Issue date
Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie have the early lead in the Women’s fleet at the 2013 470 World Championships while NZL Sailing Team team-mates Paul Snow-Hansen and Dan Willcox have also started strongly to hold 3rd in the Men’s.
Racing started overnight in La Rochelle, France with the day one of the six day regatta sailed under overcast skies with light rain. All fleets sailed three races.
Sailing away with a 2nd and two wins Aleh and Powrie top the leader-board with two points (the wins count for zero) while the French pair of Camille Lecointre and Mathilde Geron, who recently took out the 2013 470 European Championship title, lying 2nd on five points.
“In typical regatta style we had conditions we hadn't seen for the two weeks we have been here getting ready, complete with thunder storms early on today. It was a great breeze of 12-16 knots, and some rather large waves at times as it is very shallow out there,” reports Jo Aleh. “We started off well with a second in the first race, and then followed that up with two race wins.”
“The breeze was anything but consistent, with massive shifts and pressure lines coming across the race track... We didn't exactly get everything right, we just didn't stuff anything up too badly which seemed to be more important! We were always in the mix at the first top mark and then managed to get a few things right on the next few legs including some flying reaches which were great fun.”
“One more day of qualifying tomorrow, with two races and then we split into Gold and Silver, so all we need is another good race tomorrow and we will be through and ready for finals. The qualification series will end up only counting for one 'race' so it’s a bit like the regatta really starts on day three.”
Over in the Men’s division racing is in three fleets for the qualifying rounds and the young kiwi pair of Paul Snow-Hansen and Daniel Willcox has made an excellent start to the series. Placing 5th, then 4th, then winning race three they are in 3rd on the leader-board with nine points.
It’s no surprise to see Men’s Olympic champion Matt Belcher of Australia topping the men’s fleet, which features 114 boats in total; he and Will Ryan had two wins and a 2nd giving them two points. Pierre Leboucher and Nicolas Le Berre of France are in 2nd place on seven points.
NZL Sailing Team coach Hamish Willcox reports from the men's course; "The boys got off to a solid start today. Three fleets of about 37 boats and they had the 3rd best day after AUS and GRE. The wind was 12 to 14 knots for race one (5th) and then 13 to 16 knots (4th) and big chop for race two and a long period ground swell of half a metre. Race three and the breeze dropped about a knot, and the boys had a great win."
"The race committee did an awesome job getting three races off between 1400 and 1800. Conditions were difficult and many top teams suffered at least one poor result. With the chop and swell some teams sailed too tight on their main leach which resulted in less consistent speed. The boys gained places on all the runs and again this area looks like a strength."
Racing resumes tomorrow for the second day of qualifying with the medals set to be decided on Saturday in La Rochelle, France. "Tomorrow the wind veers more to the north and is expected to be slightly stronger," says Hamish Willcox.
2013 Men’s and Women’s World Championships
New Zealand’s current standings…
Women’s 470 World Championship (52 boats)
1st Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie (2, 1, 1)
Men’s 470 World Championship (114 boats)
3rd Paul Snow-Hansen and Dan Willcox (5, 4, 1)
37th Francisco Lardies and Luke Stevenson (11, 15, 13)
104th Richard Power and John Power (35, 34, 34)
Coaches: Nathan Handley and Hamish Willcox
The schedule
5, 6, 7 August: Qualifying Series
8, 9 August: Qualifying/Final Series
10 August: Medal Race and Prize-giving
Links
Championship website
Yachting New Zealand website
NZL Sailing Team sailor profiles
NZL Sailing Team on Facebook
Images
Photos - A selection of high resolution images will be available for FTP download at:
Server: ftp.breschi-photo-video.com
User: breschip-470
Password: worldsrr470
About the NZL Sailing Team
NZL Sailing Team includes New Zealand’s top Olympic campaigners who share the ultimate goal to win Olympic medals for New Zealand at the Rio Games in 2016.
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.
For more information contact
Jodie Bakewell-White
Communications Manager, Yachting New Zealand
E. jodie@yachtingnz.org.nz
M. 021 709 065
