ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne - Overall
by Lisa Ratcliff 14 Dec 2015 02:46 NZDT
7-13 December 2015
St Kilda's usual foreshore and beach buzz on a warm summer Sunday grew louder when the Sailing World Cup Melbourne reached its peak. Eight Olympic classes peeled off their Medal Race one by one straight off the main beach, St Kilda Baths and pier, to the delight of visitors and sailors whose competition had already concluded.
Light morning northerlies moved around to the local sea breeze then tried to settle, swinging between south-east and south. By the time the men's 49er skiff teams went hunting gold at 14:30, 15 knots was the reading on the track, the most finals day would deliver.
Event director Mark Turnbull OAM and Sydney 2000 sailing gold medallist, dashing between his various responsibilities around the St Kilda sailing precinct, took time to assess the popularity of the final day's events. "We've got big crowds, plus the sailors are really happy, but importantly there are non-sailors everywhere; it's the general public getting close to the action which is brilliant and one of the reasons why we brought sailing to the people this year."
World Sailing's Technical Delegate Antonio González de la Madrid Rodriguez agreed racing out of St Kilda put the sport front and centre. "We saw this today with St Kilda beach packed and the pier bustling. Melbourne is the start of the 2016 Sailing World Cup series and the journey to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games is well and truly on!"
Melbourne's 2015 World Cup, which drew more than 900 competitors representing 23 nations across nine invited, nine Olympic and three Paralympic classes, was the Oceanic qualification event for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. As of this week the Olympic campaign begins for Cook Islands sailors Teau McKenzie (Laser Radial) and Taua Henry (Laser) who gained entry for the Pacific island nation.
The winner of each Olympic class at the World Cup also qualifies for the 2016 Sailing World Cup Final in Abu Dhabi in November 2016.
Organisers acknowledge major partners, the state government of Victoria under the Melbourne banner, City of Port Phillip through its St Kilda tourism brand, St Kilda Sea Baths and Mercedes Benz Brighton. Each Sailing World Cup medallist was fortunate enough to be presented with a pair of Bolle sunglasses.
Finn
Josip Olujic (CRO) and Oliver Tweddell (AUS) are close friends, but this didn't hinder their battle for double points, the series trophy and an invitation to the Sailing World Cup Final. The start of their Medal Race was dramatic with both sailors OCS. Tweddell was first to return, quickly taking and then holding control of the race to finish up on the right side of the series countback split.
"It's pretty nice to finally win on home waters, I think I've come second here four in a row," Tweddell said. His has a big season ahead starting with the European Championships in March in Barcelona, one of several events that will earn the Melbournian points towards selection to the Australian Team for the Olympic Games.
49erFX
There were three teams in the Medal Race, all equal in skill and determination. When it came to the final double-point race, the dying seconds decided the ultimate victor.
The finish was so tight even Australian's Tess Lloyd and Caitlin Elks weren't sure if it was them or Erica Dawson and Ellie Copeland (NZL) who finished second and therefore top scorer at the end of their gruelling five-day series. The Australian clawback from last secured them the World Cup gold medal and an invitation to next year's Grand Final.
"At the start we got a little mixed up with what was happening with the wind and didn't make the best choices on the course. Unfortunately that put us behind on the first leg and it was just catch up from there," Elks said. "We both said anything can happen and we have lots to play for."
"The biggest thing was the decision at the end around the bottom mark, whether to hold the kite or drop it," Lloyd added. "We were behind so it was pretty much the only thing we could do and we just made it."
Third was Julia Gross and Cecilia Jonsson (SWE).
RS:X
Joanna Sterling won the RS:X gold medal after a near-perfect series. In second overall was Audrey Yong (SIN) who comfortably stayed ahead of Lara O'Brien (AUS).
Sterling put her win down to working very hard on her fitness in the lead-up. "I did a month solid of fitness training before this event and this allowed me to work harder."
Sterling enjoyed the interaction with the public in the St Kilda sailing precinct, the first time in seven years the vibrant suburb has hosted the World Cup on behalf of the governing body, World Sailing. "Everybody has been so much more involved in the racing. It's been great as an athlete having people come up and ask you questions."
Sterling is seeking to fill the Olympic spot she secured for Australia when she qualified the country for Rio in the women's windsurfer class.
470 Men
To the end twin brothers Alexander and Patrick Conway (AUS) remained untouchable, determined to achieve the perfect tally even though their overall win was already locked in.
"We are happy with the result because our series was about being consistent in all conditions," Patrick said. "The lessons from this event are for us to trust our speed and our decisions on the race course. We know what we are doing is working; now we need to keep the momentum going."
