Please select your home edition
Edition
Sydney Boat Show 2025 - Apply to Exhibit

Strategy clicks for Aussie sailors on moving day at ILCA 7 World Championships

by Lisa Darmanin/Australian Sailing 26 May 2022 13:23 AEST 23-28 May 2022
Ethan McAullay on day 3 of the 2022 ILCA 7 Men's Worlds © John Pounder / www.jldigitalmedia.net

Four out of five Australians have booked spots in the final series at the ILCA 7 World Championships being held in Mexico.

It was moving day on Banderas Bay for Sydney's Finn Alexander on the final day of qualifying racing today. The 23-year-old sailor came away with two top ten results and will enter the Gold fleet in 22nd overall.

Alexander commented, "I finally found a bit of rhythm and got the strategy clicking a lot more, having better starts and a much better idea of the racecourse and how the wind was working.

"It's been pretty different from what our preconceived idea of the venue was, so it's taken a couple of days to get used to that. But it's starting to come together now and I've had some good pace upwind and downwind"

Finals racing will commence tomorrow with sailors being split into Gold and Silver fleets based off their position at the conclusion of today's final qualifying race.

"There are plenty of tired guys out there racing so us Aussie boys will be charging for the next few days," Alexander added.

Western Australia's Luke Elliott and Ethan McAullay will join Alexander in Gold fleet racing with McAullay proving he belongs in the Australian Sailing Squad after missing out on the Gold fleet at the 2021 World Championships.

The 21-year-old WAIS athlete has been progressively moving up the overall rankings and finishes qualifying in 36th place with six more races to come. McAullay knows that getting off the start is critical and is making sense of the challenging racing.

"The racing is super tough with short-lasting shifts, and differing pressure on both sides of the course it can become quite confusing to know what you want to achieve upwind," McAullay remarked.

Australian Sailing Futures program sailor Sam King squeezed his way into the Gold fleet in 61st place with 63 boats progressing to Gold fleet racing.

It has been a frustrating week for reigning Under 21 World Champion Zac Littlewood, who has collected some large points along with letters on his scorecard so will continue finals racing in the Silver fleet.

Coach Rafa Trujillo knows it's been a difficult year so far for his athlete, "It's been a hard start of the season for Zac with both injury and illness which is a bit unlucky, Trujillo shared.

"This has meant he has struggled with consistent training and maintaining the fitness required to perform at the level we know he can."

Six more races are set to take place over the next three days in Vallarta, Mexico with similar conditions expected for the remainder of the event.

Australian Sailing Team (AST), Australian Sailing Squad (ASS), and Australian Sailing Futures (ASF) entries:

ILCA 7 (126 boats)

22nd - Finn Alexander (ASS) 20, (23), 20, 6, 9, 7 - 65pts
27th - Luke Elliott (AST) 1, (32), 32, 3, 14, 25 - 75pts
36th - Ethan McAullay (ASS) (34), 16, 26, 4, 22, 17 - 85pts
61st - Sam King (ASF) 24, 13, 28, (47), 38, 27 - 130pts
92nd - Zac Littlewood (AST) (DSQ), 26, 21, DNC. 51, 35 - 197pts

Matt Wearn (AST) - DNC (withdrawn from competition)

Full results available here.

Related Articles

AST and B&G extend high-performing partnership
Continuing a collaboration that has been critical to the success of the team AST has announced the renewal of its long-term partnership with B&G, the world's leading sailing navigation and instrument specialists, continuing a collaboration that has been critical to the success of the team over the past eight years. Posted on 2 Jul
Australian Sailing welcomes new CEO
Malcolm Page OAM brings a wealth of experience to the role Australian Sailing is pleased to announce the appointment of respected sports administrator and dual Olympic gold medallist Malcolm Page OAM OLY as its new Chief Executive Officer. Posted on 1 Jul
Bronze breakthrough for Liddell and Brown
Nacra 17 duo claim their first international podium at Kieler Woche Brin Liddell and Rhiannan Brown have claimed their first international podium in the Nacra 17 class, securing bronze at Kieler Woche, the third Sailing Grand Slam event of the season. Posted on 30 Jun
Aussies Break into Top 10 at Kieler Woche
Put to the test from light air to heavy breeze The first half of Kieler Woche has wrapped up in Germany, with Australian sailors putting themselves to the test in five Olympic classes. Kiel delivered a complete spectrum of conditions for athletes to sharpen their racing skills. Posted on 26 Jun
Vale Hugh Treharne OAM
The Australian sailing community is mourning the passing of one of its greatest contributors The Australian sailing community is mourning the passing of one of its greatest contributors, Hugh Treharne OAM, who died peacefully surrounded by his loving family in Sydney last night. Posted on 25 Jun
Australian Sailors ready to tackle Kiel Week
The third event within the five event Sailing Grand Slam Australia's Olympic class sailors are set to tackle Kiel Week, the third event within the five event Sailing Grand Slam, held in the north of Germany. Posted on 21 Jun
Zhik and Australian Sailing renew partnership
For a fourth Olympic cycle Zhik and Australian Sailing are proud to celebrate over a decade of partnership, one built on innovation, elite performance and podium success. Since 2013, the collaboration has helped deliver four Olympic gold medals and four silver medals. Posted on 20 Jun
Top 10 finishes for Aussie crews in Europeans
Australia's 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 sailors have wrapped up a demanding week in Greece Australia's 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 sailors have wrapped up a demanding European Championships in Thessaloniki, Greece, with light winds, lengthy delays, and multiple general recalls pushing teams to their limits throughout the week. Posted on 9 Jun
Young Aussie squad ready to shine at Europeans
Australia's fast boat sailors are set for the 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 Europeans in Greece Australia's fast boat sailors are set to take on the 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 European Championships this week in Thessaloniki, Greece. With up to 18 races scheduled over the next six days, it's set to be a high-intensity regatta. Posted on 2 Jun
Event updates dominate this week's industry news
A summary of news relevant to businesses across Oceania The 36th annual Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show (SCIBS) has once again cemented its status as the Southern Hemisphere's premier marine event, drawing an impressive 45,865 visitors over four spectacular days from 22-25 May. Posted on 29 May
Switch One DesignHyde Sails 2024 - One DesignSelden 2020 - FOOTER