crews. Burling and Tuke claimed a 3^rd and a 2^nd which sees them shuffle up the board into 2^nd overall two points behind the French, while their NZL Sailing team-mates Marcus Hansen and Josh Porebski added a 4^th and a bullet climbing to 7^th overall.

Overnight leaders Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen from Australia only managed two mid fleet finishes and slip to 3^rd place.

Alexandra Maloney and Molly Meech (pictured above) retain 2^nd place in the 49erFX with two 2^nds and a 5^th on the water today. They are five points behind local favourites and overall leaders Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze sailing in front of a home crowd.

Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders were solid and consistent once again in the Nacra mixed multihull racing recording a 7^th and two 5ths today. The young pair are lying 4^th overall.

Over in the Finn class Andrew Murdoch recorded his first race win of the regatta and has moved into 5^th overall. He placed 3^rd and 10^th in the other two races sailed today.

Meanwhile Josh Junior went 6-7-16 in today’s three races and holds 9^th overall in the Finn event.

Men’s 470 pair Paul Snow-Hansen and Daniel Willcox also took a race win in Rio today and have improved their overall standing by four places up to 6^th overall.

In the Laser event, featuring two kiwis, the men sailed two races today. Sam Meech was 10^th and 7^th and retains 8^th place, while Andy Maloney retains 13^th after an 8^th and a 15^th in racing today.

Sara Winther is in 13^th in the Laser Radial class with an 8^th and a 13^th today.

With only the top ten placed sailors advancing to the medal race the regatta has come to a close for New Zealand’s Natalia Kosinska lying 11^th in the Women's RS:X windsurfing and just outside the cut for tomorrow’s finale.

Racing resumes tomorrow for everyone else on what will be the penultimate day of the regatta for the 49er, 49erFX, Nacra 17 and Finn classes. The 470s, Lasers and Radials have three days left on the programme.

Aqueece Rio – International Sailing Regatta 2014, 2-9 August 2014
New Zealand’s current standings Full results here

1^st Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie (Women’s 470) - 6 points (7, 2, 2, 1, 1)
6^th Paul Snow-Hansen and Daniel Willcox (Men’s 470) - 55 points (8, 9, 7, 1, 9)

2^nd Alexandra Maloney and Molly Meech (49erFX) - 15 points (1, 1, 7, 4, 2, 5, 2)

2^nd Peter Burling and Blair Tuke (49er) - 18 points (9, 2, 2, 14, 3, 2)
7^th Marcus Hansen and Josh Porebski  (49er) - 30 points (11, 3, 11, 12, 4, 1)

5^th Andrew Murdoch (Finn) - 39 points (10, 12, 8, 4, 3, 3, 1, 10)
9^th Josh Junior (Finn) -  54 points (5, 16, 18, 3, 1, 6, 7, 16)

4^th Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders (Nacra 17) – 29 points (3, 5, 6, 5, 7, 5, 5)

8^th Sam Meech (Laser) – 28 points (3, 12, 8, 10, 7)
13^th Andy Maloney (Laser) – 42 points (9, 13, 12, 8, 15)
13^th Sara Winther (Laser Radial) – 47 points (12, 14, 14, 8, 13)

11^th Natalia Kosinska (Women’s RS:X) - 62 points (13, 2, 15, 2, 12, 7, 11, 15)
 

Support and coaching: Jez Fanstone, Mark Howard, Nathan Handley, Simon Briscoe and Hamish Willcox, Craig Panther, David Slyfield, Louise Johnson, Christel Dunshea- Mooij

Links

Regatta website
NZL Sailing Team Sailor profiles
NZL Sailing Team on Facebook

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