Day Six at the ISAF Worlds

Day Six at the ISAF Worlds
Date Released: 9 July 2008
From: Jodie Bakewell-White

Day Six at the ISAF Worlds
New Zealand is currently placed in the top eight in six classes at the ISAF Sailing World Championships in Cascais, Portugal. With some classes getting to the business end of the event the kiwis have already confirmed a place in the Star and look set to earn more Olympic berths for 2008.

Hamish Pepper and Carl Williams have held onto 4th place in the Star class with just the medal race ahead of them tonight. A 5th and 6th in the two races sailed overnight sees them on equal points with Negir and Luigi (ITA) in 5th place and seven points behind British crew Percy and Simpson in 3rd.

With eleven Olympic places in the Star to be decided at this event the top eleven nations to finish will earn a place for their country at Qingdao next year. Now at the end of the qualifying series only the top ten will sail in the double-points medal race to decide the medals.

Each crew to compete in the medal race is representing a different country; each of those countries will now be able to select a crew to compete in Qingdao.

Despite having achieved the goal of national qualification, the defending world champs will be looking for a top performance in tonight's medal race. With a shortened course, unpredictable Cascais breeze and double-points on the line - anything can happen.

Scheidt and Prada of Brazil are the current leaders and have seven top three placings in the nine races sailed including four wins.

Andrew Murdoch improved his standing in the Laser fleet last night despite starting the day with his worst race yet, a 24th. He followed that with a 2nd place in the next race, and is now in 4th place on the leader board after starting the day in 6th.

The Lasers, who enjoyed good breeze today have two more races to sail tonight to decide the top ten for the medal race. Young Auckland sailor Matt Coutts is relishing the windy conditions that Cascias has produced and furthered his climb through the gold fleet to sit in 16th place.

"It was totally unexpected but it's really great," says Coutts. "I prefer the windier conditions so a few things have come right for me"

With a slight change in wind direction the main part of the RS:X race area was no longer in the wind shadow of the 2000 foot Sintra Hill and so all the inner courses started with good breezes.

Barbara Kendall hit form last night recording two wins from two races and rocketing from 20th place up to 6th aided by the first discard coming into play. Points are tight at the top of the women's RS:X and Kendall is only three points behind second place.

In the men's RS:X Jon-Paul Tobin is currently in 7th place and Tom Ashley is in 14th. Tobin placed 2nd and 4th in last nights two races, while Ashley added an 8th and a win.

Both the Men's and Women's RS:X fleets will now enjoy a rest day before resuming racing in gold and silver fleets.

Jo Aleh has moved up inside the top ten in the Laser Radial adding a 4th and 7th in racing last night. With two races of the qualifying series remaining Aleh, who is lying 8th, will earn a spot in the top ten medal race if she sails well tonight. With Olympic berths for 19 countries up for grabs in the Laser Radial at this event, Aleh looks set to earn New Zealand a spot.

Things aren't going so well for the New Zealand 470 crews with all three pairs in the men's division with a blag flag against them in last night's racing.

Classes to race again tonight include the Laser, Laser Radial, Yngling, Finn, 470 men and women. The Stars sail their medal race and the board sailors will enjoy a rest day.

Full results and news are available on the regatta website through the link below.

ISAF Sailing World Championships 2007
New Zealand's Current Standings

Laser Gold Fleet - Men' one person dinghy (149 boats)

Andrew Murdoch - 4th
Matt Coutts - 16th
David Weaver - 25th
Michael Bullot - 32nd

Laser Radial Gold Fleet - Women' one person dinghy (109 boats)

Jo Aleh - 8th
Sara Winther - 24th
Miranda Powrie - 53rd

Yngling - Women's three person keelboat (35 boats)

Sharon Ferris, Raynor Smeal & Shandy Buckley - 6th

Finn - Heavyweight dinghy (73 boats)

Dan Slater - 18th

RS:X Women - Women's wind-surfer (73 boards)

Barbara Kendall - 6th
Hayley Thom - 43rd
Kate Ellingham - 50th
Steffanie Williams - 55th
Justina Sellers - 59th

RS:X Men - Men's wind-surfer (113 boards)

Jon-Paul Tobin - 7th
Tom Ashley - 14th
Antonio Cozzolino - 52nd
Michael Lichtwark - 70th

Star - Men's Keelboat (63 boats)

Hamish Pepper & Carl Williams - 4th
Rohan Lord & Miles Addy - retired due to injury

Tornado - Multihull (49 boats)

Brett Sellers & Bruce Kendall - 28th
David Shaw & Susan Shaw - 43rd
Paul Francis & Aaron Duncan - 48th

470 Men - Men's two person dinghy (112 boats)

Carl Evans & Peter Burling - 78th
Geoff Woolley & Mark Overington - 89th
Steve Keen & Nick Taylor - 106th

470 Women - Women's two person dinghy (64 boats)

Melinda Henshaw & Olivia Powrie - 33rd
Shelley Hesson & Bianca Barbarich-Bacher - 34th
Sarah Bilkey & Rosie Sargisson - 57th

About The 2007 ISAF Worlds

Over 1,300 sailors from 76 nations are competing at the 2007 ISAF Sailing World Championships, from 28 June-13 July in Cascais, Portugal. 'The Wind Is Calling' is the official motto for the 2007 Worlds. The Championships are the principal qualification regatta for the 2008 Olympic Sailing Competition, with 75% of all national places to be decided.

[ Regatta Website ]

ENDS

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