by Jodie Bakewell-White
Sam Meech has won Gold in the Laser class after a stunning final day performance in Medemblik at the 2014 Delta Lloyd Regatta. Making a return to Laser campaigning after a break Mike Bullot made it a double-podium for New Zealand winning the bronze medal.
The regatta is an annual event on the Olympic class sailing calendar attracting some of the world’s best campaigners.
The gold medal result is 23 year-old Meech’s best so far in 2014. Meech represents both the Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club and Murrays Bay Sailing Club.
Lying 2nd overall going into the final medal race he had a seven point gap to close on Netherlands sailor Nicholas Heiner who led the class throughout the regatta only to stumble at the final hurdle.
Meech commented, “I knew it was going to be a really tough ask, given how well Nick was sailing all week, so I hoped I'd get an opportunity. There were a lot of really good guys quite close behind me as well, so I knew I had to keep a gap on them as well. I hoped I'd have the chance to send Nick the wrong way and I took it.”
“My experience here this year was a lot better than last year. The regatta is fantastically run. And the race management is awesome, so I'm really happy with my Delta Lloyd experience.”
Post-race interview with Sam Meech:
Fellow kiwi Mike Bullot grabbed his podium spot on the final day after lying 5th overall going into today. New Zealand featured strongly in the Laser class securing four of the top six placings in the fleet which included 43 sailors; Meech and Bullot securing the gold and bronze, while Thomas Saunders finished 5th and Andy Maloney 6th.
The NZL Sailing Team single-handed sailors will now turn their focus to the up-coming 2014 Laser European Championships in Croatia in mid June.
Jon-Paul Tobin placed 8th overall in the Men’s RS:X in which 30 windsurfers were competing and Sara Winther was 11th in the 26-strong Laser Radial class. 35 boats competed in Medemblik in the Nacra 17 multihull, New Zealand’s Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders wrapping up the regatta in 12th place.
2014 Delta Lloyd Regatta
New Zealand’s Final Results
LASER
Sam Meech – GOLD
Mike Bullot – BRONZE
Thomas Saunders – 5th
Andy Maloney – 6th
NACRA 17
Gemma Jones & Jason Saunders– 12th
MEN’s RS:X
JP Tobin, RS:X – 8th
LASER RADIAL
Sara Winther -11th
49ER
Ben Goodwin & Sam Bullock, 49er – 22nd
Full results and more here: http://www.deltalloydregatta.org/
About the NZL Sailing Team
The NZL Sailing Team includes New Zealand’s top Olympic campaigners who have made the top 20% in their most recent (respective) class World Championships or pinnacle event and have shown consistency of performance over the year including other significant Championships.
Yachting New Zealand’s High Performance Programme is focussed on winning medals at the Olympics in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
NZL Sailing Team sailors all started out at grass roots yacht clubs around the country and with commitment, dedication and drive have risen to be world class athletes; they work hard in the gym, train long hours on the water and are supported by great coaches.
