Issue date
Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders were the only NZL Sailing Team sailors to hit the water for racing today at the 2014 European Champs for the Olympic Nacra 17 multihull in La Grande Motte.
Light winds postponed and then cancelled racing in Helsinki at the 2014 49er and 49erFX European Champs.
Nacra 17
Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders have comfortable made the gold fleet adding two more single digit race results to their score-card today in France where they’re racing for the 2014 European title.
With an 8th and a 9th from today’s two races the kiwis, who are one of the younger crews competing in the new Olympic class, are lying 12th overall at the end of the qualifying rounds.
The regatta report describes conditions on the course area today; “To try and beat the forecasted strong Mistral winds the racing schedule was advanced by two hours, but the efforts proved largely in vain as the winds initially were too strong.”
“But – contrary to the expected trend – the breezes died away enough to allow two difficult races to be contested for both qualifying fleets. The crews were kept guessing some of the time, with big changes in wind direction from leg to leg, especially later in the day. The veering wind became harder to read as it came more off the shore, making consistency elusive.”
2014 Nacra 17 European Championships
What: Olympic mixed multihull
When: Monday July 7th - Saturday July 12th
Where: La Grande Motte, France
New Zealand’s Current Standings
12th Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders 20 points (1, 11, 8, 9, 8)
NZL Sailing Team Coach: Will Howden
49er and 49erFX
No racing took place in Helsinki on day two of the 2014 49er and 49erFX European Championships today due to light winds.
The official report tells; “There was no wind in the morning but it was forecast to be hot inland so there was hope for a sea breeze. Some clouds formed over this city in the early afternoon, however, so that killed any hopes for the day.”
“The same schedule is planned now for day three, so three 49erFX races starting at 11:00 followed by four 49er races not before 13:00.”
Peter Burling and Blair Tuke are in 6th; Marcus Hansen and Josh Porebski lie 13th and in the 49erFX fleet Alexandra Maloney and Molly Meech are 17th.
2014 49er and 49erFX European Championships, Helsinki, Finland
What: Olympic skiff classes (Men’s and Women’s)
When: Tuesday July 8th - Sunday July 13th
New Zealand’s Current standings
49er: (83 boats)
6th Peter Burling and Blair Tuke 17 points (1, 12, 4)
13th Marcus Hansen and Josh Porebski 24 points (4, 12, 8)
40th Logan Dunning-Beck and Jack Simpson 40 points (15, 16, 9)
57th Ben Goodwin and Sam Bullock 53 points (15, 13, 24)
49erFX: (51 boats)
17th Alexandra Maloney and Molly Meech 23 points (8, 11, 6, 9)
27th Erica Dawson and Ellie Copeland 33 points (11, 9, 13, 23)
NZL Sailing Team Coachs: Jez Fanstone and Hamish Willcox
Racing resumes tomorrow for the 49er, 49erFX and the Nacra 17 with the Men’s and Women’s 470 sailors commencing racing in Athens.
2014 Men’s and Women’s 470 European Championships, Athens, Greece
What: Olympic double-handed dinghy classes (Men’s and women’s)
When: Racing starts Thursday July 10th and runs until Tuesday July 15th
New Zealand’s entries
Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie
NZL Sailing Team Coach: Nathan Handley
Paul Snow-Hansen and Daniel Willcox
NZL Sailing Team Coach: Pete Evans
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
