Tassie teenager Anna Vaughan wins heat at Laser 4.7 Worlds
by Peter Campbell on 2 Aug 2011
Anna Vaughan sailing back to the St Francis Yacht Club after her win - Laser 4.7 Championships 2011 Richard Scarr
Teenage Tasmanian Anna Vaughan today made sailing history when she won heat nine of the Laser 4.7 Girls World Championship on San Francisco.
The 15-year-old Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania Dinghy Group and Tasmanian Sailing Academy member outsailed a fleet of 51 of the world’s best teenage sailors to become the first Australian girl to score a heat win at the worlds.
The only other Australian team winner in the regatta so far has been West Australian Ben Walkemeyer in the boys championship.
Anna is among the lightest sailors in the fleet and until now has struggled in the fresh to strong winds and lumpy seas on the bay. Her best previous result had been a 31st in heat two and her win and 29th place today has lifted her from 49th place to 39th overall. Today, the winds were lighter, but the current strong.
The 112-boat boys fleet has now been split into gold and silver fleets, but the girls are continuing to race in a single fleet, with one day’s sailing left at the St Francis Yacht Club.
Anna’s father, Michael Vaughan, who also races a Laser with the RYCT Dinghy Group on Hobart’s River Derwent, excitedly described Anna’s victory in a phonecall from San Francisco.
'As I helped her wheel the boat down the ramp this morning we discussed tactics and she said ‘I’m going for broke…if there is anyone going to be OCS’d today, it will be me.’
Anna went for the line full on, and she wasn’t recalled. Then, in a masterful tactical decision she sailed right into a bay, in flat water and less current. Her centreboard actually touched the sand before she tacked out, to find herself with just two boats ahead of her as she neared the first windward mark.
She lifted to windward of these girls, from Italy and Switzerland, to round the mark in first place and, with good downwind speed, held her position to the leeward mark.
'She then picked the less favoured mark to round at the gate and lost several places, but fought back again on the second beat to windward,' her father continued.
Again, Anna’s light weight paid off on the downwind leg and on the leg to wing mark, although still trailing the Italian and Swiss girls. On the final short beat to the finish, she picked the right angle to avoid the current and finish a clear winner.
'We have one day’s sailing left and I think Anna will follow her tactics of today,' her proud father Michael said today.
Earlier this year, Anna and her father were named co-winners of the inaugural RYCT Dinghy Group Chairman’s Cup for Anna’s determination to improve her sailing skills and for Michael’s contribution to dinghy sailing on the Derwent.
'She can outsail me, too,' Michael added, joining fellow parents in celebrating the success. 'Winning a heat of a world championship is a great feat for any sailor and I’m very proud of her effort today.'
Top-placed Australian girl is Milly Bennett (NSW) who is 13th overall, today placing 22nd and seventh. Tasmanian Sophie Chesterman is 23rd with a 25-21 result today while fellow Tasmanian Emma Barton is 35th, placing 37th and 46th today.
Four Australian boys qualified for the gold fleet with Ben Walkemeyer eighth overall, Nicholas Connor (NSW) 31st. Dylan Gore (Tas) 40th, Max Vos (Tas) 47th and Kailas Johnson (Tas) 54th.
In the Silver fleet, Nelson Brown (Tas) is 12th and Jock Calvert (Tas) 17th overall. Thirteen-year-old Jock is sixth placed among the under 16-year-olds.
