BlackMatch - Emirates Team New Zealand lying second at Toyota Sopot Match Race, Poland

On board with Torvar Mirsky and crew (Australia). Image copyright Juerg Kaufmann (www.go4image.com)

Report by Juerg Kaufmann

The round robin of the Toyota Sopot Match Race 2008 Grade 1 has been completed. Eight teams advanced to quarter-final round robin. There is no surprise: Keith Swinton (AUS) is still the leader, with 3 points.


Counting down to the start, Mirsky vs. Lindberg. Image copyright Juerg Kaufmann (www.go4image.com)

The day started with perfect weather conditions. Later in the afternoon the wind dropped a bit but almost half of the quarterfinal races have been completed.


Mirsky (Australia) leads Ainslie (South Africa) upwind. Image copyright Juerg Kaufmann (www.go4image.com)

One of the lucky guys today is Staffan Lindberg who is back in the game.

“We were happy with today’s results. In the light and shifty conditions we belive we were sailing fast and managed to catch a few lucky breaks in our races against Mirsky and Lindberg. We are looking forward to finishing off the quarter-finals tomorrow” said Keith Swinton, the current leader of the regatta.


Close racing downwind on day three. Image copyright Juerg Kaufmann (www.go4image.com)

Adam Minoprio's BlackMatch - Emirates Team New Zealand crew are lying second in the quarter-final round robin.

Current results, after 6 flights of the quarter-finals (wins - races sailed):

1. Keith Swinton (AUS) 3 - 3
2. Adam Minoprio (NZ) 2 - 3
3. Peter Wibroe (DEN) 2 - 3
4. Staffan Lindberg (FIN) 2 - 3
5. Eric Monnin (SUI) 2 - 3
6. Ian Ainslie (RSA) 1 - 3
7. Torvar Mirsky (AUS) 0 - 3
8. Andrew Arbuzov (RUS) 0 - 3

Toyota Sopot Match Race 2008

2008 Volvo Youth Worlds: NZ Silver in Volvo Trophy + 2 individual Bronze Medals

Cushla Hume-Merry, from Wellington: bronze medal winner in the Laser Radials. Image copyright onEdition.

by SailRaceWin

After the final day's racing in Aarhus, Denmark, it was New Zealand that finished second to the UK in the overall team performance for the Volvo Trophy.

In addition, two New Zealand sailors, Sam Meech, from Tauranga, and Cushla Hume-Merry, from Wellington, each won bronze medals, in the Laser and Laser Radial classes, respectively.

The 29er Kiwi girls (Alexandra Maloney and Bianca Barbarich-Bacher) and boys (Paul Snow-Hansen and Ben Goodwin) each finished 4th overall in their respective classes. Newcomers to the SL16 multihull, Francisco Lardies and David Hazard, finished 7th overall in class. In the RSX windsurfer girls and boys, Jazmine Lynch and Josh Nixon, were each in 8th place overall in class, respectively.


Alexandra Maloney and Bianca Barbarich-Bacher from New Zealand finished fourth overall in the girls 29er class. Image copyright onEdition.

Class winners were Laser: Pavlos Kontides (Cyprus), Laser Radial: Gabrielle King (Australia), 29er boys: James Peters and Edward Fitzgerald (GBR), 29er girls: Frances Peters and Claire Lasko [James and Frances are brother and sister], SL16 multihull: Valentin and Romain Bellet (France), RSX boys: Michalis Malekkides (Cyprus), RSX girls: Laura Linares (Italy).

In the Volvo Trophy, the UK finished 28 points clear of New Zealand, with Australia a further two points behind in bronze medal position. Hosts, Denmark, were fifth, finishing behind France. Next year's ISAF Youth Worlds hosts, Brazil, were sixth.

2008 Volvo Youth Worlds

Aussies and Kiwis top the pile at the Toyota Sopot Match Race 2008, Poland - Day 2

Close match racing in Poland. Image copyright Juerg Kaufmann (www.go4image.com).

