Please select your home edition
Edition
Zhik 2024 December

Silver flows for Thomson, Burton and Paul in Palma

by John Curnow / Australian Sailing Team 9 Apr 2023 09:19 AEST 3-8 April 2023
Tom Burton and Max Paul - Trofeo Princesa Sofia Regatta © Beau Outteridge

It was a breakthrough kind of day for Australian sailors in Palma today, with Zoe Thomson (ILCA 6) and Tom Burton OAM and Max Paul (49er) both claiming silver medals in personal best international performances that highlight their intentions for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The double points medal races never fail to provide excitement. Thomson got off the line in second place and held that until the end to finish three points ahead of Maxime Jonker (NED). The West Australian's regatta result included a race win, as well as many other top ten results.

On the 49er course Burton and Paul finished the medal race in sixth, good enough to move them up from third to second and adding yet another single digit result in a string of great efforts in their 13-race campaign.

Fellow 'skiffies' Colley Shaun Connor were fourth in the 49er Medal Race to move up from ninth yesterday to finish in fifth position overall in this vibrant and enticing Olympic Class.

Matt Wearn OAM was third in the ILCA 7 Medal Race to finish in seventh place overall. This is solid news as the Tokyo Gold Medallist begins his run to Marseilles, after spending most of 2022 sidelined with illness. A strong, 11-race campaign that saw a race win and the dreaded black flag marked against his scores will offer him plenty of areas to focus on for the rest of the busy season, which includes the Olympic Test Event from July 7 to 16.

Australian Sailing Technical Director, Michael Blackburn said of the team's efforts in Palma, "Going into the regatta we were logically looking to Nacra 17 and ILCA 7 for medal performances, but Jason (Waterhouse) and Lisa (Darmanin), as well as Matt, were held up by some racing issues. Instead, we were very pleasantly surprised by results in the 49er and ILCA 6.

"Tom and Max scored an easy personal best in the 49er, and for TB (Burton) it's more than vindication for his change to the 49er with this week's demonstration that he still has that Laser-focus that won him Gold in Rio (2016). Zoe also scored a solid career personal best against a full-quality fleet, improving in starting and speed around the course. Zoe finished behind only the Netherland's multi-Olympic medal winner, Marit Bouuwmeester."

There can be no doubt that Burton wants to be the best ever who has converted from the Laser to the 49er. He said once back ashore, "First medal race and first Euro medal. Both Max and I are pretty stoked that we held it together racing with the big boys at the front of the fleet. It's a great motivator, and an awesome way to start the season."

"Obviously the racing is always tight in this fleet. It's easy to have some bad days and get stuck in silver. So making the most of the opportunity we gave ourselves was a high priority, and we delivered well today."

Zoe Thomson was first to the weather mark today, but slipped one down on the first run back downhill. This far from perturbed her, however. "I knew I had to come today and bring a good performance. It feels good. It has been a lot of hard work with the whole squad to start getting some results all together. It feels like a good validation of all that effort to be on the podium."

Matt Wearn OAM is definitively the right stuff, and said after racing, "Actually quite disappointed with the end result. Felt like I sailed well all week, and just a couple of unfortunate errors with the BFD cost me greatly. It's an ok result at the end of the day, but I didn't come here to finish seventh. The upside is we have a lot we can work on going forward, and we aren't too far from the top. Eyes are firmly set on Hyeres in a few weeks' time."

Shaun Connor commented, "After a tricky qualifying series and entering the finals in 24th place, we have progressively made our way up the field to go into the medal race in ninth. Jim and I are happy with our progression throughout the event, but felt we missed a few critical things to go on to improve in Hyeres."

Wrapping up the regatta was Iain Brambell, the AST High Performance Director who said, "Our Aussie sailors delivered impressive performances. As a team we came into Palma to build on the hard work each squad dedicated throughout the Aussie summer."

