Thursday 2 June 2011

Skandia Sail for Gold : Kiwis Countdown to Sail for Gold Regatta - ISAF Sailing World Cup


Sara Winther wins Gold in the Laser Radial at SOF-TPM Hyeres, France. Image copyright Guillaume Durand/DPPI/FFV.

by Jodie Bakewell-White

The countdown is on for 30 of New Zealand’s Olympic campaigners preparing for competition at Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta in Weymouth, UK. Racing proper starts on Monday 6th June and runs for six days.

Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta is the sixth event in the 2010-11 ISAF Sailing World Cup series and given this is the venue for the 2012 Olympic Games Sailing Regatta the entry list is long and star-studded. Everyone is doing their homework on Weymouth!

Here are the numbers:

752 Entries
62 Nations
1067 Athletes
314 Coaches

New Zealand will be represented in all ten Olympic class events, and also in two (of three) of the Paralympic events. The entire NZL Sailing Team will compete, joined by a handful more all lining up for New Zealand.


Jo Aleh and Bianca Barbarich-Bacher on their way to Gold in Palma. Jo Aleh has her regular crew, Polly Powrie, in Weymouth. Image copyright Jesus Renedo/Princesa Sofia MAPFRE.

470 Women: Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie
470 Men: Paul Snow-Hansen and Jason Saunders
49er: Peter Burling and Blair Tuke
Finn: Dan Slater; Bradley Douglas: Matt Coutts
Laser: Andrew Murdoch; Mike Bullot; Sam Meech; Andy Maloney; Josh Junior; Spencer Loxton
Radial: Sara Winther; Miranda Powrie
WMR: Stephanie Hazard, Jenna Hansen and Susannah Pyatt
RS:X Men: Tom Ashley; JP Tobin; Carl Evans
RS:X Women: Justina Sellers; Natalia Kosinska; Jazmine Lynch; Stephanie Williams
Star: Hamish Pepper and Craig Monk
2.4 metre: Joshua McKenzie-Brown
SKUD18: Tim Dempsey and Jan Apel


Jon-Paul Tobin was at the top of the Men's RS:X fleet but only sailed three days at the Delta Lloyd Regatta in Medemblik. Image copyright Margje Tempelaars.

YNZ will issue daily reports focussing on the kiwi team which will be published on www.yachtingnz.org.nz, and you can follow the NZL Sailing Team on Facebook.

NZL Sailing Team
Skandia Sail for Gold regatta