Report from Juerg Kaufmann

Sopot, 17th July 2008 – The Round Robin of the Toyota Sopot Match Race 2008 Grade 1 event isn’t finished yet. After 19 out of 22 flights the leader is Keith Swinton (AUS) with 9 points in 11 matches. Great crew work and a good feeling for the Diamant 3000 give him the power to win the matches.


Image copyright Juerg Kaufmann (www.go4image.com).

Most of the day there was a beautiful sunny sky and perfect wind. The race course was alongside the famous Sopot Pier, where hundred of spectators followed the intense racing.


Wibroe (Denmark) in a tight match. Image copyright Juerg Kaufmann (www.go4image.com).

“It is third time that we are here and we really enjoy returning to this event. Toyota Sopot Match Race has developed during the last few years and is now on a level comparable to the most prestigious events that we have sailed. The boats and the sailing conditions fit our way of sailing so we really hope that we can repeat the success from last year”, said Peter Wibroe (Denmark), the winner of last year’s edition.


Close encounters match racing in Poland. Image copyright Juerg Kaufmann (www.go4image.com).

“Today we had some close races – especially the first against Polish skipper Rafal Sawicki who surprised us when he won the pre-start. Luckily we managed to overtake him on the second upwind leg and extend our lead to win the first match. In our race against Adam Minoprio (New Zealand) we were given 2 penalties after a 30 knot guest stopped us from tacking, resulting in a starboard collision”, said Torvar Mirsky from Australia.


Adam Minoprio, Black Match - Emirates Team New Zealand, at the Toyota Sopot Match Race in Poland. Image copyright Juerg Kaufmann (www.go4image.com).

New this year are the onboard cameras, similar to the ones used in the America's Cup, giving the web spectators a full view of onboard action from this world class sailing event. The tactics can be followed thanks to a real-time GPS signal. Check out: http://www.yachting.com.pl


Lindberg (FIN) vs. Tarnacki (POL). Image copyright Juerg Kaufmann (www.go4image.com).

Curent standings after 19 out of 22 flights (points - number of matches):

Keith Swinton (AUS), 9 - 11
Adam Minoprio (NZL), 8 - 11
Torvar Mirsky (AUS), 6 - 8
Andrew Arbuzov (RUS), 6 - 11
Peter Wibroe (DEN), 5 - 8
Przemek Tarnacki (POL), 5 - 11
Eric Monnin (SUI), 4 - 8
Ian Ainslie (RSA), 4 - 8
Eugeny Neugodnikov (RUS), 3.5 - 7
Staffan Lindberg (FIN), 3.5 - 7
Marek Stańczyk (POL), 1 - 11
Rafał Sawicki (POL), 1 - 11

Toyota Sopot Match Race 2008

2008 Volvo Youth Worlds - Day Five

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

Kiwi Laser Sailors in Medal Positions at Volvo Youth Worlds

by SailRaceWin

At the end of the penultimate day of racing in Aarhus, Denmark, Sam Meech of Tauranga (boys Laser) and Cushla Hume-Merry of Wellington (girls Laser Radial) are both in bronze medal positions in their respective classes.

2008 Volvo Youth Worlds - Day Four

New Zealand's Sam Meech, on the 4th racing day of the 2008 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship, Aarhus, Denmark. Image copyright onEdition.

Report by Jodie Bakewell-White

The blustery and shifty conditions that prevailed over the first half of the event eased on Day Four of racing and three races were sailed in all classes in lighter breezes.

With two days of the regatta remaining, Sam Meech is the best placed of the Kiwis, sitting in 4th place in the Laser class.

Sam Meech of Tauranga was 8th, 3rd and 11th in the last three races which sees him retain his place in 4th overall. With a total of 28 points he is five points adrift of the Danish sailor ahead of him in 3rd place, and a massive 16 points clear of 5th place.

