NZL Sailing Team: Turbulent conditions prove to be a challenge in Trofeo Princesa Sofia
by Sail-World.com/nz 2 Apr 21:27 PDT
ILCA 6 fleet - Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca - Day 2 - April 2, 2024 © Sailing Energy
Several NZ sailors are near the sharp end of the leaderboard after the second day of the 2024 Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca in Palma.
After a delayed start to their campaign due to big breeze and waves on Day 1, Jo Aleh and Molly Meech are fourth overall in the 49erFX fleet thanks to back-to-back low scores of 5th and 3rd in the two races sailed in their qualifying group.
Best performed of the Kiwi team is 2024 Olympic nominee, Josh Armit who is fourth in the men's windfoil (iQFoil), only five points off the early leader. Two single-digit scores in four races have put Micah Wilkinson and Erica Dawson sixth in the Nacra 17 competition.
The four crews recently announced as the NZ Olympic sailing team for Paris 2024 are competing, along with Paris 2024 nominees from several other nations.
New Kiwi pairing of Mattias Coutts and Henry Haslett are lying 13th overall in the 49er skiff after scoring 7,6,3 and 10th in the opening four races of qualifying.
Paris 2024 nominee, Thomas Saunders lies 21st in the 193 boat fleet, after four races in the Mens Singlehanded ILCA7 event.
Greta Pilkington is 39th overall also after four races in the Womens Singlehander (ILCA6).
In the Womens Kiteboard, Justina Kitchen lies 14th overall after seven races. Lukas Walton-Keim lies 20th in the Mens Kiteboard.
Only three races have been sailed in the Womens iQFoil event, Veerle ten Have was one of 46 competitors not scored as a finisher in Race 3, and lies in 20th overall with her alphabet score being a series discard.
In the Mixed 470 class, Derek Scott an Rebecca Hume lie 40th overall after three races.
For full results www.trofeoprincesasofia.org/en/default/races/race-resultsall