Sam Meech wins Laser Junior World Championships Title

Sam Meech, NZL Sailing Team Laser sailor, has taken out the 2011 Laser Junior World Championship which concluded over the weekend in La Rochelle, France.

“It is really cool to have won the regatta. I went to the event aiming to win, so I am really happy to have achieved it”, says Meech, pictured at left on the podium.

“The conditions were great for sailing, although we could have done without the rain earlier on in the week. We ended up getting about 10-15knots just about every day so it was easy to get all the races completed.”

More accustomed to competing alongside the world’s best in the Olympic class senior Laser fleet at ISAF World Cup Sailing Regattas, Meech fits the under-21 age bracket required to compete for this Junior World title, and he made it look easy.

Meech explains, “The format of four qualifying days made all the results really close. It was really good for me as it kept the pressure on right until the last race.”

Up against 147 junior Laser sailors from around the world, the young kiwi took a total of eight race wins across the twelve race series, and only finished outside the top two in one race. While the title wasn’t in the bag until the final day, Meech finished the regatta nine points clear of the silver medallist, Alex Mills-Barton from Great Britain.

Martin Evans, also from Great Britain, claimed the bronze.

Meech, who represents the Tauranga Yacht and Powerboat Club is the youngest of five Laser sailors in Yachting New Zealand’s NZL Sailing Team. In 2009 he won gold for New Zealand at the prestigious ISAF Youth World Championships and was named joint winner of the 2009 New Zealand Young Sailor of the Year.

Meech adds this junior world title to his previous best result in 2011 which was an impressive fourth place at the ISAF Sailing World Cup Regatta in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

He explains what’s on next:- “I am now going to sail in Weymouth for a week and then I am back in New Zealand until the ISAF Worlds in Perth.”

Two more kiwis were in La Rochelle for the event including Spencer Loxton, who placed 30th overall and Michael Cate, who finished in 56th.