Results Laser 4.7 Girls
Scores take into account 2 discards
| No |
Sailno |
Name |
Scores |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
| 1 |
ITA 200480 |
Zorzi Cecila, 1994 |
15.0 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
(8) |
(31) |
3 |
| 2 |
SLO 198483 |
Pletikos Kim, 1994 |
48.0 |
1 |
3 |
5 |
6 |
(ocs) |
6 |
20 |
3 |
(24) |
4 |
| 3 |
NOR 194765 |
Höst Line Flem, 1995 |
49.0 |
12 |
2 |
2 |
7 |
6 |
(24) |
9 |
4 |
7 |
(34) |
| 4 |
NOR 198747 |
Herud Celine Therese, 1995 |
50.0 |
(18) |
(bfd) |
6 |
4 |
7 |
3 |
11 |
2 |
16 |
1 |
| 5 |
TUR 198917 |
Yentur Zeynep, 1995 |
68.0 |
6 |
6 |
16 |
2 |
(25) |
12 |
4 |
10 |
12 |
(36) |
| 6 |
GRE 183545 |
Fakidi Athanasia, 1996, U16 |
70.0 |
3 |
(bfd) |
4 |
3 |
17 |
5 |
7 |
21 |
(30) |
10 |
| 7 |
SUI 199846 |
Jayet Maud, 1996, U16 |
85.0 |
11 |
(bfd) |
(31) |
18 |
19 |
9 |
15 |
6 |
2 |
5 |
| 8 |
GRE 194857 |
Karachaliou Vasileia, 1996, U16 |
90.0 |
9 |
(bfd) |
8 |
13 |
2 |
4 |
19 |
(26) |
23 |
12 |
| 9 |
ESP 196946 |
Luque Gonzalez Yolanda GranCan, 1995 |
96.0 |
4 |
(bfd) |
18 |
5 |
4 |
11 |
10 |
(raf) |
19 |
25 |
| 10 |
ITA 193660 |
Liebman Anna, 1994 |
99.0 |
(41) |
22 |
12 |
12 |
18 |
1 |
(24) |
20 |
3 |
11 |
| 11 |
ITA 195487 |
Modena Camilla, 1994 |
100.0 |
15 |
10 |
(21) |
20 |
(38) |
13 |
2 |
11 |
21 |
8 |
| 12 |
SIN 185404 |
Siew Kiah Hui Savannah, 1996, U16 |
106.0 |
8 |
11 |
20 |
31 |
20 |
(40) |
8 |
(45) |
6 |
2 |
| 13 |
AUS 196421 |
Bennett Milly, 1994 |
106.0 |
19 |
8 |
(42) |
11 |
(29) |
20 |
3 |
16 |
22 |
7 |
| 14 |
HKG 122064 |
Sakai Nagisa Karis, 1994 |
107.0 |
2 |
14 |
23 |
8 |
3 |
18 |
(25) |
22 |
17 |
(44) |
| 15 |
CRO 182661 |
Kacan Antonela, 1994 |
122.0 |
21 |
(bfd) |
(29) |
28 |
8 |
15 |
22 |
9 |
5 |
14 |
| 16 |
BRA 197089 |
Silva Julia, 1995 |
122.0 |
25 |
9 |
13 |
27 |
11 |
14 |
13 |
(33) |
10 |
(31) |
| 17 |
BEL 201051 |
Van de Loock Laura, 1995 |
123.0 |
13 |
(bfd) |
3 |
17 |
24 |
21 |
(35) |
17 |
13 |
15 |
| 18 |
CRO 186212 |
Hamerlitz Anja, 1995 |
127.0 |
17 |
(bfd) |
22 |
22 |
21 |
(29) |
27 |
1 |
4 |
13 |
| 19 |
USA 165073 |
Bushnell Lola, 1995 |
128.0 |
30 |
5 |
11 |
9 |
22 |
(37) |
23 |
14 |
14 |
(42) |
| 20 |
SUI 197161 |
Van Campenhoudt Marine, 1996, U16 |
128.0 |
14 |
15 |
9 |
(45) |
13 |
25 |
17 |
18 |
(35) |
17 |
| 21 |
SLO 196239 |
Janezic Lea Dora, 1994 |
130.0 |
16 |
(bfd) |
28 |
35 |
(39) |
8 |
5 |
24 |
8 |
6 |
| 22 |
CRO 196187 |
Prtenjaca Nikolina, 1994 |
138.0 |
10 |
23 |
19 |
26 |
23 |
7 |
(36) |
15 |
15 |
(27) |
| 23 |
AUS 169684 |
Chesterman Sophie, 1994 |
144.0 |
(37) |
20 |
14 |
(29) |
10 |
19 |
12 |
23 |
25 |
21 |
| 24 |
GBR 199438 |
Asplund Johanna, 1995 |
148.0 |
23 |
7 |
30 |
23 |
16 |
(32) |
14 |
19 |
(44) |
16 |
| 25 |
SLO 174363 |
Peternelj Eva, 1995 |
151.0 |
7 |
18 |
27 |
(39) |
15 |
10 |
28 |
(34) |
18 |
28 |
| 26 |
USA 188912 |
Bryer Rachel, 1995 |
