RS:X

Our Youth Team sailors compete in Great Britain

Four members of the 2011 NZL Yachting Trust Youth Team have just competed in the RYA Volvo Youth Nationals at Hayling Island in the UK honing their skills in large and highly competitive fleets.

2011 is the first year in which international sailors have lined up at the RYA Volvo Youth Nationals, and GBR’s team for Croatia will be selected based on results at this regatta.

The kiwi girls in particular have come away with promising results.

Molly Meech – Laser Radial - 1st Girl (8th overall)
Georgia Schofield (pictured) – RS:X – 1st Girl (11th overall)

NZL Sailing Team prepare for Hyeres Regatta

Hyeres, France will soon play host to the world’s best Olympic class sailors including a large kiwi team for the fourth ISAF Sailing World Cup Regatta for the 2010-2011 season. The regatta is known as Semaine Olympique Francaise (or French Olympic Sailing Week) and racing runs over six days from April 24th – 29th.

2011 NZL Yachting Trust Youth Team named

Yachting New Zealand is pleased to announce the NZL Yachting Trust Youth Team for 2011. Twelve sailors will represent New Zealand at the prestigious ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships to be staged in Zadar, Croatia between 7th and 16th July this year.

Medals Decided On The Final Day At The Trofeo S.A.R. Princess Sofia MAPFRE - Ashley grabs silver in RS:X

In the men's RS:X Dorian Van Rijsselberge (NED) has been in similar form to Alabau throughout the week and won the gold medal by 18 points. Nick Dempsey (GBR), who had been pushing van Rijsselberge hard all week, had a frustrating final day and finished last in the Medal Race. He looked to have a silver medal all sewn up heading into the Medal Race but Tom Ashley (NZL) came third to leapfrog Dempsey and grab the silver medal. Dempsey had to settle with bronze. Kiwi Antonio Cozzolino finshed 20th in a fleet of 66. In the womens fleet Steffanie Williams was the only kiwi and finished 31st in a fleet of 44.

ISAF World Cup, Spain – Ashley still in third into the medal race

Tom Ashley retains his place in third going into the medal race for the Men’s RS:X after coming off the water with a fourth and an eighth on the penultimate day sailed in similar conditions to day four.

A good day for the NZL Sailing Team in Palma - Ashley still on the rise

Overall it was a good day for the NZL Sailing Team many improving their overall position with five of the kiwis now up into the top five, and our match racers into the quarter finals with two days to sail. Tom Ashley has also improved his position, moving into third place after day four of racing.

ISAF World Cup, Spain: Tom Ashley continues to climb

Past halfway and seven NZL crews in top ten. The ISAF World Cup Regatta for Olympic classes on in Spain is now past the halfway mark with qualifying rounds complete and three days of racing left to determine the medals. Tom Ashley continues to climb through the standings gaining five places overnight and moving up into fourth overall.

ISAF World Cup, Spain: Light and shifty on day two and Ashley comes back

Racing continued for the kiwi Olympic class sailors in Spain overnight sailing day two of the ISAF World Cup Regatta with very different conditions to those experienced on day one. “As promised, a better day today!” says Tom Ashley. “Much more reasonable conditions, but more importantly I didn't sail like a ‘muppet’ so results were much more respectable”

ISAF World Cup, Spain - Tom Ashley had "a very bad day"

Tom Ashley lies 22nd in the Men’s RS:X and was candid in describing how day one was for him: - “Had a very bad day! Conditions were pretty extreme - 25-35 knots blowing from the North. I placed 34 and 12. “In the first race I had my equipment set up horribly and just struggled to get going. Then I had a swim on the first downwind and took ages to get up and sailing again. On the second lap I managed to get moving a bit but the damage was done. The second race was better- at least I was in the race although still not in front.

New Zealand contingent in Mallorca, Spain for ISAF Sailing World Cup

A strong contingent of New Zealand’s Olympic class sailors are in Palma de Mallorca, Spain for the third of seven regattas which make up the prestigious ISAF Sailing World Cup. Tom Ashley is the only board sailor representing New Zealand.