Cushla Hume-Merry will be disappointed with her performance yesterday, which saw her drop out of 2nd place back to 5th overall in the Laser Radials. She was 6th, 19th and 20th in last night’s racing, the latter two races becoming her discards. With a five point gap to 3rd place Hume-Merry will be looking for some good results on day five to put her back in touch with the leaders.

At the end of day four both Kiwi 29er teams are in 5th place in their respective fleets. Paul Snow-Hansen and Ben Goodwin started day four with a 2nd on the water, followed by a 13th then a 7th place, which saw them overtaken by the Argentinean pair on the leader board.

Alexandra Maloney and Bianca Barbarich-Bacher had a solid day on the water placing 2nd, 4th and 6th in the three races sailed by the girls 29er fleet. The pair retain 5th overall but close the gap on 4th place to a four point margin.

Josh Nixon moves from 14th up to 8th overall in the boys RS:X windsurfing overnight aided by the introduction of the second discard race allowing him to drop the day one DNCs he was carrying after gear failure forced him off the water. Last night Nixon was 10th, 11th and 7th in his three races.

In the multihull event, New Zealand’s representatives, Francisco Lardies and David Hazard, improved their standing overnight to now lie 5th overall, while Jazmine Lynch retains her place in 9th in the girls RS:X.

Racing continues Thursday in Denmark, in what will be the penultimate day of racing at the regatta.

2008 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships
New Zealand’s Results after day four

Sam Meech (Laser) – 4th (3, 3, 6, (9), 3, 2, 8, 3, (11))
Cushla Hume-Merry (Laser Radial) – 5th (6, 3, 8, 2, 3, 4, 6, (19), (20))
Paul Snow-Hansen & Ben Goodwin (Boys 29er) – 5th (6, 3, 3, 11, (14), 7, 2, 8, 2, (13), 7)
Alexandra Maloney & Bianca Barbarich-Bacher (Girls 29er) – 5th (3, (9), (13), 2, 6, 1, 8, 4, 2, 4, 6)
Francisco Lardies & David Hazard (SL16 - multihull) – 5th (4, (8), 7, (9), 2, 4, 3, 8, 2)
Josh Nixon (Boys RS:X) – 8th ((DNC), (DNC), 12, 1, 5, 6, 10, 11, 7)
Jazmine Lynch (Girls RS:X) – 9th (10, 8, 11, 8, (12), (13), 7, 9, 11)

2008 Volvo Youth Worlds

New Zealand currently lying 2nd for Volvo Trophy at Youth Worlds 2008

by Torben Houborg and SailRaceWin

Århus, Denmark – 15 July, 2008 – Great Britain is leading a close four-country battle for the Volvo Trophy, awarded to the best-performing nation at the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship.

The young British sailors can enjoy the lay day in Århus, Denmark today, after a highly successful start to the championship which puts them 17 points clear at the top of the Volvo Trophy standings. New Zealand follow the Brits in second place, whilst the defending champion Australia lie third, just ahead of the host nation Denmark. France, nine-time winners of the Volvo Trophy, complete the top five, but has a lot of ground to make up with a 45-point gap separating them from the British team.

The national battle at the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship is as fiercely fought as any of the seven individual titles and more than any other event exemplifies the unique spirit of the championship. The standings are calculated based on a nation’s top four crews after each race is completed across all the fleets, meaning a sailor out of medal contention can still have a massive impact on their team’s performance with a strong finish.

The British success so far has been spearheaded by the two 29er teams who both hold the overall lead, but mixed performances from them in races seven and eight (which the other fleets are yet to complete) could see the standings tighten by the end of tomorrow. Following the lay day, there’s also a new factor added into the equation: pressure. With just three days of racing remaining, the finishing line is drawing closer and any mistakes begin to prove more and more costly.

Amongst the five leading teams, only Denmark has never won the Volvo Trophy before. Great Britain’s two wins came back in 1995 and 1996 with the team of ‘ferrets’ coached by Jim Saltonstall, many of whom went on to win medals at the Sydney and Athens Olympic Games. New Zealand has also won the trophy twice before (1992 and 1994), whilst Australia have won three times (in 1993 and 2003 as well as last year).

