Emerging Nations Set Sail in Perth

Published On: 8 December 2009

The Emerging Nations were in action in Fremantle

Olympic class sailors Serbian Dany Stanisic (Laser) and Colombian Nicolas Lozano (RS:X) are today a step closer to reaching the Olympics, after winning their events at the Inaugural Perth 2011 Emerging Nations Programme (ENP) Regatta on the weekend.

Stanisic and Lozano secured wins in Fremantle, ahead of some of Perth’s best, including scholarship holders from the Western Australian Institute of Sport.

WAIS Executive Director Steve Lawrence commented that it was a positive for WAIS athletes to gain experience against international fleets so close to home.

“It’s great to see WAIS sailors getting international competition in their own backyard through Perth 2011’s Emerging Nations Programme,” he said.

“WAIS is happy to support initiatives that help sailing in WA keep developing champion athletes like (Olympic Gold Medallists) Belinda Stowell, Elise Rechichi and Tessa Parkinson.”

Despite the final stage of racing being cancelled and results from previous race being taken as the final, competitors’ spirits were not dampened, said Perth 2011 Event Director John Longley.

“The winds were howling at 25-30 knots and at one stage we had more boats (Lasers)

upturned than the right way up. For safety reasons the race was abandoned but the athletes were all having a great time,” Longley said.

Apart from providing the ENP athletes with experience, the regatta was also held to test the courses for the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships.

“It was good for Perth 2011 to test the courses and discover how best to operate the racing, two years out from the main Event.”

WAIS and ENP Head Coach Belinda Stowell, believed Stanisic made vast improvements in Perth, following defeat in the first regatta against WAIS sailor Ryan Hannan.

“After speaking to Dany, he said I am going to learn from this and next time I am going to win,” Stowell said.

Stanisic backed up those claims, relegating Hannan to second, with ENP’s Andrew Lewis of Trinidad and Tobago powering through for third.

Colombian Nicolas Lozano also enjoyed a productive campaign taking victory in the RS:X trophy ahead of the ENP’s Qasim Abbas of Pakistan and Bermuda’s Alex Jones.