Isabella Bertold named Sail Canada's April Sailor of the Month

by Sail Canada on 4 May 2013 March’s winner’s Brad Boston and the crew of the Viper 640 'Jackpot' continued their winning ways with an impressive victory in the 33 boat fleet at the Sperry Topsider Charleston Race Week. Scoring only one bullet in the eight race series, it was the consistency of their results (their throwout was a five) that put them on the top of the podium, continuing their run of successful visits to the South Carolina venue.

Also impressing at Charleston was the Melges 24, 'Hedgehog'. Canadian interest in this Bermuda based boat comes from the key involvement of Canadian Olympians Richard Clarke and Mike Wolfs and 2009 Canadian Rolex Sailor of the Year Curtis Florence. 'Hedgehog', including four bullets, took the eight race series by just three points after a close battle with the US Melges 24 skippered by Bora Gulari.

Also in April, Canadian Sailing Team alumnus and meteorologist Eric Holden was selected to be one of the 12 skippers of the new fleet of Clipper 70 yachts that will contest the Clipper 13-14 round the world yacht race. He follows in the wake of his sister Roberta who took part in the same race in 1999.

On the Olympic side, the focus of attention shifted to Europe, where ISAF Sailing World Cup events took place in Palma, Majorca and Hyeres, France. The sole Canadian representative at both events was Isabella Bertold, continuing the good form that she displayed in Miami in January when finishing third at the ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami. Isabella put in a storming finish in Palma, winning the first medal race and coming second in the other to finish fifth overall. In Hyeres, while not quite emulating her previous performances, Isabella took sixth place in a regatta noted for tricky conditions.

Isabella’s consistency in top level events propelled her up 13 places in the ISAF ranking list issued immediately after the event to a personal best of second place.

Isabella Bertold is Sail Canada’s Sailor of the Month for April, her second such award this year.

Sail Canada’s Sailor of the Month award acknowledges sailing achievements by Canadians involved or associated with the sport in all its forms. Sail Canada encourages the submission of noteworthy Canadian sailing activities to sailorofthemonth@sailing.ca

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