Following the lay day, racing resumes in Århus tomorrow at 12:00 local time. Two races (three for the 29er fleets) are scheduled for each event on Wednesday and Thursday. On Friday, the final day of the Championship, just one race will be held in each event to decide the 2008 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Champions and the winners of the Volvo Trophy. In 2007, Australia won the Volvo Trophy, followed by Denmark and New Zealand.

Volvo Trophy Standings (after six races)

1. Great Britain – 187 points
2. New Zealand – 170 points
3. Australia – 163 points
4. Denmark – 160 points
5. France – 142 points
6. Brazil – 117 points
7. Cyprus – 112 points
8. USA – 100 points
9. Italy – 97 points
10. Greece – 92 points

Volvo Trophy Scoring

Scores towards the Volvo Trophy standings are taken on a race-by-race basis from each country’s top four performers across the seven events. Top-ten race finishes translate into points: ten points for a first, nine for a second, all the way down to one point for a tenth place finish. After each race is completed across all seven events, a nation takes its four best scores and combines them to come up with their overall Volvo Trophy score for that race.

Volvo Trophy Winners

2007 - Australia
2006 - Italy
2005 - France
2004 - France
2003 - Australia
2002 - New Zealand
2001 - France
2000 - France
1999 - France
1998 - France
1997 - France
1996 - Great Britain
1995 - Great Britain
1994 - New Zealand
1993 - Australia
1992 - France
1991 – France

2008 Volvo Youth Worlds

2008 Volvo Youth Worlds - Day Three

by SailRaceWin

New Zealand sailors are in the top six places in all classes except the windsurfer after the third day of racing in the 2008 Volvo Youth Worlds in Aarhus, Denmark. There were strong winds for the sailors to deal with again today.

Wellingtonian, Cushla Hume-Merry pulled up to second in the girls Laser Radials, with 3rd and 4th places in the two races on 14th July. Australian Gabrielle King, however, extended her lead in this class with two first places today.

Sam Meech, from Tauranga, meanwhile, had an even better day, with 3rd and 2nd places, and is now 4th in the overall standings in the boys Laser class. However, Cyprus' Olympic representative, Pavlos Kontides, is continuing to run away with the lead in this class, scoring two bullets again today.

Paul Snow-Hansen and Ben Goodwin are lying 4th in the boys two-handed 29er class, after 2nd and 8th places. The leading threesome in this class, with British, American and Australian sailors, are 13 points ahead of them, on overall points, with one discard taken into account.

Alexandra Maloney and Bianca Barbarich-Bacher are 5th overall in the girls 29ers, after 9th and 4th places. Frances Peters and Claire Lasko, from Britain, are the leaders in this class, putting in consistent good results.

Francisco Lardies and David Hazard lie 6th in the SL16 multihull, after 2nd and 4th places in the racing today. Valentin and Romain Bellet, from France, lead overall in the multihulls.

Jazmine Lynch is now 9th in the girls RS-X windsurfers, after 12th and 13th places on the third day of racing, while Josh Nixon is 14th, after 5th and 6th places in the boys RS-X.

Across the board, the British and Australian teams, along with the Kiwis, look well placed in the dinghies. However, results for all three countries are more mixed when it comes to board sailing, showing the different techniques required for this aspect of the sport.

Tomorrow is a lay day with no racing. The event continues Wednesday, 16th July, and finishes on Friday, 18th July.

2008 Volvo Youth Worlds

2008 Volvo ISAF Youth Worlds Day Two

Report from Jodie Bakewell-White

Day two of the six day 2008 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships was sailed overnight in Arhus, Denmark in windy conditions. All seven fleets were on the water adding another two or three races to their scorecards, with a representative from the NZL Yachting Trust Youth Team in each division.

