2016 SWC - Hyeres - Australia wins Gold in the Paralympic 2.4mR class

by Megan McKay on 1 May 2016 2016 Sailing World Cup - Hyeres - Australia’s Matt Bugg has won Gold at this year’s Sailing World Cup Hyères regatta in the Paralympic 2.4mR class, while our Sonar crew of Colin Harrison, Jonathan Harris and Russell Boaden finished fourth overall. Meanwhile in the Olympic classes, Australia is well-positioned in several classes for tomorrow’s medal races.

The ever-changing Hyeres conditions provided our sailors with another range of conditions today to test their skills in one of the last major regattas leading into the Rio Olympic and Paralympic events later this year. A lack of breeze early in the day saw racing postponed for two-three hours, then racing got underway in light, unsteady conditions before the heavier mistral conditions came in, eventually dying out late in the afternoon.

Australia’s Matt Bugg revelled in the conditions, as he has done throughout this regatta, leading from start to finish in the International 2.4mR class.

At this conclusion of his regatta, Bugg commented “I started the event with a win on day one, and managed to stay on top of the leader board for the rest of the week. We had a mix of conditions - we had light air and heavy air. I think it was a good test of an all-round sailor this week.

“Rio is what I have been working for, for the last four years. To come out and start my European season with a win, will give me confidence leading into my next major regatta, which is the World Championships and ultimately the really important one, the Paralympic Games this September.”

Australia’s other Paralympic crew competing at this event, the Sonar crew of Colin Harrison, Jonathan Harris and Russell Boaden, finished today’s races with a five and seven, with an overall result of fourth.

“It was a tough day on the water today,” said Harrison, “with quite a shifty breeze, but very close racing within our fleet, as always. We haven’t been off the podium since London 2012, so this is a good opportunity to look at the little things that we just need to tidy up a bit.

Meanwhile in the Olympic classes, tomorrow sees medal races in all classes, and Aussies will feature in six of those.

Finn sailor, Jake Lilley continues to hold onto first position overall after winning today’s only race. Oliver Tweddell had a tougher day on the water, crossing the line in 12th today, which puts him in fifth overall. However, Tweddell is still only four points off the Silver Medal, making tomorrow’s medal race an interesting one to watch.

Today was good,” commented Lilley after racing. “We spent a long time waiting for our chance to get a race in. After the Nacre 17’s finished, we had a front come through and the Finns got one race underway in a fair bit of breeze. I managed to have a good race, and now take a seven-point advantage into tomorrow’s medal race.

“It’s always nice to try and win a medal race, but the objective is to finish top four then I can’t lose the Gold.”

Two Australians will also feature in the medal race in the Laser class, with Tom Burton currently leading overall after today’s two races, and Matt Wearn in third position overall.

At the completion of racing today, Wearn commented, “It was a pretty late start and we had the building Mistral come in. The first race was moderate to windy and the second race was really windy. In the first race, I was coming fourth on the last downwind and then capsized, which cost me a bit point-wise going into the medal race tomorrow. I’m in third at the moment and the points are close, so it’s all up for grabs tomorrow.”

Australia’s 470 Men, Matt Belcher and Will Ryan are currently laying second overall behind Croatian pairing of Sime Fantela and Igor Marenic. The Aussies finished the first race today in 21st, followed by a 14th, but came back to win the final race of the day. The Australians will be looking for another strong race in tomorrow’s medal race for a podium finish.

In the Laser Radial, Ashley Stoddart will compete in tomorrow’s medal race, after maintaining her position of ninth overall after today’s two races.

“I’m quite happy to make the medal race,” said Stoddart. “I think I can move up a few places, so that’s something to look forward to.”

In the Nacra 17, three races were sailed today, and Aussies Jason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin are currently fifth overall. The pair scored a sixteen, twenty-two and two in today’s races, and with fourteen points between them and the Great British team who hold first position, tomorrow’s medal race will be wide open.

In the 49ers, Australia’s team of Will and Sam Phillips reclaimed second overall, after a mixed day which saw them cross the line in fifth in the first race, then they were 25th in the second, before coming back to win the final race of the day. New Zealand’s Peter Burling and Blair Tuke will win the regatta, currently 48 points clear of the second-placed Aussies.

In the 49er FX, none of the Australian crews will make the medal race. Tess Lloyd and Caitlin Elks finished the regatta in 16th overall; Haylee Outteridge and Nina Curtis in 20th; and Olivia Price and Eliza Solly in 23rd overall.

