Sailing WC Weymouth and Portland – From one last big hit out to next
by World Sailing on 1 Jun 2016
From one last big hit out to the next - 2016 Sailing World Cup Weymouth and Portland World Sailing
If last week's Para World Sailing Championships was the last big hit out before the Paralympic Games, then the Olympics needs one also. There's is the Sailing World Cup Weymouth and Portland.
Quite fittingly, before the summer Games in Rio there is an Olympic class send off from the last Olympic Games host. Weymouth and Portland was the home of sailing for London 2012, a place that many will have fond memories of (and some who won't, such is sport).
This time around, instead of fighting for Olympic gold there will be fighting for Sailing World Cup gold in the last formal regatta ahead of Rio. The Sailing World Cup offers fleet sizes similar to the Olympic Games, and quite poetically in the most recent of Olympic waters.
Such notable names to take the opportunity Weymouth and Portland has to offer are Billy Besson and Marie Riou (FRA) and Jason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin (AUS) in the Nacra 17. Most recent additions to the Spanish Olympic team, Diego Botin and Iago Lopez sailing in the 49er. Mat Belcher (AUS) and Lijia Xu (CHN) return to the waters where they won gold. Nick Dempsey (GBR) in the RS:X. 2013 World Champions Alex Maloney and Molly Meech (NZL) in the 49erFX. The list goes on.
Weymouth and Portland put on a show for the Olympians in 2012. Now, in 2016, it will put on another show to bid farewell to the Olympic cycle and send off World Cup gold medallists in their endeavours to also win gold in Rio.
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