Issue date
Racing continued today at both the 2016 470 World Championships (Argentina) and the 2016 RS:X World Championships (Israel) with New Zealand still holding the top spot in the men’s 470 event after day two.
Conditions at the Argentinian venue of San Isidro, characterised by its brown silty tricky-to-read water, were very light and only one race was possible for both the men’s and women’s fleets on day two of their championship. Held ashore for most of the day it was around 5:45pm local time when racing got underway and close to 7pm when they finished.
After their dream start with two guns on day one, Paul Snow-Hansen and Daniel Willcox managed a solid race again today to cross the line 11th, only to learn they’d suffered a start line disqualification.
“We ended up starting at the committee end of the line, and unfortunately were over,” said Willcox.
“We felt like we sailed a good race, which was a positive, so hopefully we can just take forward the positives into tomorrow. Round the race course we were sailing really well, so happy with what we did on the water.”
However, because the kiwis can discard this result from their points score they remain in the overall lead, but are now under pressure to stay out of trouble, and produce more top results, to remain there.
Meanwhile Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie finished their race in 13th place which sees them slide to 12th overall on the women’s leader board.
Ahead of today’s racing they commented about the opening day; “Tricky day one of the Worlds, light winds and extremely close racing. We never quite got it right and had to battle it out in the mess that a 40 boat fleet in 5-10 knots turns into.”
Racing resumes again in Argentina tomorrow for day three of the world title deciding regatta.
Overnight two races were sailed at the 2016 RS:X Women’s World Championships where Natalia Kosinska has improved to lie 7th overall after a couple of great races in Eilat, Israel.
The sole kiwi representative placed 4th and then 3rd in her two races to climb from 16th to break into the top ten after two days of racing.
A rest day is scheduled for Wednesday in Israel at the 2016 RS:X World Championships with racing set to resume on Thursday, more action on Friday and then medal races on the final day of the regatta on Saturday.
2016 Men’s and Women’s 470 World Championships, Argentina
New Zealand’s current standings
Men
1st Paul Snow-Hansen and Daniel Willcox (1, 1, BFD)
37th Sam Barnett and Zak Merton (36, 32, 30)
Women
12th Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie (6, 13, 13)
2016 RS:X World Championships, Israel
New Zealand’s current standings
7th Natalia Kosinska (8, 9, 4, 3)
Links
2016 470 World Championships regatta website http://2016worlds.470.org/en/default/races/race
2016 RS:X World Championships regatta website http://www.rsxclass.com/worlds2016/
Yachting New Zealand website http://www.yachtingnz.org.nz/
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
