Issue date
New Zealand has just won four medals and second place in the Nation’s Trophy at the 2015 ISAF Youth World Sailing Championships after a brilliant final day, of racing in Langkawi, Malaysia.
Assured of at least one medal, in the boy’s 29er skiff class, before racing got underway today the New Zealand representative team has come away from the prestigious regatta with one of the best medal hauls on memory with two silvers and two bronze.
The silver medals came from Nick Egnot Johnson and Jackson Keon (Boy’s 29er) and George Gautrey (Boy’s Laser Radial). Bronze came from sisters Kate and Greta Stewart (Girl’s 29er), and also from Tamryn Lindsay and William Mckenzie (SL16 Multihull).
The collective results for the 2015 NZL Yachting Trust Youth Team sees them place 2nd overall behind Australia in the Nation’s Trophy rankings awarded for the best performing nation across all classes.
“Fizzing”, “frothing”, “still a bit in shock”, and “so happy right now” were among the comments coming from team members in Malaysia who are elated at the final results.
Lying 4th before today’s final race George Gautrey, from the Muritai Yacht Club in Wellington sailed out of his skin in what was possibly the most intense race of the series. Posting a 4th on the water saw him rise to take 2nd overall and the silver medal.
17 year old Gautrey described light, shifty winds making for some heart in your throat racing; however he rose to the challenge and came away with a phenomenal result.
Nick Egnot Johnson and Jackson Keon, both from the Murrays Bay Sailing Club, have put on an impressive performance during a competitive week come away with the boy’s 29er silver medal.
Taking a narrow lead into today’s final race the young duo were disappointed to not take the gold but are still very excited about the week they have been able to put together on the water.
Their training partners, and Murrays Bay Sailing club-mates, William Mckenzie and Tamryn Lindsay had another good day on the catamaran course coming away with the bronze medal. From having never sailed a SL16 five days ago to taking out bronze at the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships, this young pair is incredible.
The good news just keeps coming with sisters Kate and Greta Stewart, also from the Murrays Bay Sailing Club) moving up into 3rd place, on equal points to 2nd, but taking home the bronze medal on count-back. Responding well to the high pressure situation today the girls sailed a phenomenal final race.
Sailing in after racing today the pair thought they had finished 4th but upon arriving onshore and hearing the news the enthusiastic celebration could be heard a mile away.
The NZL Yachting Trust Youth Team has had a phenomenal week and is rewarded with 2nd overall placed nation among 80 countries represented in Malaysia. Results of every sailor within the team contributed to the Nation’s Trophy result showing the depth and talent within the team, and signals that youth sailing in New Zealand is in great shape.
2015 ISAF Youth World Sailing Championships
NZL Yachting Trust Youth Team Final Results
Silver - George Gautrey (Muritai Yacht Club) – Boys Laser Radial
Silver - Nick Egnot Johnson and Jackson Keon (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) – Boys 29er
Bronze - Kate Stewart and Greta Stewart (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) – Girls 29er
Bronze - Tamryn Lindsay and William Mckenzie (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) - SL16
9th - Kerensa Jennings and Chelsea Rees (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) – Girls 420
11th - Lauren Mackenzie (Manly Sailing Club) – Girls RS:X
12th - Ali Nightingale (Charteris Bay Sailing Club) – Girls Laser Radial
14th - Jono Weston (Wakatere Boating Club) and Taylor Balogh (Naval Point Club Lyttleton) – Boys 420
21st - Finn Croft – Boys RS:X (Takapuna Boating Club)
Full results at http://isafyouthworlds.com/results/index.php
Team Contact in Malaysia for interviews:
Rachel Basevi
Tel. +60 17 569 5611
For more information:
Jodie Bakewell-White, YNZ Communications Manager
Email only Jodie@yachtingnz.org.nz
Image: George Gautrey in action © Christophe Launay
More about the ISAF Youth World Championships
The ISAF Youth World Championships feature racing for up and comers under 19 years of age and includes the Laser Radial, RS:X, 29er, 420 and SL16 classes. The regatta will gather together the world’s best youth sailors and will run from 27 December 2015 through until 3 January 2016 on the Malaysian island of Langkawi.
Plenty of the world’s best known yachtsmen and women have competed and medalled at the ISAF Youth World Championships which date back to 1971.
Among the list of New Zealanders to have stood on the ISAF Youth Worlds podium are Jo Aleh (2004 Silver, Laser Radial), Sir Russell Coutts (1979 Silver, Laser and 1981 Gold, Laser), Blair Tuke (2007 Silver, 29er), Dean Barker (1990 Gold, Laser and 1991 Silver, Laser) and Stuart Bannatyne (1989 Gold, Laser).
The ISAF run event is coming to the southern hemisphere for the first time in 15 years and as a consequence the NZL Yachting Trust Youth Team will miss Christmas and New Year in New Zealand with departure planned for 23 December. The last time the regatta was hosted south of the equator was in 2000 in Sydney, Australia.
The team is proudly supported by the following…
NZL Yachting Trust, Oceanbridge Shipping, ZHIK, HPSNZ