The Conways will return to training in Sydney for the next two months before they head to Argentina for the 470 World Championships.
Second overall was Thomas Klemens and Timothy Hannah (AUS) and in third, Angus Galloway and Joshua Dawson (AUS).
470 Women
Carrie Smith and Jaime Ryan (AUS) fought hard to keep pace with the leading men's team in the final mixed fleet race. They finished second over the line, locking in their first Sailing World Cup gold medal and leaving silver to Sasha Ryan and Aurora Paterson (AUS). Third overall went to Pip Pietromonaco and Amelia Catt (AUS).
"Sailing in a small fleet was tricky, you have to work a little bit harder to keep your top position," Smith said. "We are learning to work at the top of the fleet and being a team, plus risk management."
"We've had a pretty tough year with illness that kept us out of the boat for a while," Ryan added.
49er
Kiwi's Logan Dunning Beck and Jack Simpson performed strongly in the "brutally shifty" penultimate day to set them up for the gold medal position and first international team to finish atop the Medal Race podium. "It's a great feeling sticking it to the Aussies," Dunning Beck admitted with a cheeky grin.
Brothers Will and Sam Phillips finished second overall and first Australian team, just one point in front of countrymen David Gilmour and Rhys Mara who led the skiff pack early in the week and ended up third in the 10 boat fleet.
Laser
Singapore's Colin Cheng romping four-day performance pre Medal Race in the biggest Olympic division contesting the World Cup (35 boats) gave him a comfortable 13 point advantage before the fleet lined up this afternoon.
"I didn't have too much pressure but I still wanted to go out and have a good race, and get the fundamentals right," Cheng commented. "Everyone had up and down races and I was able to have a good buffer after stringing some good races together. Every single race all week was difficult."
Second was Thomas Saunders (NZL) and third was Jeremy O'Connell (AUS).
Laser Radial
Australian Sailing's Ashley Stoddart straightforwardly beat New Zealand's Susannah Pyatt over the eight race series. "I just came back from our worlds a week ago so I was tired but warmed-up," the gold medallist said. "I enjoyed the variety of conditions and it's been cool having the final day where people could have a nosey."
Third was Tatiana Drozdovskaya (BLR).
IKA Formula Kite
Like his inaugural Sailing World Cup Melbourne, Florian Gruber's (GER) fourth time ended with champagne spraying standing taller on the dais than his challengers. "I always enjoy the Australian lifestyle, pretty relaxed and super friendly people and I always have great experience at this event," the gold medal winner said.
He hopes today's win will be his last in the race board class and talked openly at the medal presentation of his vision for the foil board. "Foiling is the future; it's the fastest thing on the water. Let's see what the decision is for the 2020 Olympics, if it's the race board I'll be back in Melbourne on a race board."
Martin Dolenc (CRO) finished second and Ric Black (AUS) third.
Sailors will now turn their focus to the 2016 Sailing World Cup Miami which takes place at the end of January 2016.
Results: www.sailing.org/worldcup/results/index.php
Live tracking: www.sailing.org/worldcup/multimedia/tracking.php
Update from Australian Sailing by Cora Zillich
Yesterday Australian Sailing Team's Paralympic sailors took home two gold and one silver medal with Paralympic and World Champions Dan Fitzgibbon (NSW) and Liesl Tesch (NSW) continuing their unbeaten run since the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Gold also went to Australian Sailing Team's Sonar crew of Colin Harrison (WA), Jonathan Harris (NSW) and Russell Boaden (WA). Tasmanian Matt Bugg won Silver in the 2.4mR class. See full story here: http://www.australiansailing.org/two-gold-one-silver-for-australian-sailing-paralympic-sailors/
The new St Kilda venue proved a great success with its sailing precinct providing an exciting and engaging regatta venue for the kick-off World Cup event of the 2016 Sailing World Cup series
The Sailing World Cup Melbourne showcased Rio Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls as well as a new wave of Australian Sailing talent with 16 Australian Team (AST) and Squad (ASS) crews contesting the event in the Olympic classes and five in the Paralympic classes
Other Australian Sailing Team crews could not compete at the event due to a date conflict with training and testing requirements at the Copa Brasil de Vela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The Olympic classes saw Australian Sailing's Rio hopefuls Ashley Stoddart (QLD), Joanna Sterling (QLD) as well as Carrie Smith (WA) and Jaime Ryan (QLD) contest the event on home waters after all three crews only just recently secured country qualification at the class World Championships in their respective boat classes Laser Radial, Women's RS:X and Women's 470.
The Melbourne World Cup was an important event for these sailors as they aim for Olympic selection next year and with all of them winning their respective classes.
