by Jodie Bakewell-White
Bitter conditions meant the beanies were back out in Medemblik, the Netherlands for day two of the 2013 Delta Lloyd Regatta, round two of the EUROSAF Champions Sailing Cup.
After long delays and a late start to racing the NZL Sailing Team hit the water for racing and returned some more solid results.
Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie clocked up two more race wins in the Women’s 470 fleet featuring a relatively small, but very international fleet, of just 13 boats. The kiwis continue to lead the pack now out in front by four points as the qualification series wraps up and the regatta moves into two days of finals ahead of Saturday’s medal races.
“Got two races in and we managed to win both. But it was so cold we couldn't hold on to the ropes,” report Aleh and Powrie who returned home to warm up in front of the heaters at the end of the day.
Paul Snow-Hansen and Dan Willcox are showing good form with two 3rds on the water today. The Men’s 470 duo are in close contact with the Croatians and Aussies in front.
Also flying the New Zealand flag in the 25 strong Men’s 470 are Carl Evans and James Turner lying 11th at the end of day two.
Andy Maloney had a great day in the frigid conditions with a race win and a 3rd the NZL Sailing Team Laser sailor rockets up the ranks from 9th to lie 3rd overall at the end of day two.
Team-mate Sam Meech making similar gains up the leader board with a 7th and a race win in today’s two races he climbs to 7th overall. There are 70 boats competing in the Laser class at this regatta.
Rounding out the kiwi contingent Natalia Kosinska is racing in the women’s windsurfing placed in 8th at the end of day two.
The official report tells that; “The second day of racing in the Delta Lloyd Regatta tested sailor's fitness and the equipment. Wind averaging 25 knots and picking at 30, throughout the day made for physical racing.”
The scoring format at 2013 Delta Lloyd Regatta mimics that used recently at Lake Garda for the opening regatta of the EUROSAF Champions Sailing Cup where results in these early races matter less than the heavily weighted medal races on Saturday.
However in each of the events featuring New Zealanders only the top six ranked crews at the end of day four get to race the medal races. For the kiwi team the next couple of days will see them focussing on trying to make the medal race cut.
Here’s how the NZL Sailing Team fared after day two (of five)…
1st Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie, 470W (3, 1, 1, 1, 1)
3rd Paul Snow-Hansen and Dan Willcox, 470M (3, 5, 2, 3, 3)
3rd Andy Maloney, Laser (9, 12, 1, 1, 3)
7th Sam Meech, Laser (10, 15, 3, 7, 1)
Aspiring NZL Sailing Team…
11th James Turner and Carl Evans 470M (13, 3, 11, 12, 17)
8th Natalia Kosinska RS:XW (12, 10, 6, 3, 8, 10, 9)
NZL Sailing Team
Event Website: http://www.deltalloydregatta.org
