ISAF Sailing World Cup Hyeres gets underway; NZL leads Finn and 49er

ISAF Sailing World Cup Hyeres Regatta is underway for 2015 and the NZL Sailing Team has opened well, particularly in the Finn and 49er classes.

The new look ISAF Sailing World Cup format, debuting here in Hyeres, sees all fleets restricted to a maximum of 40 boats featuring only the best sailors. Everyone has just four days of competition to make the top ten and entry to their medal race scheduled for day five, Sunday 26 April.

Finn: Andrew Murdoch (pictured above), who is competing in his first major international regatta for 2015, takes the early lead in the Finn class after placing 5^th in their two races on day one.

Conditions were challenging; Murdoch describes the day, “We had a light offshore wind ranging 6 to 10 knots with pretty flat water. It was certainly a very testing day.”

“I managed to get the majority of the decisions right today on the first upwind legs which set me up for two solid results. Plenty of yachting still to go but really happy with how I sailed today,” he continues.

“Great to be in the lead, lots of positives to come out of today, looking forward to more racing tomorrow.”

Murdoch, on 10 points, is four ahead of Michele Paoletti of Italy.

49er & 49erFX: In the 49er class three races were sailed and Peter Burling and Blair Tuke come away from day one sharing the overall lead with long-time rivals Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen of Australia. The kiwis went 2, 9, 3 in today’s racing while the Aussies opened with a 33 but bounced back with a 4^th and a win to follow to draw level with Burling and Tuke on net points.

Blair Tuke says, “The first of our three races we sailed in a really light onshore breeze. We sailed a good race to start the regatta with a 2nd on the scoreboard. The next two races were sailed in 6-10knots.”

“40 boats in one fleet is a new experience for us, lots of challenges but we are learning fast!”

“We are happy with the start to the week. Was a tricky day, we left a few points out there but also could have been a lot worse.”

The second NZL Sailing Team crew of Marcus Hansen and Josh Porebski are lying 13^th.

Over in the Women’s skiff event Alexandra Maloney and Molly Meech are in 18^th after three races on day one; they placed 12th, 16^th and 19^th.

470: Women and Men: It was a mixed bag for Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie today with a solid 3^rd place in the opening race, and a 25^th in the next. They hold 11^th overall.

Men’s pair Paul Snow-Hansen and Daniel Willcox lie 13^th after a similar day – they were 24^th and 7^th in their two races.

Laser & Radial: Two of New Zealand’s four Laser representatives are in the top ten at the end of day one at ISAF Sailing World Cup Hyeres. Sam Meech is the best placed, lying 3^rd with an 11^th and a 2^nd in today’s two races.

Meanwhile Andy Maloney is in 7^th place after a 12^th and a 9^th on the water today.

Maloney reports, “[It was] a tricky day one at the Hyeres World Cup in some shifty light offshore winds. I managed two okay results in the super competitive 40 boat fleet. Looking forward to tomorrow!”

Sara Winther is in 17^th in the women’s Laser Radial.

Nacra 17: A 5^th and a 17^th sees New Zealand’s mixed multihull duo of Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders end the day in 10^th place.

Women’s RS:X: Women’s windsurfer Natalia Kosinska is lying 21^st.

2015 ISAF Sailing World Cup Hyeres
NZL Sailing Team current standings (full results here)

1^st = Peter Burling and Blair Tuke – 49er (2, 9, 3)
13^th Marcus Hansen and Josh Porebski – 49er (9, 12, 19)
18^th Alexandra Maloney and Molly Meech – 49erFX (12, 16, 19)
11^th Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie – Women’s 470 (3, 25)
13^th Paul Snow-Hansen and Daniel Willcox – Men’s 470 (24, 7)
1^st Andrew Murdoch – Finn (5, 5)
35^th Josh Junior – Finn (33, 27)
3^rd Sam Meech – Laser (11, 2)
7^th Andy Maloney – Laser (12, 9)
19^th Mike Bullot – Laser (21, 18)
24^th Thomas Saunders – Laser (16, 30)
17^th Sara Winther – Laser Radial (26, 11)
21^st Natalia Kosinska – Women’s RS:X (27, 13)
10^th Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders – Nacra 17 (5, 17)

Photography

High resolution images of the NZL Sailing Team in action each day in Hyeres will be available for media use. Please email jodie@yachtingnz.org.nz.

How to follow the action

Yachting New Zealand Latest News – for daily NZL Sailing Team media releases
NZL Sailing Team Facebook page – for NZL Sailing Team images and updates
Regatta website  - For full results, the latest news, interviews with competitors, photos, and videos.

More about 2015 ISAF Sailing World Cup

Documents governing the 2015 ISAF Sailing World Cup are available here - www.sailing.org/world_cup_documents.php

The ISAF Sailing World Cup is a world-class annual series for Olympic sailing. It is open to the sailing events chosen for the 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition. Its centre piece is the ISAF Sailing World Cup Final in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates in late October.

The 2015 ISAF Sailing World Cup consists of five regattas for all ten Olympic events (and where possible, Formula Kite Racing). Qualification places for the ISAF Sailing World Cup final are up for grabs at each event. The final will bring together the top 20 boats in each Olympic event where the World Cup Champions will be crowned.

For more information…

Jodie Bakewell-White
Tel. 021 709 065
Email. jodie@yachtingnz.org.nz