Cushla Hume-Merry improved her standing by one place in the Laser Radial fleet moving from 5th overall up into 4th. The Radial girls sailed two races last night in which Hume-Merry from Wellington placed 8th and then 2nd, putting her just one point adrift of 3rd place, and four points off the lead. Gabrielle King of Australia sailed consistently on day two to overtake Bertold of Canada for the top spot.

In the Laser class Sam Meech of Tauranga slipped from 3rd place overall back to 5th after placing 6th and then 9th in the two races sailed on day two. The day belonged to Pavlos Kontides who looks dominant out front adding two bullets in last night's racing, which gives him a seven point leading margin.

Alexandra Maloney and Bianca Barbarich-Bacher are New Zealand’s representatives in the Girl’s 29er class and currently lie in 5th place overall. Both the girl’s and boy’s double-handed fleets sailed three races overnight; the kiwi girls had their best result in the second race of the day in which they placed 2nd. Great Britain’s Frances Peters and Claire Lasko extended their lead to sit six points clear of 2nd place.

In the Boy’s 29er class Paul Snow-Hansen and Ben Goodwin were 3rd, 11th and 14th in the three races sailed on day two which saw them slip two places back to 6th overall.

Josh Nixon hit the water in the Boy’s RS:X windsurfing, however after recording two DNC’s (did not compete) on day one he has some ground to make up. He was 12th in the first race of the day and then came away with a win in the second race which puts him in 18th place overall. Michalis Milekkides of Cyprus has the lead.

Francisco Lardies and David Hazard are 7th in the 16 strong multihull fleet, while Jazmine Lynch lies 9th in the 15 strong Girl’s RS:X fleet.

Racing continues tonight which will then be followed by a rest day. The regatta concludes on Friday 18th July.

2008 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships
New Zealand’s Results after day two

Sam Meech (Laser) – 4th (3, 3, 6, 9)
Cushla Hume-Merry (Laser Radial) – 4th (6, 3, 8, 2)
Paul Snow-Hansen & Ben Goodwin (Boys 29er) – 6th (6, 3, 3, 11, 14)
Alexandra Maloney & Bianca Barbarich-Bacher (Girls 29er) – 5th (3, 9, 13, 2, 6)
Francisco Lardies & David Hazard (Multihull) – 7th (4, 8, 7, 9)
Josh Nixon (Boys RS:X) – 18th (DNC, DNC, 12, 1)
Jazmine Lynch (Girls RS:X) – 9th (10, 8, 11, 8)

2008 ISAF Youth Worlds

Armando Giulietti’s Team Hiroshi – Città di Milano conquers RC44 Malcesine SLAM Cup

Team Hiroshi – Città di Milano, winner of the RC 44 Malcesine SLAM Cup and 2008 Continental champion. Image copyright Gilles Martin-Raget

Report by Bernard Schopfer (www.maxcomm.ch)

The Italian Team Hiroshi – Città di Milano confirmed its good results from the beginning of the season and has increased its lead in the RC 44 Championship Tour. Hiroshi will keep the Tour leader’s gold wheels for the next event, in Trieste, on October 7-11.

Malcesine, July 13, 2008 –The famous Lake Garda thermal breeze didn’t show up today, forcing Race Director Peter Reggio to put an end to the event at 2:45 PM. The fleet regatta is, however, valid, with four races completed including yesterday’s long distance DHL Trophy.

As a consequence, Armando Giulietti’s Team Hiroshi – Città di Milano conquered the title of Continental Champion and increased its lead in the RC 44 Championship Tour. Patrick de Barros’ Banco Espirito Santo finished second, ahead of Team Ceeref and Team Sea Dubai.

Two more events will take place before the end of the 2008 Championship Tour: the Trieste Cup, on October 7-11 and the Puerto Calero RC 44 Gold Cup, in Lanzarote, on December 10-14.

