Delta Lloyd Regatta - Australian Sailing Laser Squads in action

by Australian Sailing on 24 May 2017 The Australian Sailing Team Laser and Laser Radial Squads are in action this week at the Delta Lloyd Regatta in Medemblik, The Netherlands.

Five members of the Australian Sailing Laser Radial Squad will be aiming to tame the Medemblik waters from 23 to 27 May. Mara Stranskey, Marlena Berzins, Elyse Ainsworth, Zoe Thomson and Annie Eastgate will all be eager to start their European campaign with good form.

Australian Sailing Team Laser Radial Coach, Jared West said that while the squad is young, this regatta will provide a perfect opportunity to set up their season campaigns.

“This will be the first international open event for most of the girls following the Sailing World Cup Final in Melbourne late last year, which was the first taste of a major open event for some,” Jared said.

“The best thing about the Delta Lloyd Regatta is that it is the same venue as the Laser Radial Worlds in August this year, so it will be good preparation. It is an easy venue to negotiate, it’s safe, competitive and well organised which makes the regatta one to look forward to.

“As a squad we will be focussing on our speed, process around pre-starts, decision making on the first lap and managing expectations and risk across the duration of the regatta.”

Similarly in the Lasers, six Australian Sailing Team Laser Squad will be amongst the 112 strong fleet. The Aussies competing include Matt Wearn; Luke Elliott, who finished third at the regatta last year; Jeremy O’Connell; Mitch Kennedy and Finn Alexander.

Overnight Luke and Matt both raced consistently to be sitting fifth and sixth overall with Finn in ninth and Mitchell Kennedy just outside the top ten in eleventh.

Coming off the back of winning the 2017 Youth World Laser Championship, Finn Alexander is keen to continue his form as he progresses from the youth sailing ranks to the opens. Luke Elliott finished on the podium at this event in 2016 and will be looking to do the same again, while Matt Wearn will continue to build on his 2017 form after finishing third at the Sailing World Cup in Hyeres in April.

As recently announced by World Sailing, the qualification system for the Sailing World Cup 2018 will include the 2017 Delta Lloyd Regatta.

All of the latest event information and updates can be found via the regatta website and Facebook.



Australian Sailing Team (AST) & Squad (ASS) & Class Training Squad (CTS) at Delta Lloyd Regatta

Men’s One Person Dinghy – Laser

• Matthew Wearn (WAIS/WA) – AST | sixth
• Luke Elliott (WAIS/WA) – ASS | fifth
• Finn Alexander (NSWIS/NSW) – ASS | ninth
• Mitchell Kennedy (QAS/QLD) – ASS | 11th
• Jeremy O’Connell (VIS/VIC) – ASS | 20th

Women’s One Person Dinghy – Laser Radial

• Mara Stransky (QAS/QLD) – ASS | 47th
• Marlena Berzins (NSWIS/NSW) – ASS | 36th
• Elyse Ainsworth (WAIS/WA) – ASS | 53rd
• Zoe Thomson (WAIS/WA) – ASS | 54th
• Annie Eastgate (QAS/QLD) – CTS | 64th