Wearn Seals Dominant Victory in Hyeres

WA sailor Matt Wearn has won the laser title at the Hyeres World Cup event in France with a dominant campaign that saw the 23 year-old win eight of 12 races.

Wearn was in a class of his own in the strong breezes of Hyeres and had the regatta victory sewn up in advance of Saturday’s medal round, which he went on to win in any case.

He finished the week on 16 points, well ahead of New Zealander Sam Meech (49) and Australian Tom Burton (55).

Wearn said the result would build confidence ahead of an important year.

“It’s nice to get a win under my belt in 2019 and relieve a bit of pressure. It always looks good to have the ones (race wins) in the scorecard, it asserts that little bit of dominance.”

With a short turnaround ahead of the European Championships in Portugal this month, Australian Sailing Team coach Michael Blackburn emphasised the need for Wearn to stay focused.

“I think the laser fleet is still very open. Matt had a great regatta here but he knows he’s only as good as his last race, and there’s more to come in two weeks at the Europeans in Porto.”

There was disappointment for WA’s Luke Elliott who was pipped for bronze by a single point following the medal round, having occupied a spot in top three for the majority of the regatta.

Burton’s fourth place in the double points medal round, catapulted him ahead of Elliott, whose seventh place effort shifted him to fourth overall in a albeit still highly impressive campaign.

There was also plenty of encouragement for WA in the laser radial class, with emerging Perth talent Zoe Thomson making a good fist of the conditions to take seventh place overall in a high quality field.

After a slow start, Thomson found some impressive form in the back end to earn a race win and force her way into the medal round.

WA sisters Jacinta Ainsworth (19th on 209 points) and Elyse Ainsworth (28th on 264 points) also contested the regatta at Hyeres with some encouraging signs for both mixed in with some costly races in between.