New Zealand's Francisco Lardies and David Hazard, SL16 Multihull class, on the 4th racing day of this years Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship. After five days of racing these newcomers to the class are lying sixth overall. Image copyright onEdition.
Report by Jodie Bakewell-White
Just one race remains in each class to decide the minor medals at the 2008 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships in Denmark. Kiwis Sam Meech and Cushla Hume-Merry are both on target for a medal lying 3rd going into the final race on Friday.
In what has been a record breaking regatta, all seven gold medals have already been decided with Great Britain and Cyprus claiming two titles a piece without having to sail the final race. Great Britain now has the Volvo Trophy for top overall team in the bag, their team having already done enough to put them in an unbeatable position.
New Zealand is currently tied with Australia for second place in the Volvo Trophy standings meaning the final race will decide who secures the runner-up spot behind Great Britain. Some top performances from the Kiwis in racing overnight saw them climb up the leader board in the Laser and Radials fleets and back into strong medal contention.
While both gold (to Cyprus) and silver (to USA) have already been decided in the 45 strong Laser fleet, New Zealand’s Sam Meech has moved from 4th up into 3rd place overnight. On Friday he’ll battle it out for the bronze medal with Thorborn Schierup of Denmark, who is five points adrift of Meech after a disastrous day on the water on day five. Meech recorded his first win of the regatta on Thursday and followed it up with a 6th place.
Cushla Hume-Merry also put in a top performance on day five, placing 2nd and 3rd in the two races sailed which sees her climb from 5th up to 3rd and back in the hunt for silver or bronze. With a total of 37 points Hume-Merry is five points back from Susana Romero of Spain, and six points clear of 4th place. Australian rival Gabrielle King has successfully defended her title in the Laser Radial securing the gold in style with two wins in last night’s racing.
Over in the double-handed 29er fleets, New Zealand boys Paul Snow-Hansen and Ben Goodwin are sitting in 4th place going into the final race of the regatta. Last night they were 6th, 2nd and then 1st in their three races recording their first race win of the regatta. They have a nine point gap to make up to 3rd place.
Alexandra Maloney and Bianca Barbarich-Bacher retain 5th place in the Girls 29er class showing consistency on the water last night with three 4th places. 26 points clear of 6th place the Kiwis can only improve on their standing with a good final race; they are three points behind 4th.
Francisco Lardies and David Hazard are 6th in the multihulls going into the last day, Josh Nixon lies in 12th place in the Boys RS:X and Jazmine Lynch is in 8th in the Girls RS:X.
2008 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships
New Zealand’s Results after day five
Sam Meech (Laser) – 3rd (3, 3, 6, (9), 3, 2, 8, 3, (11), 1, 6)
Cushla Hume-Merry (Laser Radial) – 3rd (6, 3, 8, 2, 3, 4, 6, (19), (20), 2, 3)
Paul Snow-Hansen & Ben Goodwin (Boys 29er) – 4th (6, 3, 3, 11, (14), 7, 2, 8, 2, (13), 7, 6, 2, 1)
Alexandra Maloney & Bianca Barbarich-Bacher (Girls 29er) – 5th (3, (9), (13), 2, 6, 1, 8, 4, 2, 4, 6, 4, 4, 4)
Francisco Lardies & David Hazard (Multihull) – 6th (4, 8, 7, (9), 2, 4, 3, 8, 2, (10), 2)
Josh Nixon (Boys RS:X) – 12th ((DNC), (DNC), 12, 1, 5, 6, 10, 11, 7, 17, 13)
Jazmine Lynch (Girls RS:X) – 8th (10, 8, 11, 8, (12), (13), 7, 9, 11, 9, 7)
2008 Volvo Youth Worlds
No comments:
Post a Comment