164.0 |
28 |
16 |
(34) |
24 |
12 |
16 |
33 |
13 |
(46) |
22 |
| 27 |
USA 164258 |
White Maeve, 1995 |
181.0 |
32 |
(bfd) |
17 |
(46) |
27 |
23 |
16 |
28 |
20 |
18 |
| 28 |
JPN 199062 |
Murayama Hitomi, 1994 |
193.0 |
26 |
(bfd) |
25 |
49 |
28 |
41 |
6 |
(ocs) |
9 |
9 |
| 29 |
USA 191985 |
Naughton Sophie, 1995 |
198.0 |
(44) |
12 |
32 |
25 |
30 |
34 |
26 |
12 |
27 |
(47) |
| 30 |
ITA 193583 |
Caruso Bianca, 1996, U16 |
201.0 |
31 |
(bfd) |
15 |
21 |
26 |
31 |
(47) |
46 |
11 |
20 |
| 31 |
ARG 159970 |
Zalazar Maria Florencia, 1995 |
202.0 |
24 |
19 |
26 |
16 |
34 |
26 |
31 |
(ocs) |
(42) |
26 |
| 32 |
USA 176237 |
Hughes Hannah, 1995 |
203.0 |
36 |
13 |
(47) |
(41) |
31 |
22 |
29 |
5 |
29 |
38 |
| 33 |
USA 194042 |
Weaver Hanne, 1995 |
213.0 |
(45) |
4 |
10 |
10 |
42 |
(ocs) |
41 |
42 |
40 |
24 |
| 34 |
JPN 196486 |
Kunimi Ayano, 1995 |
213.0 |
22 |
(bfd) |
33 |
15 |
32 |
17 |
39 |
(ocs) |
32 |
23 |
| 35 |
AUS 184674 |
Barton Emma, 1996, U16 |
221.0 |
27 |
(bfd) |
7 |
37 |
40 |
28 |
32 |
31 |
(45) |
19 |
| 36 |
ITA 196211 |
Frazza Francesca, 1996, U16 |
236.0 |
46 |
21 |
38 |
14 |
37 |
30 |
43 |
7 |
(raf) |
(49) |
| 37 |
SIN 185781 |
Goh Su Min Rebecca, 1996, U16 |
236.0 |
29 |
(bfd) |
24 |
36 |
14 |
27 |
37 |
43 |
26 |
(45) |
| 38 |
GER 181610 |
Edinger Nadine, 1996, U16 |
256.0 |
(48) |
26 |
39 |
38 |
5 |
43 |
(46) |
27 |
39 |
39 |
| 39 |
SIN 182202 |
Ho Airiel, 1995 |
260.0 |
20 |
(raf) |
37 |
30 |
dne |
36 |
18 |
30 |
37 |
(46) |
| 40 |
AUS 184702 |
Vaughan Anna, 1995 |
263.0 |
42 |
31 |
36 |
(51) |
45 |
(49) |
38 |
41 |
1 |
29 |
| 41 |
IND 190923 |
Charles Shaila, 1994 |
267.0 |
(47) |
28 |
45 |
32 |
33 |
35 |
34 |
25 |
(47) |
35 |
| 42 |
GER 193240 |
Hinders Sonka, 1995 |
277.0 |
40 |
17 |
43 |
19 |
(48) |
33 |
48 |
29 |
48 |
(50) |
| 43 |
USA 199347 |
Kardek Haley, 1995 |
286.0 |
(49) |
(bfd) |
44 |
33 |
35 |
42 |
42 |
32 |
28 |
30 |
| 44 |
USA 198386 |
Mackey Sarah, 1994 |
290.0 |
(50) |
29 |
35 |
34 |
(47) |
47 |
45 |
35 |
33 |
32 |
| 45 |
ARG 164030 |
Rivas Ines, 1995 |
294.0 |
34 |
30 |
40 |
43 |
(46) |
(48) |
40 |
40 |
34 |
33 |
| 46 |
USA 158824 |
Goethe Hannah, 1995 |
304.0 |
38 |
(bfd) |
(46) |
42 |
36 |
44 |
21 |
44 |
38 |
41 |
| 47 |
IND 195378 |
Nedunchezhiyan Aishwarya, 1996, U16 |
304.0 |
39 |
32 |
(50) |
(47) |
41 |
39 |
30 |
39 |
41 |
43 |
| 48 |
IND 195372 |
Sadanandan Shweta, 1994 |
306.0 |
43 |
24 |
48 |
48 |
9 |
46 |
(51) |
38 |
50 |
(bfd) |
| 49 |
HKG 180992 |
Mascia Sofia-Marie, 1998, U16 |
317.0 |
33 |
25 |
49 |
50 |
(dsq) |
38 |
49 |
(ocs) |
36 |
37 |
| 50 |
ARG 146046 |
Varela Dasso Lucia, 1995 |
327.0 |
35 |
27 |
(51) |
44 |
43 |
(ocs) |
50 |
37 |
43 |
48 |
| 51 |
USA 192949 |
Dana Francesca, 1995 |
339.0 |
(51) |
(bfd) |
41 |
40 |
44 |
45 |
44 |
36 |
49 |
40 |
If you want to link to this article then please use this URL: www.sail-world.com/86692