Sail First ISAF Youth World Championships at Limassol, Cyprus - Day 1
by Yachting New Zealand 16 Jul 2013 01:53 PDT
15-19 July 2013
Racing is underway for the 2013 NZL Yachting Trust Youth Team at the Sail First ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships in Limassol, Cyprus with day one (of five) just wrapped up.
New Zealand has representative in five of the eight classes racing, and after day one all the kiwis are laying inside the top nine with Isaac McHardie and Micah Wilkinson leading the SL16 multihull fleet.
Over 350 from 61 nations took to the water on the opening day of the regatta with all the kiwi crews sailing at least two races through the afternoon on a hot day in Cyprus. Temperatures soared to 30 plus and the steady afternoon sea breeze averaged around 15 knots, with some sailors on the water until close to 9pm in the evening.
YNZ Talent Development Manager, Ian Neely is in Cyprus with the team, and is happy with how things went today; "The first day is a hard day to get right at this event, all the team did well."
"The aim was not to lose the regatta on the first day and just be close to the game, which everyone achieved. We are all happy and ready to focus again on the small things tomorrow".
New Zealand's representatives in the SL16 multihull Isaac McHardie and Micah Wilkinson returned a dream start to the series with two race wins and one 2nd place in their three races where they're up against 14 other international crews.
Isaac says; "It is good to have started racing and to have a good day on the water, there is a long way to go yet, so consistency is key."
"It was a solid day," adds Micah who crews with Isaac at the helm.
Olivia Mackay and Abby Goodwin are the next best placed of the kiwi team in 4th overall in the girl's 420 class sailing three races on day one. With 27 boats in the fleet the New Zealand pair will be pleased with their opening day where they finished 10th, 6th and 6th to give them 22 points.
Markus Somerville and Jack Simpson, in the 29er skiff are lying 5th after day one in the 29-strong fleet. They sailed three races in which they placed 6th, 8th and 6th giving them 20 points just one adrift of the Aussie crew in 4th.
In the Boy's 420 event, featuring 31 double-handed crews, Sam Barnett and Zak Merton are in 6th place with 16 points after two solid race results – a 10th and a 6th on the water today.
Sailing in the largest of the fleets Andrew McKenzie is up against 55 of the world's best youth single-handed sailors sailing the Radial rigged Laser. Andrew opened with a 24th then followed that with a 2nd place to hold 9th overall at this early stage in the series.
Racing resumes tomorrow for day two of the five day regatta.
NZL Yachting Trust Youth Team standings after day one:
1st Isaac McHardie (Hamilton Yacht Club) and Micah Wilkinson (Ngaroto Sailing Club) – SL16 Multihull
9th Andrew McKenzie (Kohimarama Yacht Club) – Laser Radial
6th Sam Barnett and Zak Merton (Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club) – Boy's 420
4th Olivia Mackay and Abby Goodwin (Napier Sailing Club) – Girl's 420
5th Markus Somerville and Jack Simpson (Wakatere Boating Club) – 29er
Team support: Ian Neely, Jim Maloney and Karin Adelinger
The 2013 Sail First ISAF Youth Worlds Live Blog will be following the event from 15-19 July.
Each course has its own Twitter account. @ISAFyw13_Alpha will be following the Laser Radials and 29er, @ISAFyw13_Bravo will be focusing on the RS:X windsurfers and @ISAFyw13_Charli will keep an eye on the 420s and SL16 fleets.