ISAF World Cup series finale - GBR sailors gear up
by Lindsey Bell on 29 Oct 2015
2014 ISAF Sailing World Cup Final Winner Bryony Shaw Jesus Renedo / Sailing Energy
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At the ISAF Sailing World Cup Final reigning World Champion Nick Thompson and Worlds silver medallists Hannah Mills-Saskia Clark and Bryony Shaw will headline the 17-sailor British entry, which kicks off in Abu Dhabi on Thursday (29 October).
The World Cup Final – now in its second year – is the culmination of the annual elite series following five worldwide stages, and sees world-class competition across the Olympic classes plus a Formula Kiteboard event.
The British contingent will join invited competitors from 38 other nations, with qualification for the Emirati finale coming from successes at previous World Cup series regattas (Melbourne, AUS; Miami, USA; Hyeres, FRA; Weymouth & Portland, GBR; Qingdao, CHN), or world ranking positions as at 21 September 2015.
World Champion Nick Thompson will contest the 20-strong Laser class, with Lorenzo Chiavarini also in action having earned his berth through victory at the Qingdao stage of the world series last month.
Hot off the back off her RS:X Windsurfing World Championship silver last week, Bryony Shaw will look to defend the title she won at the inaugural World Cup Final in Abu Dhabi last year
Fellow World Championship silver medallists Hannah Mills-Saskia Clark will have their first taste of Abu Dhabi World Cup racing in the 470 Women’s event, joined by Amy Seabright-Anna Carpenter, while Ed Wright will fly the flag in the Finn fleet as a warm up to next month’s World Championship – the Finn Gold Cup – in New Zealand.
Rio-bound Alison Young contests the 20-entry Laser Radial event along with Hannah Snellgrove, and two of the British Sailing Team’s Podium Potential crews, Neil Hunter-Rory Hunter and Jack Hawkins-Chris Thomas, will race in the 49er event.
Tom Squires and Joe Bennett will race in the RS:X men’s windsurfing fleet, while Ollie Bridge will aim to defend his 2014 World Cup Final crown in the kiteboard event.
A number of British Sailing Team stars have opted not to take up their World Cup Final invitations this time around, due to the proximity of other major World Championship regattas in other locations.
Racing gets underway in Abu Dhabi on Thursday 29 October, with the final medal races on Sunday 1 November.
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