Wearn Claims Silver in Delta Lloyd Regatta

WAIS sailor Matt Wearn has won a silver medal at the 2013 Delta Lloyd Regatta in the Netherlands capping a successful European world cup season for the 17 year-old.

Wearn’s silver medal in the Laser class was the teenagers’ first podium finish in a European regatta and continued his run of strong results in 2013.

Wearn went into the final six boat race in third position, behind New Zealand’s Andy Maloney with fellow Australian Tom Burton leading overall.

Burton had been the sailor to beat all week, with a consistent series of results putting him into pole position heading into the final race.

Wearn was first to the top mark, with Burton in fourth and while the West Australian held his lead at the bottom gate Burton was on the move, climbing to second. Wearn remained at the front on the next upwind leg with Burton slipping back through the fleet to round the top mark sixth.

Local sailor Rutger van Schaardenburg got past Wearn in the final metres to claim gold, with Wearn winning silver and Maloney bronze. Burton finished the week in fourth position.

“It feels great to finish off a solid trip to Europe with a silver medal,” said Wearn. “I managed to link up a few good shifts at the start to round the top for the first time with a 20 metre lead. The wind was shifting around dramatically and the group quickly bunched back up and it was very tight between three of us on the last downwind run to the finish.

“I managed to finish the race in second which left me tied on points for first but ended up with silver on a count back,” he said. “I feel that I’ve had a very solid start to the year. This has been a great confidence boost for me and I feel that my sailing has improved considerably in the last three months in Europe.”

– Yachting Australia