World Championship Silver for Murdoch

World Championship Silver for Murdoch
Date Released: 11 July 2007
From: Jodie Bakewell-White

World Championship Silver for Murdoch

Andrew Murdoch has won the silver medal at the ISAF Sailing World Championships in Cascais, Portugal overnight. Murdoch was second in last night's medal race giving him the silver medal behind Australian Tom Slingsby who won the world title.

Olympic berths are now confirmed for New Zealand in the Star, Laser and Laser Radial classes. Places in the Finn and Yngling classes look to be a sure thing also.

"I had a great race, I always believed I could do it this morning," says Murdoch. "I went out there with a good positive attitude, and came away with the silver."

Going into the double points, high pressure medal race, Murdoch was lying fourth, while Slingsby had a huge twelve point leading margin in the top spot.

"It's always good to get on the podium, obviously I was hoping to win this regatta at the start of it, but it was always going to be a long shot in that race to do that, so second was probably the best I could have done today."

The medal race course is shorter and set closer in to attract shore based spectators for an exciting finale. With only the top ten placed sailors in the race, it becomes a tactical battle to which Murdoch, with his teams-racing background, is well suited. The wind was blowing 16-20 knots.

"It's good to have New Zealand qualified to go to the Olympics," says Murdoch, who earned the place for the country with this result. "Although the conditions here [Portugal] are different to what they will be in Qingdao. Certainly the focus will be shifting a lot more towards the lighter side of things."

"Earlier this year at the regattas in Palma and Hyeres, I had two podium finishes and they were both light wind regattas. I'm confident that I can perform in the conditions in China."

Murdoch will have the opportunity to prove this at the Pre-Olympic test event which takes place in Qingdao, next years Olympic venue, one month from now. He returns to New Zealand before travelling to China.

Jo Aleh finished 8th in the Laser Radial class, where the world title was decided in a medal race sailed overnight in Portugal. The kiwi Olympic Squad sailor was 6th in last night's race which saw her overall position unchanged and a final result of 8th. The result confirms a place for New Zealand in the class at next years Olympics.

Dan Slater has one race left to sail in the Finn class, and despite disappointment at missing out on the top ten medal race, he has achieved the goal of Olympic qualification for New Zealand in the Finn class.

"Today on the Finn course we had 15-20 knots with big waves," says Slater. "Unfortunately for me, I just never really got into a position to get the good results I needed. I had a 13th and 12th place, which puts me in 15th overall and guarantees that New Zealand is qualified in the Finn Class for the Olympics."

"Tomorrow we have our last race. I am just six points from 11th overall which is the best I can do given that I haven't made the medal race."

A spot for New Zealand in the Yngling class looks to be in the bag with Sharon Ferris, Raynor Smeal and Shandy Buckley lying in 5th place with just the medal race to sail. With a 13 point gap between the kiwi crew in 5th and Mulder and crew (NED) in 3rd place, a podium finish is still possible.

Barbara Kendall continues to climb through the RS:X fleet marching her way into 2nd place overnight with a 3rd and a 1st in last nights racing. The kiwi board sailing legend hasn't looked back since a poor result in race two in shifty conditions - she now has five top three finishes from seven races.

Polish board sailor Zofia Klepacka is in the top spot, just four points in front of Kendall, while Jessica Crisp of Australia is three points behind in third place. Now closing in on the business end of the regatta, the board sailors are back on the water tonight for two final qualifying races to decide the top ten to advance to the medal race.

Meanwhile in the Men's RS:X both Jon-Paul Tobin and Tom Ashley have slipped in the placings. Despite this they're on track with the key goal of earning New Zealand a place for the Qingdao Olympics as just one of them needs to finish in the top 25 nations at this event.

"I've been struggling a bit to get my head around the conditions as I didn't spend much time here before the competition," says Ashley, "however I'm happy with the progress I'm making in my preparation towards the Pre-Olympics in China in August. My fitness is coming along really nicely and I've been doing a lot of training this year in the conditions we expect to see in Qingdao."

"There are two races to go here before the top ten sailors qualify for the medal race, so I'm hoping for a good day tomorrow!"

Melinda Henshaw and Olivia Powrie had a good day on the water in the Women's 470 placing 2nd in the one race of the day. The kiwi pair climbs up the leader board into 13th place and make the gold fleet putting them in the hunt for an Olympic berth for New Zealand in the class.

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

ISAF Sailing World Championships 2007
New Zealand Final Results (Laser & Laser Radial)

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

Andrew Murdoch - 2nd
Matt Coutts - 25th
Michael Bullot - 26th
David Weaver - 31st

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

Jo Aleh - 8th
Sara Winther - 23rd
Miranda Powrie - 53rd

New Zealand's Current Standings

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

Sharon Ferris, Raynor Smeal & Shandy Buckley - 5th

Finn - Heavyweight dinghy (73 boats)

Dan Slater - 15th

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

Barbara Kendall - 2nd
Hayley Thom - 43rd
Kate Ellingham - 50th
Steffanie Williams - 55th
Justina Sellers - 59th

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

Tom Ashley - 18th
Jon-Paul Tobin - 20th
Antonio Cozzolino - 54th
Michael Lichtwark - 70th

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

Geoff Woolley & Mark Overington - 63rd
Carl Evans & Peter Burling - 72nd
Steve Keen & Nick Taylor - 107th

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

Melinda Henshaw & Olivia Powrie - 13th
Shelley Hesson & Bianca Barbarich-Bacher - 36th
Sarah Bilkey & Rosie Sargisson - 59th

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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