Burling and Tuke take 15 point lead into 2015 Rio Test Event Medal Race

Click here for Back Issues of YBQ Magazine

Issue date

21 Aug 2015

Peter Burling and Blair Tuke are well placed to secure the gold medal at 2015 Rio Test Event tomorrow after another stellar day on the water in the 2016 Olympic city.

They took two race wins, and so did both the NZL Sailing Team women’s double-handed crews on a day when the wind returned and all fleets managed at least two races.

49er

Peter Burling and Blair Tuke look set to add yet another victory to their mounting tally.

After today’s performance in Rio they will go into tomorrow’s 49er medal race with a 15 point leading margin.

The only crew in a position to take the gold from them are Nico Delle–Karth and Nikolaus Resch of Austria lying 2^nd overall, with Germany’s Erik Heil and Thomas Ploessel lying 3^rd and 27 points adrift of the kiwis.

The men’s skiff fleet managed four races today on Guanabara Bay. Burling and Tuke’s results from the penultimate day include two race wins and two 4^th places.

After two days off the water due to a lay day and then cancelled racing yesterday, Tuke says it was good to get back out there; “It’s been a bit strange to do half the regatta then have two days off and then we had four races today, so it was good to get back into it and it was a really solid day for us.”

“All of our races were good and we are really happy. We got a another couple of bullets and managed to extend our lead a little bit, which was great and to go into the medal race with a nice lead tomorrow, but still with a bit of work to do.”

“We’re happy with how we went today in some pretty tricky conditions.”

Women’s 470

Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie have sailed themselves back into medal contention with two days of competition left to run in the Women’s 470 class.

After lying 9^th overall going into today Aleh and Powrie had their best day of the regatta so far posting an 8^th and two race wins, clearly finding their groove in the increased breeze on the outer course area today, and climbing into 3^rd overall.

Polly Powrie describes the conditions; “It was pretty nice, we had big waves, a little bit more breeze – not as much as forecasted, but enough to get three races away.”

“We were still finding our feet in the first one and in the second two we had a couple of bullets so we’re pretty happy with a couple of keepers,” she adds.

On 39 points they’re a fair way back from the Americans in 2^nd on 21 points, while Great Britain leads on 18 points. Tomorrow the Women’s 470 are scheduled to sail another two races before the top ten will advance to Saturday’s medal race.

49erFX

Alexandra Maloney and Molly Meech were the third New Zealand crew to win two races today at 2015 Rio Test Event.

The 49erFX fleet were sailing inside the bay today and the kiwi crew put on a brilliant performance in their opening two races in view of spectators ashore. A third race was sailed, in which the kiwi girls finished 15^th.

They’re now lying 4^th overall as they progress into the top ten medal race tomorrow, moving up from 6^th. 16 points adrift of 3^rd place means climbing into a podium position is challenging from where they sit.

Nacra 17

Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders sailed three races today in the Nacra 17 mixed multihull placing 2^nd, 10^th and 13^th. With points extremely tight at the top of the board the kiwis have been nudged back into 6^th place overall going into tomorrow’s medal race.

Finn

Josh Junior posted three single-digit races today in the Finn class opening with a 3^rd and following that up with an 8^th and a 9^th to now lie 5^th overall going into the penultimate day of competition for their fleet.

Junior is five points behind Jonathan Lobert (FRA) in 4^th place, while Pieter-Jan Postma (NED) is leading overall. Along with the Men’s and Women’s 470 classes, the Finn fleet will sail their medal races on Saturday.

Laser

It was a day of mixed fortunes for Andy Maloney in the Laser fleet posting a 2^nd place in today’s first race. Unfortunately the 25 year old from Murrays Bay Sailing Club wasn’t able to replicate that in the second race of the day and a mid-pack finish in 26^th sees him edged out into 11^th.

Just two points separate Maloney from the top ten, but when the scheduled third race of the day wasn’t completed it meant the kiwi missed the opportunity to reclaim a top ten spot, and he won’t sail tomorrow’s medal race.

Men’s 470

Men’s 470 pair Paul Snow-Hansen and Daniel Willcox did not sail today because Willcox has been unwell with a gastro illness.

The source of the illness is not known and Team Doctor, Craig Panther is in Rio and is treating Willcox’s symptoms and monitoring his recovery, whilst isolating him from other team members as a precaution.

The class was scheduled to sail three races on the outside Copacabana course area and it was and on the Team Doctor’s recommendation that Willcox did not sail today.

2015 Rio Test Event, Rio de Janeiro
The NZL Sailing Team current standings

1^st Peter Burling and Blair Tuke - 49er (2, 6, 1, 12, 1, 1, 4, 1, 4, 1)
3^rd Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie - Women’s 470 (4, 12, 5, 9, 12, 8, 1, 1)
4^th Alexandra Maloney and Molly Meech - 49erFX (3, 1, 15, 5, 12, 8, 14, 1, 1, 15)
5^th Josh Junior - Finn (7, 10, 4, 2, 17, 3, 8, 9)
6^th Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders - Nacra 17 (2, 2, 14, 1, 3, 13, 2, 6, 2, 10, 13)
11^th Andy Maloney – Laser (11, 6, 9, 22, 23, 6, 3, 2, 26)
21^st Paul Snow-Hansen and Daniel Willcox - Men’s 470 (17, 10, 17, 12, 16, DNC)