New Zealand sailor in lead at Sail Melbourne Regatta

by Zoe Hawkins, Yachting New Zealand

24-year old North Shore sailor Mike Bullot is leading the Laser Full Rig division of the prestigious Sail Melbourne Regatta, which is part of the ISAF Sailing World Cup.

Out of five races, Bullot, from Murrays Bay Sailing Club, has secured two wins and a second. Once his worst race, an eighth place, is dropped, he sits on 13 points, one point ahead of Matias Del Solar of Chile, and ten points ahead of Milan Vujasinovic from Croatia.

New Zealander David Weaver sits in fifth place in the same class, and another seven New Zealanders are in the top half of the 39-strong Laser fleet after six races.

In other divisions, David McDiarmid and Andrew Archibald are sitting in third place in the 49er class after nine races. Antonio Cozzolino is second in the RS:X Men’s class after five races, Sara Winther is sixth in the Laser Radial after six races, and Kate Ellingham is fifth in the RS:X Women and Youth class after five races.

Racing was called off on the first day, with many classes unable to get in a start. The second day was also reasonably light and the third presented 10-15 knots of wind at Melbourne’s Port Phillip Bay.

Racing concludes on 21 December.

Sail Melbourne