Issue date
The 2014 European Laser Standard and Laser Radial Championships, has come to a close in Split, Croatia. With no racing possible on the final day due to more light winds the final results remain as they stood at the end of day five.
Image© Petar Prkić
It has been a challenging series for both sailors and organisers with Split becalmed over the second half of the regatta and just one gold fleet race sailed over the finals in the last three days.
It was a disappointing end for the kiwis that all had the opportunity to improve their final result significantly if they sailed one good race today and could make a discard from the finals series, however it wasn’t to be.
Andy Maloney ends this one as the best placed of the NZL Sailing Team in 22nd overall in the 132-strong fleet, while Mike Bullot also put in a strong performance goes down in the books with a 34th place finish.
All the New Zealand men did make the gold fleet and Sam Meech and Thomas Saunders end the regatta in 41st and 42nd respectively.
The overall winner of the European title in the Men’s Standard was local Croatian hero Tonci Stipanovic who won by one point over Rutger van Scaardenburg of the Netherlands.
For the two New Zealand women racing the Laser Radial the final half of the regatta was equally frustrating. Sara Winther has finished in 36th and Susannah Pyatt in 68th.
“No racing today so the regatta is finished,” says Sara Winther. “It’s really disappointing not to get in some more gold racing to try and move up… but this is yacht racing, I should have done better earlier! Now home to New Zealand. Thanks everyone for the support this week.”
Taking gold convincingly in the European Women’s Laser Radial title was Svenja Weger of Germany with Tina Mihelic of Croatia securing the silver.
The next of the Olympic classes to contest their 2014 European Championships is the men’s and women’s RS:X windsurfing in Alacati, Turkey commencing late June.
2014 Laser and Laser Radial European Championships
New Zealand’s final results
Laser Standard (Men’s Olympic single-handed class) – 132 entries
22nd Andy Maloney, NZL Sailing Team
34th Mike Bullot
41st Sam Meech, NZL Sailing Team
42nd Thomas Saunders, NZL Sailing Team
Laser Radial (Women’s Olympic single-handed class) – 92 entries
36th Sara Winther
68th Susannah Pyatt
Links
Regatta website
Yachting New Zealand website
NZL Sailing Team sailor profiles
NZL Sailing Team on Facebook
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.
For more information
Jodie Bakewell-White
Yachting New Zealand Communications Manager
Tel. 021 709 065
Email. jodie@yachtingnz.org.nz
