Rio2016 - Winther hits ball firmly into Olympic selectors' court

by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com on 21 Apr 2016 2012 Olympic representative, Sara Winther has made a strong bid for inclusion in the 2016 NZ Olympic Sailing Team finishing 11th in the 2016 Laser Radial World Championships in Mexico.

Running a self-funded campaign which took in the Princesca Sofia Regatta in Palma, Spain followed by the World Championship on Banderas Bay, Mexico, Winther placed 11th overall and 10th country.

That last count is vital in Olympic representation terms as it is within the accepted, but unpublished, selection criteria for the Olympics. It also indicates that there was only one 'double-up' i.e., a country in an Olympic year had more than one competitor in the top ten (USA).

Of the top ten overall, five sailors have been already named as their nation's Olympic representatives, and it is expected that the rest will be named soon after the 2016 Worlds. Before the start of the regatta, there were 15 of the 37 places in the Womens Singlehander (Laser Radial) event who were yet to be named as their Nation's Olympic nominations.

Yachting New Zealand has to make a quick decision on the Laser Radial position at Rio de Janeiro.

It would be tempting to wait until the conclusion of the next Sailing World Cup regatta in Hyeres, France which gets underway on April 25 to May 1, but currently, only the top four sailors from the Worlds are entered, plus only one other competitor from the top 20 in Mexico. So Hyeres'value as a trial is rather limited. But as a hit-out before Rio, it is excellent and far better than sitting around twiddling thumbs in New Zealand waiting for the Rio-word, or otherwise, at the final round of Olympic sailing nominations expected in the third week of May.

In meeting criteria, Winther has met the requirement for selection in the NZL Sailing Team - being one of 'New Zealand’s top Olympic campaigners who have made the top 12 in their most recent (respective) class World Championships or pinnacle event and have shown consistency of performance over the year including other significant Championships.'

There is no new NZL Sailing Team selected in an Olympic year with the team being the actual Olympic Team. Winther's 11th place is inside the published benchmark for inclusion in the NZL Sailing Team outside an Olympic year.

If Winther does compete in Hyeres, it is an indication that she is still in the selection framework, but of course, the strategy for Hyeres has to be clearly defined.

Either she goes there to get the best possible result which probably dictates a more conservative style of sailing against weaker opposition then she had at the Worlds. Or, she goes to Hyeres with the purpose of continuing to iron out the wrinkles from her act - with an eye firmly on getting the best possible result at Rio.

Winther finished 22nd in the 2015 World in Oman just five months ago in November 2015 and backed that up finishing 27th in the Sailing World Cup Miami in late January. Those aren't the sort of results that will turn Olympic selector's heads.

Her improvement at the 2016 Worlds has been significant - particularly given that she doesn't have a dedicated coach and has been self-funding her campaign since that time. She has also been recovering from a painful cartilage injury to her wrist.

The final two days of the 2016 Worlds produced a very mixed bag of results for many of the top competitors. Even the new World champion, Alison Young (GBR) finished with just three boats behind her in the second race on the penultimate day of the regatta.

Sara Winther takes up the story:

'Day 6 - Going into the day I knew I had to have a clean and tidy day which unfortunately led to a lack of sleep and eating that night, which was not the best preparation for a crucial day.

In Race 1, the left paid for the first time of the whole event, and I had unfortunately planned the ‘safe’ strategy of the right as it had been the way to go all week. That didn’t work and things unravelled from there!

'Race 2 - started and the wind shut down and became very unstable. Finished with an average result. The new world champ got 33rd in that race!

'That night I had a really good debrief and chat with Rachel Basevi (YNZ support coach) and Scott Leith (who has just arrived for the Masters Worlds) and the plan was to have a clean and tidy day today and hope that the people in front of me didn’t perform.

'Today we had a good breeze, the most uneventful day on the race course we have had. I had a 10, 14. Moved up to 11th but unfortunately, those ahead of me had a consistent day as well so I was unable to move up as much as I would have liked.'

Winther told Sail-World that she was pleased with the result in Mexico, which was one place better than her 12th place in the 2014 Worlds in Santander in September 2014.

'Although I would have liked to have done better than 11th I can really see the progress I have made since Miami.

'I have been able to turn some of my weaknesses into assets. Obviously the pressure this week and the one error of a capsize (Race 9 of the Finals) has cost me dearly, but it is exciting to have seen some really good progress.

'Going to be keeping this momentum moving forward,' she added.

Susannah Pyatt (NZL) finished in 19th overall place overall in the regatta. She had a particularly good final two days, placing in the top ten in three of the four races sailed.

She was in 28th place prior to the last day of the Worlds and hauled up six places with the assistance of an 8th in Race 12 and 9th in Race 13 of the series.

Of the 36 sailors in the Gold fleet, Pyatt was the 6th most consistent, punching well above her 22nd overall placing. Most consistent was Lijia Xu (CHN) the defending world champion with two second placings on the final day.

Winther was the eighth most consistent on the Final Day, sufficient to pull her up two places in the overall standings and keep her Olympic hopes alive.