They said :

Armando Giulietti, Team Hiroshi – Città di Milano: “Of course, we are sad that we couldn’t race today; we were very confident in our performance. All in all, we can be very happy. We have done three excellent races and have had a premature start in the first. It is a solid performance.”

Patrick de Barros, helmsman, Banco Espirito Santo: “We are disappointed because we wanted to go out and race. But that’s life. This was a great week. Russell did a great job at the tactics, and it was great to sail this fleet regatta with him.”

Nicolas Verwilghen, helmsman, Carbon Affairs: “It was difficult for us to sail well because we haven’t had enough time to practice, but it has been a fabulous week. All the other teams have been extremely friendly with us, and many of them have lent us material to help us get up to speed. This is really a great spirit and I am grateful to all who have helped us.”

Maciej Navrocki, Team Organika: “It was interesting for me to sail with Philippe Presti, and to get another experience than the one I receive through Mateusz Kusznierewicz. We got a good result in the match, and obtained our first victories. We were especially happy to beat Team Hiroshi! In the future, we will carry on improving with both Philippe Presti and Mateusz. Our goal is to make it to the top five in Trieste.”

Fleet-race, final results after 4 races:

(Ranking, name of team, helmsman, results, points)

1) Team Hiroshi - Città di Milano, Armando Giulietti – 6, 1, 2, 2 - 11 points
2) Team Banco Espirito Santo, Patrick de Barros – 3, 2, 6, 1 – 12 points
3) Team Ceeref, Igor Lah – 4, 5, 1, 3 - 13 points
4) Sea Dubai, Joki Hellmich - 1, 3, 5, 4 – 13 points
5) Team Beecom, Isao Mita – 5, 4, 8, 5 – 22 points
6) BMW ORACLE Racing, Larry Ellison, 2, 7, 9, 6 - 24 points
7) Team Organika, Maciej Navrocki – 8, 8, 3, 7 – 26 points
8) Team Aqua, Chris Bake – 7, 6, 4, DNF - 27 points
9) Team Carbon Affairs, Nicolas Verwilghen – 9, 9, 7, DNF - 35 points

RC44 website

Start of 2008 Volvo ISAF Youth Worlds

from Jodie Bakewell-White

Racing started on 12th July in Aarhus, Denmark at the 2008 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships where New Zealand is represented by a ten member sailing team. The Kiwis made a solid start with four out of seven placed in the top five after day one.

After starting in sunshine at midday, rain clouds and squalls came through and delivered gusty winds reaching 30 knots as the afternoon progressed. All seven classes sailed two races each to kick off this annual regatta which showcases the best youth talent from around the globe and runs over seven days.

The best placed of the NZL Yachting Trust Youth Team after day one of the regatta is Laser sailor Sam Meech lying third overall. Meech, from the Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club was 3rd in both races sailed on day one in Aarhus giving him a score total of six points. Cypriot, Pavlos Kontides has the lead in the Lasers with a win and a 2nd, while local Danish sailor Thorbjorn Schierup lies in second place.

In the Boy’s 29er fleet silver medallist in 2007 Paul Snow-Hansen helmed the boat to a 6th in race one and 3rd in race two on day one in 2008. He and crew Ben Goodwin are in 4th place overall in the 25 boat fleet, while Australian sailors Byron White and Rhys Mara have the lead in the double-handed class.

In the Girl’s 29er fleet Alexandra Maloney and Bianca Barbarich-Bacher are also lying 4th overall after last night’s two races. They were 3rd in race one and 9th in race two. Frances Peters and Claire Lasko of Great Britain are leading at this early stage.

Cushla Hume-Merry of Wellington holds 5th place in the Laser Radial class but is on equal points with the Singaporean sailor lying 4th. Hume-Merry was 6th and 3rd in the two races sailed overnight in the 40 strong Laser Radial fleet. Canada’s Isabella Bertold has the top spot with Australian, Gabrielle King who narrowly beat Hume-Merry for the 2008 Laser Radial Youth Worlds title earlier this year, lying 2nd.

