NZL Sailing Team gets ready in Rio at 365 days milestone

by Jodie Bakewell-White, Yachting NZ on 9 Aug 2015 With racing at the 2015 Rio Test Event just over a week away, Guanabara Bay in Rio is coming alive with Olympic class action as the world’s best sailors prepare for one of this year’s pinnacle events.

Today marks one year until the opening of the 2016 Olympic Games and significantly, seven NZL Sailing Team crews are in Rio, in the final countdown to a ‘dress rehearsal’ regatta.

The 2015 Rio Test Event is as close as it gets to the real thing, mimicking the format and fleet quotas prescribed for the Olympic Games. One year out it provides the opportunity to put team planning and preparation to the test, and for sailors and coaches to learn even more about the venue and how they’re tracking compared to their competitors.

Jo Aleh, helm of New Zealand’s Women’s 470 entry, is already familiar with the venue. “Rio really is a rather amazing place and it's great to be back. It’s such an interesting place to sail, with a variety of conditions and a truly incredible skyline! It's also rather warm, which is a big bonus for sailing!”

Aleh and Powrie start racing on Sunday 16th August, and Aleh outlines what’s happening in Rio this week; “We have a warm up regatta over four days as a chance to line up against most of the top teams and just sort of check in. We will try out a few things, and make sure the boat is all working as it should,”

“We want to make sure we are feeling good in the boat, and then have a bit of a break to freshen up before the actual Rio Test Event.”

Talking about the atmosphere in Rio, Aleh says, “It's getting busier and busier out on the water, there are new boats and teams out every day… It’s rather exciting!”

“At the moment everyone is just training, working on their boats and getting time on the water. But next week when we all start moving to the Marina da Gloria - the Olympic Harbour - things will start to ratchet up a little.”

The NZL Sailing Team for 2015 Rio Test Event:

Andy Maloney – Laser (Men’s single-handed dinghy)
Peter Burling and Blair Tuke - 49er (Men’s skiff)
Alexandra Maloney and Molly Meech - 49erFX (Women’s skiff)
Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie - Women’s 470 (Women’s double-handed dinghy)
Paul Snow-Hansen and Daniel Willcox - Men’s 470 (Men’s double-handed dinghy)
Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders - Nacra 17 (Mixed multihull)
Josh Junior - Finn (Men’s heavy-weight dinghy)

Coaching Team:

Jez Fanstone – Team Manager and Nacra 17 Coach
Mark Howard – Laser Coach
Nathan Handley – Women’s 470 Coach
Pete Evans – Men’s 470 Coach
Hamish Willcox – 49er Coach
Jim Maloney – 49erFX Coach
John Cutler – Finn Coach
Caroline Brisebois – Operations Manager

The NZL Sailing Team schedule for 2015 Rio Test Event 

	15 Aug	16 Aug	17 Aug	18 Aug	19 Aug	20 Aug	21 Aug	22 Aug
Laser	2 races	2 races	2 races	Reserve day	2 races	2 races	Medal Race
Finn		2 races	2 races	2 races	Reserve day	2 races	2 races	Medal Race
Men’s 470		2 races	2 races	2 races	Reserve day	2 races	2 races	Medal Race
Women’s 470		2 races	2 races	2 races	Reserve day	2 races	2 races	Medal Race
49er Skiff		3 races	3 races	Reserve day	3 races	3 races	Medal race	Reserve day
49erFX Skiff		3 races	3 races	Reserve day	3 races	3 races	Medal race	Reserve day
Nacra 17 Multihull		3 races	3 races	Reserve day	3 races	3 races	Medal race	Reserve day

 

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