After a series of straight wins and only one second place on the penultimate day, Australian Sailing Squad's RS:X sailor Joanna Sterling (QLD) wrapped up the win at the Sailing World Cup Melbourne with one day to spare. A win in the Medal Race capped of a successful series.
Melbourne was a valuable training event for the 23-year old windsurfer in preparation for the World Championship in February in Israel and the World Cup series next year with Rio selection her ultimate goal.
"I qualified the RSX for Australia for Rio 2016 at our World Champs in Oman and now I look to get myself selected. Our most important regatta is coming up at the end of February and then it will be to the World Cup in March in France. I'm working towards those and hope to peak for those regattas," Jo Sterling explained.
"I've had a good regatta here with a lot of good races and my results have been really consistent, which has been great. My focus for Melbourne was to work on my fitness with a solid block of racing. And it's been great racing against the other Aussie girls. We have a lot of young talent coming up and it's great to have a nice RSX team here in Melbourne.
And about the new venue she added: "I've been loving it here in St Kilda. I think it's great for spectators. My mum has been enjoying being able to watch the racing from the coffee shop. It's just been wonderful."
Carrie Smith and crew Jaime Ryan took home the women's 470 National Championships at the beginning of the week and qualified the boat class after they finished ninth at the 470 World Championships in Haifa, Israel in October. The ninth place also qualified the pair for the Australian Sailing Team (AST).
They only returned to racing in October after extended medical issues kept Carrie Smith on the sidelines for most of the 2015 season and were looking forward to completing a full World Cup.
They did so successfully by winning six out of eight races plus the Medal Race and securing their first World Cup win together. Racing in a mixed-fleet they also finished third overall.
"It was a glamour day out there and Melbourne put on a good show for us with a nice breeze. We've had a great week and it was a good challenge for us to race against the guys here and we enjoyed the extra push," Jaime Ryan said.
And skipper Carrie Smith added: "It's pretty exciting to win and to sail on home waters and with family here. To keep improving was our main aim for this week and we learnt a few lessons as we were hoping to."
And about the plans ahead she added: "We'll train a bit in Sydney before heading to the World Cup in Miami in January and that will be just before our worlds in Argentina in February. The worlds will be our next challenge, as we'd obviously love to qualify ourselves for Rio. It would be a massive jump, but we believe that we can do it and the Sailing World Cup Melbourne was perfect racing experience," Carrie Smith said.
But first they will be off to celebrate Olympic gold medallist coach Nathan Wilmot's birthday "It's our coach birthday today and we did say that today's medal is his present, so we might refund the other one we got him," Carrie Smith added with a smile.
Australian Sailing Squad's Sasha Ryan (QLD) finished second with crew Aurora Paterson (VIC). Pip Pietromonaco (VIC) and Amelia Catt (TAS) were ranked third.
Australian Sailing Squad's twins Patrick and Alexander Conway (NSW) added another golden present for coach Nathan Wilmot and sailed exceptionally well throughout the regatta. They remained undefeated throughout the event.
"We couldn't ask for much more really. The straight wins have been great and most of them were rather comfortable as well, which is a good confidence boost," skipper Patrick Conway said.
"Coming into this we knew we were fast and we're really happy with how we are going. Our worlds in Argentina will be up next at the end of February and we'll have a lot of training until then. We train a lot with Mat (Belcher) and Will (Ryan), whenever they are in Australia and hopefully we'll do a bit of training together before the worlds when they are back from Rio. We always learn heaps from them and go faster each time. Tokyo 2020 is ours," Patrick Conway said confidently.
All of Australian Sailing Squad's sailors finished on the podium with Tom Klemens (VIC) and Tim Hannah (VIC) in second and Angus Galloway (QLD) and Joshua Dawson (NSW) in third.
In the Laser Radial, Australian Sailing Squad's Ashley Stoddart qualified the class at the Radial World Championship in Oman last month and was building her race experience in Melbourne with her eyes set on selection for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games next year.
The 22-year old Queenslander went into the final day in the lead and finished on the top of her first World Cup podium after finishing second to Malaysia in the Medal Race.
"It's great to win and be on my first World Cup podium. I came here off a peak event (World Champs) and this regatta was good to continue working on a few things and putting those things into practice. And in the 20 boat fleet it was good to work on leading and winning races. My worst score was a second, so I'm pretty happy how I managed it all," Ashley Stoddart said.
"This is a good stepping stone for the regattas to come. We'll have our nationals after Christmas, then it's Miami World Cup, Euros in Feb and Worlds in April," she added.
The Laser class was the biggest and most international fleet in Melbourne. Australian Sailing Squad's Laser sailors Luke Elliott (WA), Mitch Kennedy (QLD) as well as Australian Sailing Youth Bridging sailor Mark Spearman (WA) had qualified for the top-ten Medal Race and finished the event in sixth, eighth and tenth respectively.