In the multihull division, Kiwis Francisco Lardies and David Hazard are lying 6th while Jazmine Lynch, representing New Zealand in the Girls RS:X windsurfing, is in 9th place. Over in the Boy’s RS:X, Josh Nixon recorded two DNCs on day one.

Racing continues today in Denmark with the forecast predicting that the wind won’t be as strong as on day one, although showers will persist. The regatta concludes on Friday 18th July.

2008 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships
New Zealand’s Results after day one

Sam Meech (Laser) – 3rd (3, 3)
Cushla Hume-Merry (Laser Radial) – 5th (6, 3)
Paul Snow-Hansen & Ben Goodwin (Boys 29er) – 4th (6, 3)
Alexandra Maloney & Bianca Barbarich-Bacher (Girls 29er) – 4th (3, 9)
Francisco Lardies & David Hazard (Multihull) – 6th (4, 8)
Josh Nixon (Boys RS:X) – 25th (DNC, DNC)
Jazmine Lynch (Girls RS:X) – 9th (10, 8)

2008 ISAF Youth Worlds

Wellingtonian, Karl Purdie, wins OK Worlds in Warnemuende, Germany

Report from Jodie Bakewell-White and Robert Deaves

New Zealand has a new World Champion sailor with Karl Purdie of Wellington crowned 2008 OK Dinghy World Champion. The regatta contested by 91 sailors from seven nations, concluded overnight in Warnemünde, Germany.

Consistently strong throughout the five day regatta the final day was not Purdie’s best with a 16th place on the water, however his leading margin going into what was to be the final race was enough to secure him the world title by four points.

Time and the schedule allowed for one more final race however the weather prevented it from taking place. “The potential was there for a final race showdown," reported Deaves, “with any of five boats still in with a chance of taking the title, however it was not to be. Soon after race nine finished, the skies started to darken and the wind increased. With reports coming through of Force 8 winds further up the coast, the race officer decided to abandon racing for the day and the send the fleet home. By the time the storm had passed so had the time limit for starting a race."

Three times and defeding world champion Nick Criag of Great Britain had to settle for the silver medal spot.

“For Purdie, winning the title is a dream come true," said Deaves. “This year was his third attempt. In 2006 in Belmont, Australia he finished 5th. In Leba, Poland last year he finished third, so having specifically requested sail number NZL 531 for his new Icebreaker boat, it is very fitting that he should finish first this year. Craig says he will be back next year to try again. He was realistic about his chances today, but clearly would have liked to sail the last race, having reduced the points gap on Purdie to within striking range."

A number of Purdie’s team-mates from New Zealand also placed high up in the 91 boat fleet with Mark Perrow finishing 6th, Greg Wilcox 10th, Matthew Steven 11th and Steve McDowell 13th.

2008 OK Dinghy Worlds, Warnemuende, Germany
New Zealand’s Final Results

1st – Karl Purdie
6th – Mark Perrow
10th – Greg Wilcox
11th – Matthew Steven
13th - Steve McDowell
16th – Luke O’Connell
17th – Alistair Deaves
29th – Trent Pryce
43rd – Grant Pedersen

OK Worlds website

Patrick de Barros and Russell Coutts conquer the RC44 DHL long distance Trophy on Lake Garda

Start of the DHL Trophy regatta in front of Fraglia Vela di Malcesine, the local clubhouse. Image copyright Gilles Martin-Raget.

Report by Bernard Schopfer (www.maxcomm.ch)

The wind was not at its best on Lake Garda today for the long distance DHL Trophy. However, the nine RC 44’s managed to sail an interesting regatta. Banco Espirito Santo made the best out of the conditions to win the race, ahead of Team Hiroshi – Città di Milano and Ceeref. Armando Giulietti’s Team Hiroshi is now alone at the top of the fleet race ranking.

