Tom Ashley (NZL) in the RS:X Worlds medal race. Image copyright Kasper Bejerholm/kasper@123-webdesign.dk
by Jodie Bakewell-White
A World Championship medal in 2010 has eluded both Tom Ashley and Jon-Paul Tobin finishing sixth and eighth respectively at the RS:X Men’s World Championships just concluded in Kerteminde, Denmark.
While both of the kiwis sailed brilliantly at times over the course of the six day regatta, in the end it was Poland that came to the fore with a gold - silver finish for team mates Poitr Myzska and Przemslaw Miarczynski. Israel’s Nimrod Mashiah took out the bronze medal.
Tom Ashley, who has returned to competition this year after a year-long break, was disappointed when things simply didn’t go his way in last night’s quick fire medal race.
“Actually had a pretty disastrous race,” he reflects. “It was very shifty and gusty, and I spent most of the race between 1st and 4th although the lead changed many times.”
“Unfortunately the water was full of seaweed, and I hooked a huge piece of weed on my fin near the beginning of the last downwind which I couldn't remove. I ended up falling from 4th to 9th by the time the race finished. I finished 6th overall.”
Despite missing out on the podium, it is encouraging that the medal race featured two kiwi sailors and from here they and the coaching team, will take the lessons and apply them to the ultimate goal of Olympic medals in Weymouth.
“Pretty disappointing after being in with a shot at a medal during the final race,” continues Ashley. “However, I learned a lot during the competition and I still feel that this result is ok after taking a year off. Overall it seems like I'm on track for 2012, which is the real target.”
Jon-Paul Tobin was eighth overall after placing 8th in last night’s medal race. The 33 year old Takapuna Boating Club sailor appears to be in career topping form this year, and he adds this result to a list of top ten placings this year.
2010 Laser World Championship
Laser Worlds 2010 fleet. Image copyright Paul Wyeth/RYA.
The snakes and ladders on the leader-board has continued at the 2010 Laser World Championship as it draws to a conclusion on Hayling Bay, Great Britain.
Four members of the NZL Sailing Team are still among the top eleven of the 159-strong fleet as they go into the final day of racing.
Last night, seasoned campaigner Andrew Murdoch improved his position in the fleet coming through into fifth overall after a 14th and an 8th on the water. The 2008 Olympian is eleven points off third place as the regatta hits the final day where two races are possible.
Josh Junior is in seventh, Andy Maloney slips from second equal back to eighth after his poorest day yet, and Mike Bullot is in 11th place.
Australia’s Tom Slingsby continues to demonstrate to his rivals how to win races, coming away from last night with another two bullets and even further extending his leading margin. A whopping 32 points clear he appears to have this title in the bag.
At the Finn Gold Cup in San Francisco, where a remaining two days of racing will determine the World Champion for 2010, kiwi Dan Slater is in 15th place.
The NZL Sailing Team Laser sailors are supported by coaches Mark Howard and Jez Fanstone, while Dave Robertson and Grant Beck are coaching support to the RS:X sailors in Denmark. John Clinton is coach at the Finn Gold Cup in San Francisco.
2010 RS:X World Championships, 29th August – 4th September
New Zealand’s final results
Men’s Championship (111 sailors)
6th Tom Ashley
8th Jon-Paul Tobin
78th (22nd in silver fleet) Antonio Cozzolino
Women’s Championship (66 sailors)
34th (1st in silver fleet) Kate Ellingham
36th (3rd in silver fleet) Stefanie Williams
41st (8th in silver fleet) Natalia Kosinska
49th (16th in silver fleet) Alice Monk
2010 Laser World Championships, 30th August – 5th September
New Zealand’s provisional standings (Total fleet: 159)
5th Andrew Murdoch (6, 4, 11, 2, 8, 22, 9, 1, 24, 24, 14, 8)
7th Josh Junior (3, 22, 1, 2, 7, 5, 8, 29, 12, 21, 25, 7)
8th Andy Maloney (2, 22, 4, 10, 2, 11, 3, 4, 20, 5, 37, 36)
11th Mike Bullot (1, 2, 5, 13, 9, 3, 3, 23, BFD54, 30, 26, 16)
28th Sam Meech (10, 46, 5, 14, 7, 13, 24, 2, BFD54, 33, 19, 24)
35th Max Andrews (12, 41, 19, 7, 26, 8, 4, 34, 13, 10, 49, 44)
51st James Sandall (42, 7, 6, 14, 14, RAF55, 12, 5, 43, 49, 50, 47)
2010 Finn Gold Cup, San Francisco, USA
Dates: 30th August – 4th September
New Zealand’s provisional standings after ten races (Total fleet: 87)
15th Dan Slater (32, 17, 28, 11, 26, 4, 9, 11, 13, 12)
32nd Nik Burfoot (24, 33, 42, 30, 34, 31, 36, 31, 39, 22)
37th Matt Coutts (37, 48, 26, 20, 32, 52, 35, 28, 18, 52)
65th Bradley Douglas (62, 88/DNF, 52, 61, 51, 60, 64, 59, 88DNS, 88DNS)
71st Rob Coutts (63, 57, 72, 62, 82, 65, 78, 69, 88DNS, 88DNS)
77th Ray Hall (61, 68, 65, 88DNF, 68, 58, 88DNF, 88ZFP, 88DNS, 88DNS)
Yachting New Zealand