"There have been significant learnings in Palma that continue to build excitement and momentum throughout the entire team. We are positioned well at this point, especially as we head towards affirming Olympic qualification spots at the 2023 World Sailing Championships."

Most of the squad will be heading off to race in Hyeres, France from April 22-29.

Visit the event website for full results.

Australian Sailing Team (AST), Australian Sailing Squad (ASS), Australian Sailing Futures (ASF) and Australian sailors at the Trofeo Princesa Sofia Regatta:

Women's ILCA 6 - 112 Entries

2nd - Zoe Thomson (AST) - 6, 2, 1, 3, 17, (39), 21, 20, 7, 6, 4 (87 points)
12th - Elyse Ainsworth (ASS) - 15, 9, 17, 4, 10, 4, 19, 7, 29, (31) (114 points)
23rd - Mara Stransky (ASS) - 12, 21, 33, 4, 3, UFD 55, 7, RET (55), 4, 1 (140 points)
26th - Casey Imeneo (ASS) - 12, 17, 10, 6, 18, (38), 30, 31, 24, 4 (152 points)
72nd - Sylvie Stannage (ASF) - 39, 26, 13, 36, 21, 27, (44), 38, 27, 8 (235 Points)
76th - Paige Caldecoat (ASF) - 35, 27, 43, 26, 33, 40, 14, 30, 2, BFD (55) (251 points)

Men's 49er - 101 Entries

2nd - Tom Burton OAM and Max Paul (ASS) - UFD (34), 8, 7, 5, 6, 12, 3, 3, 5, 3, 11, 1, 12 (76 points)
5th - Jim Colley and Shaun Connor (AST) - STP 11, STP 3, 9, 9, 13, 4, 5, (21), 15, 1, 10, 5, 8 (93 points)
28th - Tom Needham and Joel Turner (ASS) - STP 17, UFD (34), 12, 8, 9, 3, 1, 6, 8, 18, 12, 6 (100 points)
44th - David Gilmour and Simon Hoffman (AUS) - 4, 5, 21, 22, 19, 28, 22, (35), 7, 26, 16, 13 (183 points)
45th - Tom Cunich and Miles Davey (ASF) - 13, 18, 18, 8, 18, (34), 10, 21, 27, 25, 6, 21 (185 points)

Men's ILCA 7 - 188 Entries

7th - Matt Wearn OAM (AST) - 4, 1, BFD (63), 4, 13, 3, 11, 7, 27, 6, 6 (82 points)
20th - Finn Alexander (ASS) - 9, 6, 11, 11, 13, 25, (51), 31, 13, 32 (151 points)
33rd - Ethan Mcaullay (ASS) - 1, 18, (53), 22, 7, 32, 33, 24, 42, 8 (187 points)
57th - Luke Elliott (ASS) - 3, 6, 31, 20, 19, 51, BFD (63), 39, 48, 55 (275 points)
75th - Stefan Elliott-Shircore (ASF) - 28, 31, DNC (63), 20, 21, BFD 63, 30, 12, 6, 1 (212 points)
95th - Zac Littlewood (ASS) - BFD (63), 3, 12, 33, 30, BFD 63, BFD 63, 30, 13, 2 (249 points)
137th - Will Sargent (ASF) - 48, 35, 42, 49, 49, BFD (63), 3, 5, 24, 27 (282 points)

Mixed Nacra 17 - 53 Entries

11th - Jason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin (AST) - 3, 10, 10, 5, 5, 16, 2, 16, 7, 10, 14, (20) (98 points)
18th - Jake Liddell and Lucy Copeland (ASS) - 4, 8, 5, 8, 6, 18, 17, (24), 20, 12, 22, 15 (135 points)
20th - Brin Liddell and Rhiannan Brown (ASF) - 9, 13, 6, 10, 13, 21, 7, 11, 17, 22, 20, (24) (149 points)
22nd - Rueben and Rita Booth (AUS) - 12, 9, 7, 13, 12, 11, 12, 23, 11, 23, (24), 22 (155 points)
36th - Archie Gargett and Sarah Hoffman (ASF) - 9, DNC (27), 15, 17, 14, 11, 1, 7, UFD 27, 2, UFD 27, 12 (142 points)

