WAIS Sonar Sailors Earn World Cup Silver
WAIS sailors Colin Harrison and Russell Boaden have won a silver medal at the weekend’s ISAF Sailing World Cup in France, whilst David Gilmour and his crew Rhys Mara have moved their world ranking to number one in the 49er class.
The Sonar competition stirred up several ups and downs throughout the week resulting in a final race showdown in the 18-boat fleet.
Australian’s Sonar crew of Paralympians Colin Harrison (WAIS), Russell Boaden (WAIS) and Jonathan Harris (NSW), won a bronze medal in Hyeres last year and went into the final race day once again ranked third.
After winning the first race they were only one point behind the leading French and it presented a winner takes all scenario for the final race of the regatta. The Australians had the advantage at the first mark, leading the French and German teams but the host nation crew battled their way back with Australia finishing the race behind them in fourth.
A first and a fourth place meant silver for Australia with the Germans taking bronze.
“Today we got a win in the first race, and a fourth in the second race. The fourth in the second race was so close, everyone going over the line could have touched each other. The fourth place put us into silver medal position, which is great news for us because the last few regattas we’ve only ever got bronzes. So we’ve got rid of the bronze curse,” Jonathan Harris said.
Regarding the overall event he added, “The regatta overall has been fantastic, the racing has been very close and competitive. We’re really looking forward to going to the next regatta and consolidating what we’ve done today.”
The Australian Paralympic team boats will continue to the Netherlands to compete at the Delta Lloyd Regatta 26- 30 May 2015.
Australia has already qualified all three boat classes after the 2014 IFDS Sailing World Championships for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. This is the first time that Australia qualified all boat Paralympic boat classes this early in the cycle.
The next ISAF Sailing World Cup regatta in Weymouth and Portland, Great Britain will feature the 2.4mR, SKUD18 and Sonar with racing commencing on 10 June. For many of the athletes it will mark a return to the venue of the London 2012 Paralympic Sailing Competition.
In the men’s 49er class Medal Race, WAIS sailor David Gilmour and Rhys Mara (VIC) went into the race ranked third, with only eight points separating them from Germany in fourth.
They were in control for the first half of the race, before disaster struck on the second downwind section as Gilmour and Mara capsized and lost their third position. As a consequence they dropped down the pack and came through in ninth. The Germans capitalised on the Australians misfortune, coming through in fourth to steal bronze.
Their mood was improved however, at the culmination of the world cup, with the latest world rankings listing the Australian duo as the current world number one partnership in the 49er class.
WAIS laser sailor Matthew Wearn endured a trying week of sailing in France, finishing 17th in the fleet. His Australian counterpart Tom Burton claimed victory following a solid run that included five podium finishes. Wearn’s ranking sits at eight.
Fellow WAIS laser sailor Luke Elliot managed a best race finish of ninth place, as he finished 26th overall.
In the women’s skiff 49erFX, Tess Lloyd and her WAIS crew Caitlin Elks finished 21st in Hyeres, with Australian sailors Olivia Price and Eliza Solly registering a ninth place finish.
Lloyd and Elks currently hold a world ranking of sixth place, one behind Price and Solly in fifth.
The ISAF Sailing World Cup Hyeres (April 22-26) is the first major event on the road to Rio 2016 selection and the third of five 2015 ISAF Sailing World Cup series events that lead up to the ISAF Sailing World Cup Final in Abu Dhabi later this year. Top results at the key international regattas are required to be named in the Australian Sailing Team and to be nominated for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic teams.
-YachtingAus