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Two NZL Sailing Team crews have hit the podium in Miami including Alexandra Maloney and Molly Meech in the 49erFX, and Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders in the Nacra 17.
With ISAF Sailing World Cup MIAMI starting on 26 January, a handful of NZL Sailing Team crews headed to the venue early to take on the North American/Mid Winter Championship lead-up regattas and New Zealand has come away with a double podium result.
In the 49erFX Alexandra Maloney and Molly Meech finished with the silver medal at the 2015 North American Championship/Midwinters Regatta sailed at the Coconut Grove Sailing club this week. Just three points behind the winners (Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze of Brazil), the young kiwis took two race wins and three 2nd places across the eleven race series.
Molly and Alex report, "We enjoyed three days of challenging racing at the Miami Midwinters, finishing the weekend in 2nd place! With 40 boats on the line, we are loving sailing against so many other boats again!"
The 33-strong women’s skiff fleet was close to full-strength and the silver medal performance bodes well for the up-coming ISAF World Cup event.
Molly Meech and Alex Maloney win silver in the 49erFX
The other kiwi crew to make the podium was Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders in the Nacra 17, taking bronze behind Mandy Mulder and Coen De Koning (NED) and John Gimson (GBR). 34 boats competed in the mixed multihull fleet and, like the FX class, many of the world’s top sailors were taking part.
GJ Racing report, "Today we finished our first regatta of the new year! After a bit of a slow start we got better each day and we are happy to have come 3rd overall! It was a good fleet and tough racing in light shifty conditions. Looking forward to a few more days of training before Miami OCR Regatta starts on the 26th."
Gemma Jones (far right) and Jason Saunders win bronze in the Nacra 17
Elsewhere both of New Zealand’s double-handed 470 crews suffered in the results standings after the challenge of having to sail in borrowed boats after an unforeseen logistics issue meant their own equipment didn’t reach the venue.
Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie placed 7th in the Women’s 470, while Paul Snow-Hansen and Dan Willcox were 14th in the Men’s 470.
Team Jolly report; "North American Champs all done and dusted.. Bit of a rough event for us, not much wind overall, and a few set-up issues on the last day which made for some painful upwinds! Still great to be out there though, gave the charter boat back last night, so we are now well and truly boat-less."
Full results from this regatta are here.
Follow the up-coming ISAF World Cup Miami here
