Bullot lies 3rd overall before Medal race at Princess Sofia Trophy

by Richard Gladwell on 10 Apr 2009
New Zealand's Michael Bullot is the onlt New Zealander to have made the cut for the Medal races at the Princess Sofia Mapfre Trophy, third event of the ISAF World Cup on the Bay of Palma, Spain.

After losing a day due to light winds, Bullot came back strongly scoring second and third placings in the Gold fleet, but stumbled a little yesterday finishing in ninth and 55th places to sit in third place on points table. He has made the cut for the medal race to be sailed tonight, and is six points behind the second overall, Dabniel Mihelic (CRO) meaning he has to beat the Croatian by four places in the medal race to take the silver medal.

Fourth placed Stipanovic Tonci (CRO) is nine points astern of Bullot and will have to finish five places ahead of Bullot in the medal race to take the bronze and give Croatia two medal from the event.

Young New Zealand sailor Josh Junior was unlucky to miss the cut for the medal race finishing in 11th overall - one place and two points shy of making the cut. Junior scored 24th and 11th placings yesterday which were sufficient to just drop him out of medal fleet contention.

Other New Zealand placings in the Laser class were:

Andy Maloney: 23rdth overall - 11th and 19th in the Gold fleet
James Sandall: 35th overall - 63rd and 9th in the Gold fleet
Blair McLay: 73rd overall - 4th and 29th in the Silver fleet
Sam Meech: 74th overall - 7th and 26th in the Silver fleet
Matt Coutts: 100th overall - 2nd and 43rd in the Silver fleet

In the RS:X Womens fleet, Justina Sellers is 19th overall scoring 24th and 20th places yesterday.

Sara Winther is 13th overall, one place ahead of 2008 Bronze medalist Andrea Brewster (GBR), scoring 13th and 30th places yesterday.

Full results at www.trofeoprincesasofia-mapfre.org Follow the medal races live on the event website