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As kiwis we’ve proven ourselves as a force to be reckoned with in Olympic skiff sailing with both Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, and Alexandra Maloney and Molly Meech reigning world champions and Marcus Hansen and Josh Porebski finishing second to Burling and Tuke in 2013.
And with the NZL Sailing Team skiff crews at the top of their game it seems they’re providing the inspiration for plenty of young up and comers across both the men’s and women’s disciplines. The 2014 49er and 49erFX Junior World Championships, which recently wrapped up in Arhus, Denmark provides the evidence of this with three crews representing New Zealand and returning promising results.
Logan Dunning-Beck and Jack Simpson placed 6th overall in the 2014 SEIKO Junior 49er World Championship. Sam Bullock and Ben Goodwin also competed finishing the ten race series in 23rd place. Meanwhile Erica Dawson and Ellie Copeland sailed a strong medal race series to conclude the Women’s 49erFX Junior World Championship in 6th place.
Dunning-Beck and Simpson compete in Arhus © MFPhotography.dk
All three New Zealand crews that raced in Arhus will also be on the start-line in Helsinki next week for the 49er and 49erFX Open European Championships.
Other young kiwis making their mark include those campaigning the 29er and this year Markus Somerville and Isaac McHardie will represent New Zealand at the 2014 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships in Tavira, Portugal (10th – 18th July, 2014) in the youth skiff class. Micah Wilkinson and Jack Rogers took out the 29er class at 2014 Oceanbridge Sail Auckland regatta and will also race in Portugal and the prestigious ISAF regatta in the SL16 multihull class.
Isaac and Markus in action at 2014 Oceanbridge Sail Auckland
