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New Zealand, Great Britain and Italy win at IFDS World Blind Sailing

by Jacky James on 21 Mar 2009
NZL, Gold Medalist in the B2 division, has a huge lead in the B2 Race 13 on Day 3 of the 2009 IFDS Blind World Sailing Championships, Rotorua David Staley - copyright

New Zealand has successfully defended its world championship team event title at the IFDS World Blind Sailing Championships sailed on Rotorua this week. Italy and Great Britain won the B1 and B3 events respectively.

New Zealand wins the 2009 title after securing a gold in the B2 fleet, and two silver medals in the B1 and B3 fleets.

Regatta organisers attempted to hold two races on Lake Rotorua this morning to complete the week’s sailing, however, half the fleet were not able to finish the first race after the wind dropped, and the second race was abandoned due to no wind.

Italy won the B1 Event in the 2009 IFDS Blind World Sailing Championships at Rotorua © David Staley - copyright
Italy won the B1 Event in the 2009 IFDS Blind World Sailing Championships at Rotorua © David Staley - copyright


After 15 races, Italy, skippered by Luigi Bertanza, held onto its lead at the top of the table, coming first in the B1 division. New Zealand, skippered by Dick Lancaster came second, and Norway, skippered by Thomas Johannesen came third.

New Zealand won the B2 Event in the 2009 IFDS Blind World Sailing Championships at Rotorua © David Staley - copyright
New Zealand won the B2 Event in the 2009 IFDS Blind World Sailing Championships at Rotorua © David Staley - copyright


In the B2 fleet, Paulien Eitjes from Tauranga skippering the New Zealand team, completely dominated racing this week, winning 14 out of 15 races. Great Britain, skippered by Lucy Hodges, came second. Japan, skippered by Takao Sugiyama, came third.

Great Britain won the B3 Event in the 2009 IFDS Blind World Sailing Championships at Rotorua © David Staley - copyright
Great Britain won the B3 Event in the 2009 IFDS Blind World Sailing Championships at Rotorua © David Staley - copyright


In the B3 fleet, Gary Kirby skippering the Great Britain team, dominated much of the racing, finishing well ahead at the top of the table. New Zealand, skippered by Dave Allerton, came second. The USA, skippered by Jason Wallenstein, came third.

Organising committee chairman Don McGowan says he is delighted with the regatta – even though the wind sometimes posed a challenge.

'We are very pleased with how the regatta has gone this week. We were able to get 15 races away, despite some fickle winds, and at times we had some very close and exciting racing.

'It has been a great festival of blind sailing and we have a big group of happy sailors from all around the world.

'It would have been nice to have some more racing today, but it wasn't to be.'

The prize giving for this week's regatta will be held at the Novotel in Rotorua tonight.

The next Blind Sailing International Championships will be held in Yokohama, Japan in 2013.

Results as of 14:49 on March 20, 2009

B1 Fleet

Sailed:15, Discards:2, To count:13, Entries:9, Scoring system:ISAF Series A

Rank

Fleet

Nat

VIP Helm

R1

R2

R3

R4

R5

R6

R7

R8

R9

R10

R11

R12

R13

R14

R15

Total

Nett

1st

B1

ITA

Luigi Bertanza

(9.0)

(4.0)

3.0

1.0

1.0

2.0

2.0

2.0

2.0

2.0

1.0

2.0

1.0

1.0

1.0

34.0

21.0

2nd

B1

NZL

Dick Lancaster

2.0

(10.0 DSQ)

1.0

4.0

4.0

1.0

3.0

1.0

1.0

4.0

4.0

1.0

2.0

3.1 RDGa

(5.0)

46.1

31.1

3rd

B1

NOR

Thomas Johannesen

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.0

2.0

3.0

5.0

(6.0)

4.0

1.0

5.0

(8.0)

4.0

3.0

2.0

49.5

35.5

4th

B1

FIN

Jukka Jokiniemi

3.0

1.5

6.0

6.0

5.0

6.0

1.0

3.0

3.0

(9.0)

3.0

5.0

(9.0)

8.0

3.0

71.5

53.5

5th

B1

FRA

Olivier Brisse

4.0

(8.0)

(7.0)

