Sara Winther leads Laser Radials at French Olympic Sailing Week

With qualifiers now finished, NZL Sailing Team member Sara Winther (pictured) is wearing the yellow bib in the Laser Radial Class at French Olympic Sailing Week. Andy Maloney is second in the Laser Class, and Olympic Gold Medallist Tom Ashley lies fourth in the Men’s RS:X.

Consistency is winning through for Sara Winther (pictured), who has secured podium finishes in five out of six races in the tough 98-strong Laser Radial fleet.

The regatta is one of the most important in the year before an Olympic Games, but for Sara there is a strategic aspect:

“Even though I am wearing the yellow bib at the moment I am not getting sidetracked from what I set out to do in this regatta,” she says. “I am still trying new techniques and strategies and will continue to do this for the next two days and hopefully then into the medal race.”

Two race wins gave Andy Maloney the points boost he needed to take second place in the Laser, nine points behind Tom Slingsby of Australia. With the next two placegetters just two points off, and only a narrow margin separating the top ten, Andy will need to continue to place well when the fleet is split into Gold, Silver and Bronze tomorrow.

Other NZL Sailing Team competitors also hold very respectable positions in the Laser fleet – Andrew Murdoch in 10th, Josh Junior in 11th, and Mike Bullot in 12th.

Meanwhile Tom Ashley, sitting on fourth in the RS:X Men’s, and five points off the lead, is happy that he is sailing fast, but for three races in a row made a wrong call on the first upwind leg.

“If I can get to the correct side of the first upwind I should be able to do a bit better! The top five is very close together so racing will be very tough,” he comments.

The RS:X will sail four races in the final series, and a medal race on Friday to complete the regatta.

Dan Slater won two races in light conditions on Day 2 in the Finn Class, but slipped to 12th place after a 22nd and an OCS.

In total, New Zealand has twelve sailors in the top twenty in their respective divisions.

Tuesday’s racing was conducted in light winds, with 5-7 knots of breeze blowing offshore.

Racing continues through the week and medal races will be staged on Friday 29th (European time) in front of the Hyères harbour jetty.

Standings after Day 3:

Men’s RS:X (90 entries)
Tom Ashley (NZL Sailing Team)-4th (13 points)
Jon-Paul Tobin (NZL Sailing Team) -13th (39 points)
Antonio Cozzolino-16th (42 points)

Women’s RS:X (75 entries)
Stefanie Williams-44th (99 points)
Justina Sellers-41st (94 points)
Natalia Kosinska-24th (58 points)
Georgia Schofield-69th (156 points)
Jazmine Lynch-59th (133 points)

Laser (155 entries)
Andrew Murdoch (NZL Sailing Team)-10th (33 points)
Mike Bullot (NZL Sailing Team)-12th (35 points)
Andy Maloney (NZL Sailing Team) -2nd (21 points)
Sam Meech (NZL Sailing Team) -54th (84 points)
Josh Junior (NZL Sailing Team) -11th (34 points)

Laser Radial (98 entries)
Sara Winther (NZL Sailing Team) -1st (11 points)
Rachel Basevi-39th (91 points)
Miranda Powrie-15th (49 points)

Finn (81 entries)
Dan Slater (NZL Sailing Team)-12th (40 points)
Matt Coutts-28th (69 points)

Men’s 470 (106 entries)
Paul Snow-Hansen and Jason Saunders (NZL Sailing Team) -15th (50 points)

Women’s Match Racing
Stephanie Hazard, Jenna Hansen and Susannah Pyatt (NZL Sailing Team)-no races sailed in Silver Round Robin today

Regatta website: http://sof.ffvoile.net/