Medal races conclude Sailing World Cup Final for NZL Laser sailors

by Yachting NZ on 12 Dec 2016 Fantastic sailing conditions greeted competitors in the Sailing World Cup Final medal races on Sunday, as the event in Melbourne drew to a close.

The two kiwis to compete in medal races for double points today were Laser sailor Andrew McKenzie and Laser Radial sailor Susannah Pyatt.

Pyatt says a perfect 15-knot breeze with waves and sunshine off the St Kilda Sailing Precinct made for great sailing, as she worked hard to improve her overall position.

“The conditions were perfect. I had a great start and popped on the fleet, but a small right shift after that put me back in the pack,” she explains.

She says there were a few opportunities to get some places between her and the GBR team to gain a place overall which she wasn't able to capitalize on, finishing seventh in the medal race to complete her first World Cup Final in ninth in the final standings.

Meanwhile, across in the Laser fleet, Andrew McKenzie was also enjoying the breeze, finishing seventh in the medal race to secure a sixth place overall.

“It was an up and down race for me but in the end I did enough to secure the sixth. It’s satisfying to know the hard work through the winter has paid off!” he says.

With eleven New Zealand entries having now completed the Sailing World Cup Final across seven classes in Melbourne the kiwis leave this regatta with two medals in hand from the Nacra 17 (Olivia Mackay and Micah Wilkinson, second), and the 49er, (Josh Porebski and Trent Rippey, third) whose events wrapped up with medal races yesterday along with the foiling kiteboards.

With the 'Road to Rio' now concluded it's time for 'Target Tokyo'. The 2017 Sailing World Cup series kicks off in Miami, USA from 23-29 January 2017.

World class sailing continues through December and attention now turns to the 2016 Aon Youth Sailing World Championships starting in New Zealand on 14 December where the best youth sailors will gather for their pinnacle event.

New Zealand sailor’s final results – Sailing World Cup Final, Melbourne

LASER

6th Andrew McKenzie (6,16,11,6,3,6,11,3,14,14)

17th Matthew Kempers (16,20,17,16,12,16,15,18)

LASER RADIAL

9th Susanna Pyatt (9,11,7,12,9,8,7,12,2,14)

FINN

14th Gary Lokum (15,12,14,14,13,12,9,14)

49er

3rd Josh Porebski and Trent Rippey (2,5,4,3,7,9,5,12)

6th Isaac McHardie and William McKenzie (1,1,11,7,5,1,20(DNC), 16)

9th Nick Egnot-Johnson and Jack Rogers (3,11,7,12,6,20(DNF),14)

470 MEN

11th Sam Barnett and Zak Merton (8,8,14,10,7,11,10,13)

14th Markus Somerville and Taylor Balogh (10,13,12,8,13,12,15(UFD),7)

NACRA 17

2nd Olivia Mackay and Micah Wilkinson (3,3,2,2,3,1,3,1,1,5(SCP)

FORMULA KITE

7th Sam Bullock after 24 races