Top Paris2024 sailors shift focus to the Womens America's Cup
by America's Cup Media 4 Aug 2024 14:46 NZST
Odile van Aarnolt/Annette Duetz (NED) - 49er FX - - Marseille - Paris2024 Olympic Regatta - July 28, 2024 © World Sailing / Lloyd Images
Newly crowned Olympic Champions in the Womens Skiff event, Odile van Aanholt and Annette Duetz (NED), are both members of the JAJO DutchSail Women’s America’s Cup Team. Six crews sailing in the 49erFX at Marseille will compete in the Women's America's Cup, starting in six weeks on September 17.
After a challenging series in Marseille, the Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing Venue, followed by a desperately close medal race, the Dutch pairing of Odile van Aanholt and Annette Duetz came out on top to win Gold.
Both members of the JAJO DutchSail Women’s America’s Cup Team, Odile and Annette were the hot favourites before the regatta but had to work hard right to the end to secure the most valuable of medals.
Pushing Odile and Annette to the very last leg of the medal race were the Swedish Challenge Women’s America’s Cup Team members, Vilma Bobeck and Rebecca Netzler, who secured a magnificent silver medal and very nearly scooped the gold.
Coming down the final leg, some confusion arose around the finishing line with the starting committee boat setting a mark just off their quarter that looked for all the world like the designated finishing line. However, a further committee boat, actually flying an indicative flag, lay further down the course and was initially unseen by the Dutch pair who were leading the race. Having crossed the ‘false’ finishing line, Odile and Annette dropped their national flagged asymmetric spinnaker and rounded up to watch the others finishing, confident that they had secured gold.
Vilma and Rebecca, however, spotted the second finishing line and continued at pace downwind to the real finish. Realising their error, Odile and Annette re-launched their kite and blasted off to the real finish line, crossing the line in third place just one second behind the Italian crew of Jana Germani and Georgia Bertuzzi and some 8 seconds behind the Swedish winners of the race. It was enough, just, to secure the gold medal.
A thrilling end to a fabulous series in the 49erFX that saw a huge range of conditions that challenged the sailors to the extreme. Other Puig Women’s America’s Cup sailors, competing in the series, included: Jo Aleh & Molly Meech (New Zealand 7th), Olivia Price & Evie Haseldine (Australia 9th), Stephanie Roble & Maggie Shea (USA 10th), Tamara Echegoyen & Martin Barcelo (Spain 12th), and Freya Black and Saskia Tidey (GBR 16th).
There is more action to come from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games with many of the UniCredit Youth America’s Cup and Puig Women’s America’s Cup athletes still competing.
And that is not to forget Luna Rossa AC75 helmsman Ruggero Tita, the defending Olympic champion, who is competing in the Nacra 17 class and is currently leading overall.