7.0

3.0

5.0

6.0

5.0

6.0

5.0

2.0

3.0

7.0

5.4 RDGa

7.0

80.4

65.4

6th

B1

AUS WA

Kylie Forth

5.0

5.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

(10.0 DSQ)

4.0

(9.0)

5.0

3.0

8.0

9.0

6.0

2.0

4.0

85.0

66.0

7th

B1

JPN Team Toyota

Fumihiro Adachi

7.0

3.0

8.0

8.0

(9.0)

8.0

8.0

4.0

7.0

6.0

7.0

7.0

5.0

5.0

(9.0)

101.0

83.0

8th

B1

USA

Matt Chao

6.0

6.0

(9.0)

3.0

7.0

4.0

9.0

7.0

8.0

8.0

6.0

6.0

8.0

(10.0 DSQ)

6.0

103.0

84.0

9th

B1

GBR

Vicki Sheen

8.0

7.0

5.0

(9.0)

8.0

7.0

7.0

8.0

(9.0)

7.0

9.0

4.0

3.0

6.0

8.0

105.0

87.0



B2 Fleet

Sailed:14, Discards:2, To count:12, Entries:5, Scoring system:ISAF Series A

Rank

Fleet

Nat

VIP Helm

R1

R2

R3

R4

R5

R6

R7

R8

R9

R10

R11

R12

R13

R14

Total

Nett

1st

B2

NZL

Paulien Eitjes

2.0

(3.0)

2.0

1.0

1.0

1.0

1.0

1.0

1.0

1.0

1.0

(3.0)

1.0

1.0

20.0

14.0

2nd

B2

GBR

Lucy Hodges

1.0

(4.0)

3.0

2.0

3.0

(4.0)

3.0

2.0

2.0

2.0

2.0

2.0

2.0

2.0

34.0

26.0

3rd

B2

JPN Team Flying Fish

Takao Sugiyama

3.0

2.0

1.0

3.0

4.0

3.0

4.0

3.0

3.0

(5.0)

4.0

1.0

(5.0)

3.0

44.0

34.0

4th

B2

CAN

David Brown

4.0

1.0

4.0

4.0

2.0

2.0

2.0

(5.0)

4.0

3.0

3.0

4.0

4.0

(5.0)

47.0

37.0

5th

B2

USA

Walter Raineri

(5.0)

(5.0)

5.0

5.0

5.0

5.0

5.0

4.0

5.0

4.0

5.0

5.0

3.0

4.0

65.0

55.0



B3 Fleet

Sailed:14, Discards:2, To count:12, Entries:5, Scoring system:ISAF Series A

Rank

Fleet

Nat

VIP Helm

R1

R2

R3

R4

R5

R6

R7

R8

R9

R10

R11

R12

R13

R14

Total

Nett

1st

B3

GBR

Gary Kirby

1.0

(2.0)

1.0

1.0

1.0

1.0

1.0

(2.0)

2.0

1.0

1.0

1.0

1.0

2.0

18.0

14.0

2nd

B3

NZL

Dave Allerton

2.0

1.0

(3.0)

(5.0)

3.0

3.0

2.0

1.0

1.0

3.0

2.0

2.0

3.0

1.0

32.0

24.0

3rd

B3

USA

Jason Wallenstein

(5.0)

3.0

2.0

3.0

(4.0)

2.0

3.0

3.0

4.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

2.0

4.0

44.0

35.0

4th

B3

JPN Team Yuki

Yuki Kawazoe

4.0

(5.0)

4.0

4.0

(5.0)

4.0

5.0

4.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

3.0

4.0

3.0

57.0

47.0

5th

B3

CAN

Randy Nelson

3.0

4.0

(5.0)

2.0

2.0

(5.0)

4.0

5.0

5.0

5.0

4.0

5.0

5.0

5.0

59.0

49.0



Scoring codes used

Code

Description

Points

DSQ

Disqualification

10

RDGa

Redress - average points for all races except the race in question

Varies



Editor's Note: for those unfamiliar with the Blind Sailing categories, B1 is completely unsighted, B2 is 5% vision, B3 is 15% vision. Two crew, one of whom must helm, assessed in the appropriate category, sail on the boat along with two sighted crew.
Zhik - Made for WaterCyclops Marine 2023 November - FOOTERHenri-Lloyd Dynamic Range

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