Aleh and Powrie finish 6th at 470 Worlds

Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie have finished 6th competing in their first 470 World Championship at the regatta just concluded in Denmark.

Lying in 8th position going into the final day, a 2nd in last night’s medal race saw the kiwi pair improve to finish 6th overall in the fleet of 57 boats. The 470 is the women’s double-handed dinghy for the 2012 Olympic Games and Aleh and Powrie show great promise in the class with this first ever World Championship result.

The New Zealanders, both from Auckland, sailed with consistency finishing in the top ten in all but two of the 13 races sailed. Their score card included two race wins during the qualifying rounds and a 2nd in last night’s high pressure medal race.

The 2009 Women’s 470 World Championship title went to Lisa Westerhof and Lobke Berkhout of the Netherlands, who after seven days of racing had an impressive 26 point winning margin over silver medal winners Tara Pacheco and Berta Betanzos of Spain. Frances’ Ingrid Petitjean and Nadège Douroux were third for bronze.

Over in the Men’s Championship Paul Snow-Hansen and Jason Saunders concluded the regatta in 14th place, and team-mates Geoff Woolley and Mark Overington were 23rd. The Men’s fleet included 95 boats.

470 World Championships 2009
New Zealand’s Final Results

Women’s Championship (57 boats)
6th Jo Aleh & Olivia Powrie

Men’s Championship (95 boats)
14th Paul Snow-Hansen & Jason Saunders
23rd Geoff Woolley & Mark Overington