Burling and Tuke retain 3rd, Wind works for Tobin

It was another windy Weymouth day as competition continued for New Zealand’s RS:X windsurfers, 49er, Finn and Star sailors at the Weymouth and Portland 2011 International Regatta.

Peter Burling and Blair Tuke hold onto 3rd position in the 49er skiff event sailing another three races last night on the Nothe course area and have now completed a total of nine races over three days.

Their results from the day included a 9th, a 5th and a 3rd and they go into a rest day with 38 points total, ten behind Aussies rivals, and friends, Nathan Outteridge and Ian Jensen on 28.

“Really close racing in the 49er, it looked really shifty and puffy on the Nothe course and the boys were never safe with their four lap 30-32 minute races,” reports Richard Burling, (Peter’s Dad).

“They went back to restart in the first race of day which had them in catch up mode all race, but just as well they went back as the boats either side of them were scored OCS.”

Iker de Lizarduy and Xabier Fernandez Gaztanaga have the lead on 24 points after sailing home with a 3rd, a win and a 2nd in last night’s breeze.

Jon-Paul Tobin had his best day of the regatta yet, back on the water after a rest day to finish 2nd and 4th in the two races sailed. “Superb conditions for racing today,” he declared at the end of the day, pleased with how it went.

The good results provide him big gains in the overall standings climbing from 8th to 5th as the series moves into the business end. Points are tight around Tobin who has 43; Prezemyslaw Miarczynski of Poland is just in front with 40, while French sailor Julian Bontemps is two points behind on 45.

The ding dong battle for the lead continues between local boy Nick Dempsey and Dutch sailor Dorian van Rijsselberghe who each picked up a win and a 3rd overnight and still share the top spot with 11 points each.

Natalia Kosinska, representing New Zealand in the women’s fleet, was 12th and 14th in last night’s races and sits in 9th overall in good shape to secure a start in the medal race.

Two more qualifying races are scheduled in both the Men’s and Women’s RS:X for tonight, with a rest day to follow ahead of the Medal Race on Thursday in Weymouth.

Both Dan Slater in the Finn and Hamish Pepper and Craig Monk in the Star will be frustrated to collect a discard race overnight, Slater ruled OCS in the opening race of day three of competition in the Men’s heavy-weight dinghy. He came back fighting with a 4th in the next race but slides from 6th to 9th in the standings as a result.

Pepper and Monk finished 10th in their opening race of the day but suffering rig damage were unable to start in the second race and record a DNS on the board. They now have a rest day to take stock and ensure the boat is back in shape before returning to the water.

Andrew Murdoch remains the best placed of the kiwis at this stage lying 2nd overall in the hard fought Laser event. He, along with Sara Winther, and New Zealand’s two 470 crews were on a rest day overnight so there is no change to their standings.

They’ll be back in action, along with the windsurfers tonight, while the 49er, Finn and Star fleets will take a break.

Weymouth and Portland 2011 International Regatta
New Zealand’s Current Standings

2nd - Andrew Murdoch: Laser (4, 5, 2, 3, 11, 4)
3rd - Peter Burling and Blair Tuke: 49er (11, 16, 3, 3, 1, 3, 9, 5, 3)
5th - Jon-Paul Tobin: RS:X Men (6, 6, 9, 16, 5, 11, 2, 4)
8th - Hamish Pepper and Craig Monk: Star (5, 2, 15, 7, 10, 22DNS)
9th - Dan Slater: Finn (13, 18, 5, 2, 28OCS, 4)
9th - Natalia Kosinska: RS:X Women (12, 10, 4, 7, 7, 11, 12, 14)
9th - Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie: 470 Women (21, 11, 2, 26 BFD, 3, 3)
15th - Paul Snow-Hansen and Jason Saunders: 470 Men (17, 16, 4, 13, 15, 33OCS)
25th - Sara Winther: Radial (11, 26, 26, 21, 15, 25)

About this regatta:

The Weymouth and Portland 2011 International Regatta is an official London 2012 Test Event and part of the London Prepares series.

Racing runs from 2nd – 13th August with medal races scheduled over the final three days starting with the Men’s and Women’s RS:X on 11th August. All ten of the Olympic events are being contested with each nation able to send just one entry to each event.

YNZ will issue daily reports focussing on the kiwi team which will be published on www.yachtingnz.org.nz.