Meech extends lead at Youth Worlds

Sam Meech has extended his lead in the Boy’s Laser Radial class at the 2009 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships on now in Brazil. Sailors have just concluded day two of racing in light, shifty winds, with another four days of racing to go.


Sam Meech representing New Zealand in the Boys Laser Radial class on day 3 of the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship 2009 in Buzios, Brazil. Image copyright Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race.

by Jodie Bakewell-White

Buzios, Brazil today provided a shifting southerly breeze which ranged between 3-8 knots.

Meech, of the Murrays Bay Sailing Club, was a bronze medallist at the 2008 Championship sailed in Denmark, and he’s on track to improve on that result at this early stage of the 2009 regatta. The young kiwi placed 4th and 6th in today’s two light air races and now has a 25 point leading margin. Meech is up against sailors from 52 other nations, his experience in Olympic Laser class arcing at open international regattas paying dividends.

Representing New Zealand in the Girl’s Laser Radial, Rachel Basevi has finished 28th and 16th in her races today which sees her in 18th place overall in the fleet of 39.

Over on the windsurfing course New Zealanders Ben Mackay and Lucy Driver were both challenged by the light shifty winds of Brazil. Mackay was 15th then 12th in today’s races and is in 11th place overall. Driver in the Girl’s fleet was 10th and then 9th and sits in 10th overall.

Marcus Hansen and James Turner in the Hobie 16 multihull had their best race yet in race four of the series finishing 3rd. The pair are now 10th overall.

Boy’s 420 sailors Ben Goodwin and Logan Dunning-Beck returned a 22nd and a 15th in races three and four of the regatta and now sit in 15th place overall. While Alexandra Maloney and Bianca Barbarich-Bacher in the Girl’s 420 were 17th then 16th in racing today and are also 15th overall.

The regatta concludes in Brazil on Saturday.

Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships 2009
New Zealand’s standings after four races
1st Sam Meech – Laser Radial (Boy’s One Person Dinghy – 53 boats)
18th Rachel Basevi - Laser Radial (Girl’s One Person Dinghy – 39 boats)
12th Ben Mackay – RS:X (Boy’s Windsurfer – 24 boards)
10th Lucy Driver – RS:X (Girl’s Windsurfer – 15 boards)
15th Logan Dunning-Beck & Ben Goodwin – 420 (Boy’s Two-Person Dinghy – 31 boats)
15th Alexandra Maloney & Bianca Barbarich-Bacher – 420 (Girl’s Two-Person Dinghy – 24 boats)
10th Marcus Hansen & James Turner – Hobie 16 (Open Multihull – 17 boats)

Volvo ISAF Youth Worlds