Kiwis sailing well at ISAF Sailing World Cup Event

 Three New Zealand crews are lying in the top ten of their respective fleets at the Delta Lloyd Olympic Class Regatta on now in Medemblik, Netherlands. The event, which is the fifth of seven that make up the inaugural ISAF Sailing World Cup, is now over halfway with two more days of racing remaining.

Two of this season’s new double-handed pairings are amongst the action at the top of their fleets with Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie the best placed of the kiwis lying 4th in the Women’s 470. Aleh has made the move to the double handed 470 after her Laser Radial campaign in 2008 where she finished in 7th place at the Olympic Games. Aleh and Powrie have boat time however, having sailed the 420 together and winning the Women’s 420 World Championship early last year.

Up against a fleet of 32 boats Aleh and Powrie have sailed with consistency over the initial three days of competition at Delta Lloyd Regatta in Medemblik despite variable conditions. Last night they added two 4ths and a 3rd to their scorecard and climbed from 8th place up into 4th overall. Currently they are five points behind 3rd place.

Making their debut as a duo at this regatta is Hamish Pepper and Craig Monk sailing together in the Star. Pepper, who campaigned the Star for the last Olympic Games has enlisted Monk, 1992 Olympic bronze medallist in the Finn, to sail with him. While race one at this regatta was a DNF for the kiwis they’ve bounced back to now sit in 10th place in the 28-strong Star fleet.

Dan Slater currently lies in 6th place in the Finn class leaping up the leaderboard overnight now able to discard a black flag race in race three. In racing overnight Slater was 7th and 4th which saw him move from 17th place up to 6th with two days yet to sail.

Geoff Woolley and Mark Overington sailing the Men’s 470 have returned some good race results but are currently suffering in the overall standings due to one early start and one black flag. In the other six races sailed they’ve been consistently in the top ten of the large 69 boat fleet. They are sitting in 20th place at the conclusion of day three.

Delta Lloyd Regatta 2009 has two days of racing remaining with medal races scheduled for May 31st in Medemblik, Netherlands.

New Zealand’s Results after Day Three

20th - Geoff Woolley & Mark Overington – 470 Men
4th - Jo Aleh & Olivia Powrie – 470 Women
6th - Dan Slater – Finn
10th - Hamish Pepper & Craig Monk – Star
86th - Aaron Hume-Merry – Laser