New pairing joins Australian Sailing Team

by Craig Heydon on 28 Jul 2013 Early end to Nacra 17 World Championship and Finn European Championship

A lack of breeze has brought the Nacra 17 World Championship and Finn European Championship to an early end, with the medal race cancelled at both events.

The cancellation of the final day at the Nacra 17 World Championship in The Netherlands meant that Australia’s Jason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin finished the first World Championship in the new Olympic class in sixth position, with the result qualifying them for a spot in the Australian Sailing Team.

'Lisa and I are extremely happy to finish with a sixth place at the World Championship,' said Waterhouse. 'After four months of touring in Europe we have achieved our goal of a top 10 results at the Worlds. I’ve also achieved a seven year dream of mine, qualifying for the Australian Sailing Team, alongside superstars such as Nathan Outteridge, Tom Slingsby and Mat Belcher.

'We’ve worked hard for this result and the Worlds couldn’t have had tougher conditions,' he said. 'We really appreciate the support we have received from Australian Sailing and Objective Racing to give us this opportunity to achieve our goals.

'Now it’s time to pack up, with Lisa heading back home to finish off her University degree in a few months time,' said Waterhouse. 'However I’m off to San Francisco for the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup.'

Fellow Australians Pip Pietromonaco and James Wierzbowski finished the week in 22nd, with Josh McKnight and Nina Curtis 30th and Euan McNicol and Lucinda Whitty 33rd.

The lack of breeze also kept the Finn fleet on shore for the final day of the European Championship in Warnemunde, Germany, with Oliver Tweddell finishing as the top placed Australian.

Tweddell ended the week in 18th overall, with the Victorian finishing on a high, with a fifth and a fourth from the final two races.

'Today we sat around waiting again for most of the day and unfortunately the wind never came and racing was cancelled,' said Tweddell. 'While my performance wasn’t how I hoped it would be I was able to improve in key areas, as well as learning a few things too.

'I’m now heading off to Tallinn, Estonia, to prepare for the Gold Cup in a month’s time,' he said.

Fellow Australian Jake Lilley made it back-to-back silver medals in the junior standings, with the Queenslander also finishing the week 25th overall.

After standing on the podium at the Finn Silver Cup a few weeks back Lilley continued his strong start to his first European season in the Finn.

18 year old Joe McMillan finished his first Finn European Championship in 60th position.