Malcesine, July 12, 2008 – The weather was looking promising at the start of the long distance DHL Trophy, with a lovely 12 knots thermal breeze blowing despite the big clouds surrounding the top of the nearby mountains. Unfortunately, the hopes of a fast race didn’t last long, and the wind started dropping as the boats sailed up the course.

Igor Lah and James Spithill’s Ceeref were the first team to grab the lead, thanks to their lovely start at the pin end of the line and excellent early tactics on the beat towards Malcesine. Soon before the first mark, the japanese entry Beecom, with Isao Mita at the helm, benefited from an appropriate right shift and managed to grab the lead.

After rounding the mark, the nine RC 44’s had to cross the lake towards Campione, usually well known for the strong gusts that blow along the impressive cliffs; however this time it was all down to delicate trimming, crew positioning and fine steering in order to make the best of the light puffs of wind.

Five teams proved to master the exercise better than the rest of the fleet: Banco Espirito Santo, who rounded the windward mark in the lead, ahead of Ceeref, Team Hiroshi – Città di Milano, Team Sea Dubai and Beecom. BMW ORACLE Racing and Team Aqua followed a few hundreds meters behind, whilst team Organika and Carbon Affairs had clearly lost any hope to come back at this stage.

The run towards Malcesine proved eventless. Patrick de Barros and Russell Coutts were easily controlling their opponents and all the teams were struggling to keep their spinnakers flying. The only event took place soon after the windward mark, when Team Hiroshi – Città di Milano managed to overtake Ceeref; needless to say that it wasn’t a breathtaking move.

Thanks to their second place, Armando Giulietti and his team now sit alone at the top of the leader board, one point ahead of Patrick de Barros’ Banco Espirito Santo and two points ahead of Igor Lah’s Team Ceeref and Markus Wieser’s Team Sea Dubai.

They said :

Patrick de Barros, helmsman, Banco Espirito Santo: “I am very happy with this victory. It was a race of patience. We had a very hard time at the start, and then took the right decisions. We rounded the top mark in the lead and then controlled our opponents until the arrival.”

Armando Giulietti, Team Hiroshi – Città di Milano: “It was a very tough day despite the light winds. Sebastien did a great job, and helped us recover from behind. During the beat, we were sometimes fifth, or sixth, it was hard. Our speed downwind is excellent and we managed to overtake Ceeref. It was a long concentration game.”

Andrej Justin, RC 44 co-designer: “Obviously, it is more fun to sail in more wind. But the RC 44 proved once again today that it can race correctly in light winds. I guess the lower limit for a decent race is 4 knots. At the other end of the range, we sailed in Cagliari with a steady 24 knots and gusts of up to 28 knots and we haven’t broken anything, it was just fine.”

DHL Trophy:

1) Team Banco Espirito Santo
2) Team Hiroshi - Città di Milano
3) Team Ceeref
4), Sea Dubai
5) Team Beecom
6) BMW ORACLE Racing
7) Team Organika
8) Team Aqua (DNF)
9) Team Carbon Affairs (DNF)

Fleet-race, provisional overall results after 4 races:

(Ranking, name of team, helmsman, results, points)

1) Team Hiroshi - Città di Milano, Armando Giulietti – 6, 1, 2, 2 - 11 points
2) Team Banco Espirito Santo, Patrick de Barros – 3, 2, 6, 1 – 12 points
3) Team Ceeref, Igor Lah – 4, 5, 1, 3 - 13 points
4) Sea Dubai, Joki Hellmich - 1, 3, 5, 4 – 13 points
5) Team Beecom, Isao Mita – 5, 4, 8, 5 – 22 points
6) BMW ORACLE Racing, Larry Ellison, 2, 7, 9, 6 - 24 points
7) Team Organika, Maciej Navrocki – 8, 8, 3, 7 – 26 points
8) Team Aqua, Chris Bake – 7, 6, 4, DNF - 27 points
9) Team Carbon Affairs, Nicolas Verwilghen – 9, 9, 7, DNF - 35 points

RC44 website