“It was not the best regatta for us,” commented Lloyd at the conclusion of racing. “We had a few days where we really struggled with the offshore breeze and land influence. There were some areas we were quite happy with, but now we just need to try and step it up a little bit more.”

In the 470 women, Carrie Smith and Jaime Ryan finished the regatta in 12th overall; with Sasha Ryan and Ella Clark in 24th overall after today’s three races.

Three races were also sailed today in the Women’s RS:X. Australia’s Joanna Sterling has finished her regatta in 20th overall, after scoring 10, 24 and BFD today.

Results for the Australian Sailing Team and Squad at the conclusion of day one, Sailing World Cup Hyeres 2016:

Women's Two Person Dinghy – 470W

• Carrie Smith (WAIS) and Jaime Ryan (QAS) – AST: 11, 6, 16, 21, 12, (27), 3, 24 – 12th
• Sasha Ryan (QAS) and Ella Clark (WA) – ASS: 14, 25, 24, 18, 23, 10, 24, 18 – 24th

Men’s Two Person Dinghy – 470M

• Mathew Belcher (QAS) and Will Ryan (QAS) – AST: 2, 1, 17, 1, 2, (21), 14, 1 – second
• Patrick and Alexander Conway (NSW) – ASS: 31, 27, (32), 10, 27, (37), 22, 33 – 30th
• Tom Klemens (VIS) and Tim Hannah (VIS) – ASS: 21, 29, 36, 29, 30, (39), 35, 21– 35th

Mens’ Skiff – 49er

• Will Phillips (VIC) and Sam Phillips (VIC) – ASS: 6, 4, 1, 2, 5, 5, 38, (41), 5, 25, 1 – second
• David Gilmour (WAIS) and Lewis Brake (QAS) – ASS: 17, 32, 12, 16, 31, (40), 31, 33, 20, 7, 8 – 21st
• Joel Turner (QAS) and Tom Siganto (QAS) – ASS: 35, 24, DNF (41), 37, 40, 10, 19, 32, 16, 26, 30 – 36th

Men's One Person Dinghy (Heavyweight) – Finn

• Jake Lilley (QAS) – ASS: 2, (10), 1, 1, 13, (19), 1 – first
• Oliver Tweddell (VIS) – ASS: 7, 3, 2, (18), 4, 11, 12 – fifth

Men’s One Person Dinghy – Laser

• Tom Burton (NSW) – AST: 3, 9, 1, 11, 4, 5, 11, (14) – first
• Matt Wearn (WAIS) – AST: 1, 7, 12, (13), 13, 4, 9, 3 – third
• Mitchell Kennedy (QAS) – ASS: 5, 19, 3, 14, 35, (37), 34, 16 – 18th
• Luke Elliott (WAIS) – ASS: 2, 17, 25, 22, 24, 25, (31), 24 – 24th
• Jeremy O’Connell (VIS) – ASS: 15, 31, 31, 16, 11, 35, 26, (37) – 28th

Mixed Multihull – Nacra 17

• Jason Waterhouse (NSW) and Lisa Darmanin (NSW) – AST: 10, 13, 15, 6, 2, 5, 2, 15, 1, 16, (22), 2 - fifth

Women’s One Person Dinghy – Laser Radial

• Ashley Stoddart (QAS) – ASS: 18, 11, (27), 5, 15, 8, 11, 13 – ninth

Women’s RS: X Windsurfer

• Joanna Sterling (QAS) – ASS: 11, 28, (30), 25, 14, 5, 16, 10, 24, (41)BFD – 20th

Women's Skiff – 49erFX

• Tess Lloyd (VIS) and Caitlin Elks (WAIS) – ASS: 14, (17), 5, 10, 15, (23), 20, 11, 13 ,13, 10, 13 – 16th
• Haylee Outteridge (NSW) and Nina Curtis (NSW) – ASS: 19, (23), 18, 12, 19, 5, 12, 8, 21, 21, 17, 14 – 20th
• Olivia Price (NSW) and Eliza Solly (VIS) – ASS: (20), 19, 15, 15, 20, (24), 22, 23, 20, 22, 15, 20 – 22nd

Paralympic Three Person Keelboat - Sonar

• Colin Harrison (WA), Jonathan Harris (NSW) and Russell Boaden (WA) – AST: (8), 5, 1, 7, 3, 4, 5, 7 – fourth

Paralympic Single Person Keelboat – International 2.4mR

• Matt Bugg (TIS) – AST: 1, 3, 2, 2, 6 (7), 1,2 – first