Meech best paced Kiwi after Day 4 of Youth Worlds

by Jodie Bakewell-White on 17 Jul 2008
Racing continued in Arhus, Denmark overnight for the NZL Yachting Trust Youth Team competing at the 2008 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships.

The blustery and shifty conditions that prevailed over the first half of the event eased on day four and three races were sailed in all classes in lighter breezes.

With two days of the regatta remaining Sam Meech is the best placed of the kiwis sitting in 4th in the Laser class.

Sam Meech of Tauranga was 8th, 3rd and 11th in last nights three races which sees him retain his place in 4th overall on the Laser leader board. With a total of 28 points he is five points adrift of the Danish sailor ahead of him in 3rd place, and a massive 16 points clear of 5th place.

Cushla Hume-Merry will be disappointed with her overnight performance which saw her drop out of 2nd place back to 5th overall in the Laser Radials. She was 6th, 19th and 20th in last night’s racing, the latter two races becoming her discards. With a five point gap to 3rd place Hume-Merry will be looking for some good results on day five to put her back in touch with the leaders.

At the end of day four both kiwi 29er teams are in 5th place in their respective fleets. Paul Snow-Hansen and Ben Goodwin started day four with a 2nd on the water, followed by a 13th then a 7th place, which sees them overtaken by the Argentinean pair on the leader board.

Alexandra Maloney and Bianca Barbarich-Bacher had a solid day on the water placing 2nd, 4th and 6th in the three races sailed by the girl’s 29er fleet. The pair retain 5th overall but close the gap on 4th place to a four point margin.

Josh Nixon moves from 14th up to 8th overall in the Boy’s RS:X windsurfing overnight aided by the introduction of the second discard race allowing him to drop the day one DNC’s he was carrying after gear failure forced him off the water. Last night Nixon was 10th, 11th and 7th in his three races.

In the multihull event, New Zealand’s representatives Francisco Lardies and David Hazard improved their standing overnight to now lie 5th overall, while Jazmine Lynch retains her place in 9th in the Girl’s RS:X.

Racing continues tonight in Denmark in what will be the penultimate day of racing at the regatta.

2008 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships New Zealand’s Results after Day 4

Sam Meech (Laser) – 4th (3, 3, 6, (9), 3, 2, 8, 3, (11))
Cushla Hume-Merry (Laser Radial) – 5th (6, 3, 8, 2, 3, 4, 6, (19), (20))
Paul Snow-Hansen & Ben Goodwin (Boys 29er) – 5th (6, 3, 3, 11, (14), 7, 2, 8, 2, (13), 7)
Alexandra Maloney & Bianca Barbarich-Bacher (Girls 29er) – 5th (3, (9), (13), 2, 6, 1, 8, 4, 2, 4, 6)
Francisco Lardies & David Hazard (Multihull) – 5th (4, (8), 7, (9), 2, 4, 3, 8, 2)
Josh Nixon (Boys RS:X) – 8th ((DNC), (DNC), 12, 1, 5, 6, 10, 11, 7)
Jazmine Lynch (Girls RS:X) – 9th (10, 8, 11, 8, (12), (13), 7, 9, 11)


The NZL Yachting Trust Youth Team is sponsored by the following…
NZL Yachting Trust
New Zealand Academy of Sport
ASB
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