Sailing goes ahead in light winds in Hyeres

by Jodie Bakewell-White on 24 Apr 2007
Light and shifty conditions made for tricky sailing for the kiwis competing at the ISAF Grade 1 Semaine Olympique Francaise Regatta in Hyeres, France overnight.

Despite this, Tom Ashley climbed into the lead in the men’s windsurfing, and Jo Aleh retains second place in the Laser Radial.

'We only did one race today as we were postponed until late with no wind,' says Tom Ashley. 'We started around 4pm in 4-7 knots. I had a solid first upwind and rounded second, sailing almost the whole race just behind Piotr Myszka of Poland before passing him on the last downwind to win the race.'

'I'm going really well in the light wind. Physically I feel great and so far I've been sailing really well. I’m looking forward to probably one or two more days of light air then some breeze for the last couple of days of the event.'

The Laser Radial class sailed two races on day two of the regatta. Jo Aleh placed 10th in both races and holds onto second overall in the class.

Two further YNZ Olympic Squad sailors are in the top six in their classes at this major international regatta which has attracted enormous fleets. Andrew Murdoch is 6th in the Laser and Dan Slater is 5th in the Finn.

The final medal race is scheduled for Friday.

39th Semaine Olympique Francaise
New Zealand’s placings after Day Two

Laser Radial

2nd - Jo Aleh (Takapuna Boating Club)
25th – Cushla Hume-Merry (Evans Bay Y&MB Club)
37th - Miranda Powrie (Kohimarama Yacht Club)
42nd – Sara Winther (Takapuna Boating Club)

Laser

6th – Andrew Murdoch (Kerikeri Cruising Club)
19th – Blair McLay (Torbay Sailing Club)
39th – Michael Bullot (Murrays Bay Sailing Club)
43rd – Aaron Hume-Merry (Murrays Bay Sailing Club)
88th – David Weaver (Titahi Bay Boating Club)
112th – Blair Lindsay (Murrays Bay Sailing Club)

Finn

5th – Dan Slater (Murrays Bay Sailing Club)

Men’s RS:X

1st – Tom Ashley (Takapuna Boating Club)
80th – Michael Lichtwark (Takapuna Boating Club)
100th - Antonio Cozzolino – (NZ RS:X Association)

Women’s RS:X

24th – Kate Ellingham (Wakatere Boating Club/Takapuna Boating Club)
48th - Hayley Thom (Takapuna Boating Club)
56th – Steffanie Williams (Takapuna Boating Club)

Women’s 470

15th – Shelley Hesson & Bianca Barbarich-Bacher (Murrays Bay Sailing Club)

Mens’ 470

41st – Andrew Brown & Nick Taylor (Royal Akarana Yacht Club)
65th - Geoff Woolley & Mark Overington (Kohimarama Yacht Club)
82nd – Stephen Keen & Philip Keen (Naval Point Club Lyttelton)

Yngling

19th – Sharon Ferris, Raynor Smeal & Shandy Buckley (Bay of Islands)

Tornado

29th - Bruce Kendall & Brett Sellers