"The fourth in the Medal Race today moved me up from ninth to sixth which was good. It could have been better, but a lot worse too and I carried a pretty big score after my black flag on Thursday," Luke Elliott said.
Melbourne kicked-off a busy national racing series for the Laser squad: "It's a great venue and good fun racing here, but it didn't go my way this week. We've lots more racing coming up with Sail Sydney in a couple of days and our nationals following after Christmas."
Former Australian Sailing Squad's local Jeremy O'Connell was the top ranked Australian Laser sailor in third with Singapore's Colin Cheng winning the event and Thomas Saunders (NZL) in second.
Australian Sailing's 49er sailors just returned to Australia following their World Championship's in Argentina in November.
Australian Sailing Squad's and local Victorians Will Phillips and brother Sam Phillips finished the World Champs in a strong eleventh place and were the top ranked Australian crew at the World Cup finishing second. The pair only recently got back together again and are happy with their progress.
"This was only the second regatta for Sam and I and we've enjoyed the racing. It was a good event for us to make our way back into 49er sailing and we've benefitted a lot from training with the squad for the Worlds last month," Will Phillips said.
"We're excited about the sailing we can do next year, are really keen and have a really good motivation at present. And more importantly we can see a path to improvement. We look to improve and any improvement from eleventh would be top ten," Phillips added in reference to the upcoming Worlds in Clearwater, FL in February.
Australian Sailing Team's David Gilmour (WA) and Rhys Mara (VIC) finished the event in third after winning the Medal Race.
It was the first event for AST's Joel Turner (QLD) with new crew and 29er World Champion Tom Siganto (QLD), but with Siganto still recovering from knee surgery in September, the pair did not complete all races and finished seventh.
Australian Sailing's Youth Bridging crew of Harry Price (NSW) and Harry Morton (NSW) finished fourth.
Keeping up the spinnaker became the winning move for Australian Sailing Squad's Tess Lloyd (VIC) and Caitlin Elks (WA) in today's Medal Race.
Only one point separated the pair from the leading New Zealand crew and it all came down to the final few metres in a nail-biting final.
"It all came down to the last reach and we were trying to make a call wether to hold the kite up or drop the kite. We made the call to keep it up which got pretty hairy for a second but we just pipped the Kiwis over the line. There were only millimetres between us and we just made it," Caitlin Elks recapped the race.
And skipper and local Tess Lloyd added: "We didn't have the turn out that we wanted with only New Zealand and Sweden making the way down under but we had tight racing. We also had a chance to mix it up with the boys who really pushed us on the start line. It was a good decision to put us on the same course and mixed it up a little bit and really good training to keep us on our toes ahead of our Worlds."
And about the event she added: "Even though I'm a Sandringham local, it's been great to have the regatta here in St Kilda. There's a lot more happening on land and on the water. It's just a bit more exciting and we need events like this."
Australian Sailing Squad's local Oliver Tweddell (VIC) had an unusual task at hand after there were only two boats left in the Finn class, which made for a week of match racing between Croatia and Australia.
It was physically challenging and tight racing across the week with Oliver Tweddell just taking the win and making it his first gold medal at his home event in Melbourne.
"We had eight races before the medal race and pretty much each one was a match race between me and Josip (Olujic). It was physically challenging, but it's been great practice for medal races down the track when you need to get the job done.
"In the end we finished on equal points overall and I won on count back and that's how close it was all week. It's nice to finally win a gold medal here after four times silver. The timing was quite nice too, on home waters and with my friends and family here," Tweddell added.
Melbourne also saw the Australian Sailing Youth Team compete in the Invited Classes as the team prepares for the Youth World Sailing Championships in Malaysia at the end of December (27 December – 3 January).
Youth Team Sailors Nia Jerwood (WA) and Lisa Smith (WA) took home the win in the International 420, while 29er crew of Kurt Hansen (NSW) and Jim Colley (NSW) won the 29er.
Men's Laser Radial sailor Alistair Young (WA) finished second, while women's Laser Radial sailor Jacinta Ainsworth sailed in the open Women's Laser Radial fleet and qualified for the top ten Medal Race to finish overall seventh.
While the Sailing World Cup Melbourne conditions are much cooler and the wind stronger than what is expected in Langkawi, just being out on the water has helped Australia's Youth sailors to focus areas for improvement prior to heading to Malaysia.
"This has been a really good opportunity to gather where I am at," Laser Radial sailor Ainsworth said.
The Youth Team will compete at Sail Sydney next week before the team departs for Malaysia after the holidays.