Women's 49erFX - 64 Entries

12th - Olivia Price and Evie Haseldine (ASS) - 17, 5, 18, 2, 5, 9, 10, 9, (21), 9, 11, 20 (115 points)
30th - Laura Harding and Annie Wilmot (ASS) - 11, 11, 12, 9, 19, 22, UFD (36), 4, 10, 20, 3, 1 (122 points)
38th - Tess Lloyd and Dervla Duggan (ASS) - 15, 10, 11, 14, 19, (26), 15, 19, 22, 15, 2, 7 (159 points)

Men's iQFOiL - 138 Entries

12th - Grae Morris (ASS) - 15, 5, 16, 12, (29), 7, 5, (39), 7, 3, 2, DNC (69), 8, 5 (124 points)
66th - Stephen Allen (ASS) - 35, (39), 22, 35, 21, 9, 7, 33, (39), 21, 61, 42, DNC (69), DNC (69) (394 points)
72nd - Harry Joyner (ASS) - 17, 25, 41, 33, 33, 26, (48), 1, 8, (13) (184 points)
120th - Jack Marquardt (AUS) - 39, 29, (62), 47, 45, 58, 62, DNC 47, 41, (52) (368 points)

Mixed 470 - 72 Entries

17th - Nia Jerwood and Conor Nicholas (ASS) - 11, 12, 5, 12, 3, 18, 28, 6, UFD (37), 25 (120 points)
60th - Sophie Jackson and Angus Higgins (ASF) - 21, 24, 25, 5, RET (37), 34, 29, 31, 26, 24 (219 points)

Women's Formula Kite - 53 Entries

14th - Breiana Whitehead (AST) - (13), 11, 4, 8, 10, 4, DNC (28), 13, 7, 15, DNC (29), DNC (29), 11, 11, 24, 4 (135 points)

Men's Formula Kite - 81 Entries

33rd - Hector Paturau (ASS) - 7, 5, 7, (12), 10, 6, 9, (11), 5, DNC (30), 10, 7, (19), 14, 1, 3 (95 points)
66th - Oscar Timm (ASF) - 13, 11, (19), DNC (30), 15, 15, 12, 14, 11, (16), 5, 13 (109 points)

Women's iQFOiL - 100 Entries

83rd - Samantha Costin (ASS) - DNF (51), 39, 29, 41, 28, 36, (47), 42, 41, 32, 26 (314 points)

Related Articles

Tough conditions test Morris
As iQFOiL World Championships wrap up The iQFOiL World Championships have drawn to a close in Aarhus, Denmark, following a week of light and unpredictable wind that tested both race officials and athletes to the limit. Posted on 11 Jul
Grae Morris Takes on the iQFOiL Worlds
Shifty conditions on the first day in Aarhus, Denmark Aarhus, Denmark is serving up everything but predictability as the iQFOiL World Championships get under way, and Australian Olympic silver medallist Grae Morris is ready to assert his place at the top of the new Olympic cycle. Posted on 6 Jul
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
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
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
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
Whitehead finish 9th at Formula Kite Europeans
A confident return to international competition in Urla, Türkiye Australia's Breiana Whitehead has made a confident return to international competition, finishing ninth overall at the 2025 Formula Kite European Championships in Urla, Türkiye. Posted on 20 May
Littlewood claims bronze in ILCA7 Worlds
It was a tale of two winds that decided the World Champions Zac Littlewood has claimed a bronze medal at the ILCA 7 World Championships in Qingdao, China, after an intense and unpredictable week of racing. Posted on 17 May
North Sails Loft 57 PodcastSydney Boat Show 2025 - Apply to ExhibitHyde Sails 2024 - One Design