Nicholas Wins Junior World Title
WAIS sailor Conor Nicholas has won a junior world championship title at the Laser Youth Radial World Championships in Canada.
Nicholas won the title ahead of Italian Gianmarco Planchestainer by a single point after the pair had traded podium finishes at the head of the fleet over the week of racing.
The duo was destined for a final race battle for gold, before weather conditions forced the race to be called off, leaving the Western Australian as the new world champion.
Nicholas’ campaign featured a highly consistent week of sailing that included six podium finishes as he kept himself at the front end of the fleet and firmly in medal calculations throughout.
Bronze went to US sailor Nic Baird.
WAIS was also represented in the women’s event, with Elyse Ainsworth producing an impressive worlds debut to finish eighth. Jacinta Ainsworth also contested the championships, recording a 21stposition finish overall.
Hungary’s Maria Erdi claimed gold, with Uruguay’s Dolores Moreira in silver and Magdalena Kwasna of Poland in bronze.
Elyse Ainsworth’s efforts also saw her ranked second in the U17 classifications, behind Moreira.