49er gets Top Ten finish at Euro Champs

Olympic class 49er sailors Peter Burling and Blair Tuke have pulled off a top ten finish at the 2010 49er European Championships which concluded overnight in Gdynia, Poland. The young kiwis were ninth in the fleet of 82 boats.

After a shaky start to the six day long regatta the young kiwi pair clawed their way back improving in the standings as the regatta unfolded. After the initial day of racing – in 30 degree heat and less than seven knots of breeze - they were placed close to the middle of the fleet in 39th place in the overall standings. Burling reported that they couldn’t get on the correct side of a wind shift all day.

But more breeze kicked in on day two and the kiwis produced some solid results to climb up the board into 14th, improving on that as the regatta continued to unfold.

After three days of qualifying, two days of finals culminating in the final day of the regatta where the top ten placed crews sailed a double point’s medal race in around eight knots of breeze and in front of a 5,000 strong crowd on the beach. Lying ninth going into the final day of racing Burling and Tuke placed sixth in the medal race which saw them secure ninth as their final position.

"We performed more strongly in the windier races but were pleased to get practice racing in such a strong fleet in the lighter wind ranges,” reports Peter Burling at the conclusion of the regatta. “Obviously not such a good result as our silver medal at Medemblik which was a windier regatta, but after our difficult first day in the light conditions, we were pleased to make the medal race."

Team GBR’s Chris Draper and Peter Greenhalgh secured the 49er European Championship ahead of French pair Manu Dyen and Stephane Christidis.

Last year’s champions, the Sibello brothers from Italy had a one point margin over the kiwis going into the medal race, but went on to secure the race win which saw them advance up the board to finish seventh.

Burling and Tuke will be part of the full NZL Sailing Team contingent competing at Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta at Weymouth, England early in August. This regatta provides the New Zealanders with an opportunity to test the 2010 Olympic Sailing venue two years out from the big event.

2010 49er European Championships Final Result
9th – Peter Burling and Blair Tuke (NZL)