WAIS Sailors Pick up Medals in Germany
WAIS athletes have picked up medals in the 49erFX class at Kiel Sailing Cup in Germany.
Three Australian crews lined up in the 49erFX medal races, with the top eight teams contesting three stadium style races.
WAIS athlete and 2008 Beijing Olympic gold medallist Tessa Parkinson and Chelsea Hall headed into the final day of their first regatta together in third position, one ahead of Olivia Price and WAIS athlete Caitlin Elks, with Haylee Outteridge and Nina Curtis in sixth.
With the breeze gusting above 20 knots making it a challenge to remain upright at times the first of three races got underway.
Parkinson and Hall were first to the top mark before a capsize on the downwind sent them to the rear of the fleet, with Price and Elks finishing just ahead in seventh. Outteridge and Curtis found themselves towards the back of the pack at the first mark but improved on each leg, with a great final downwind seeing them finish second.
The results were up and down again in race two, with Outteridge and Curtis fourth to the top mark before moving their way into the lead and going on to win, with Price and Elks third, and Parkinson and Hall fourth.
Heading into the final race the podium positions were still up in the air, with Price and Elks claiming silver with a win to round out the day. Parkinson and Hall crossed the line eighth, claiming the bronze on a count back, with Outteridge and Curtis fifth, off the podium by just a single point.
Will Phillips and Rhys Mara headed into the three 49er medal races in fourth position, with the pair out to force their way onto the podium.
Phillips and Mara got off to the perfect start, leading at every mark in the first race to take the win. In race two the pair, competing in their second international regatta together, had worked their way up to third position before a capsize at the bottom gate saw them finish eighth.
The Australians found themselves at the back of the fleet at the top mark in the final race but moved forward with each lap, eventually crossing the line fifth to finish fourth overall.
The final Australian in action in Kiel was Ashley Brunning in the Laser class. The top six sailors took part in a single medal race, with their finishing position added to their position at the start of the day to decide the medallists.
In a hard fought final race Brunning was at the front at the end of the first lap, with Germany’s Philipp Buhl taking the lead on the next upwind and going on to take the race win and the gold medal.
Brunning crossed the line in third position, finishing the week fourth overall.
–YachtingAustralia