McLay Just Misses Bronze, ISAF Youth Worlds All Over

The final day of racing was abandoned in Busan, Korea with fog plaguing the course. The Race Committee decided racing would be unsafe in the low visibility conditions leaving Blair McLay just outside the top three despite claiming three bullets during the Championship.

ISAF 2005 Youth World Championships
Final Results

Laser - Blair McLay – Torbay Sailing Club – 4th
Laser Radial - Olivia Powrie – Kohimarama Yacht Club – €“ 10th
420 Boys - Peter Burling & Bruce Kennedy – Tauranga Yacht & Powwerboat Club – 15th
420 Girls - Georgina Hill & Michelle Kennedy – Kohimarama Yachtt Club – 18th
Mistral Board Boys - Antonio Cozzolino – Kohimarama Yacht Club – 17th
Mistral Board Girls - Steffanie Williams - Kohimarama Yacht Club – 11th
Hobie 16 - Rory & Kelly Godman – Burkes St Leonard Yacht Club, Dunedin – 10th

Disappointment for kiwi hopeful Blair McLay at the Youth Worlds where he was unable to make a final bid for a podium spot still in reach going into the final day. The fog that descended on the Busan racing area late Thursday hampering racing was again an issue for race organizers yesterday. They concluded that it was unsafe for racing to take place which means that results stand.

McLay was the top finisher in the kiwi team with the next best performance being that of Olivia Powie in the Laser Radial. She finished 10th in a fleet of 21. Also inside the top half of their fleet was the 420 Boys pair, Peter Burling and Bruce Kennedy of Tauranga who finished in 15th.

The Volvo Team Trophy this year was claimed by France who had a significant lead in the points table over Great Britain. Spain was 3rd in the country ranks, while New Zealand was back in 13th in the list of 46 countries that entered.

All seven class titles went to different nations some closely fought and some more convincing. Significantly though, the less traditional sailing nations are emerging and demonstrating their new found skills. Singapore earned their first ever Gold medal at the ISAF Youth Worlds and China claimed their first ever medal, at this their second time in the regatta. Lijia of China threatened the well known force of USA’s Paige Railey in the Laser Radial and helped the Chinese team to a strong sixth position in the country ranks.

The emerging talent of nations new to international sailing competition together with the continued strength of Europe lifts the bar for the Oceanic nations. Not only did New Zealand come away without a medal but our Australian counterparts also suffered claiming only silver in the 11 boat Hobie fleet.

Full final results can be viewed on the regatta website through the link below. A full report is also available on the ISAF website.

Half of the kiwi team will return to New Zealand in the next few days while the two 420 crews join the rest of the New Zealand 420 representatives talking part in the 420 World Championships in Brest, France next week.

Principal sponsor of the team is NZL Yachting Trust. Further support from NZAOS, The Southern Trust, ASB Bank, Line 7 and Endeavour Eyewear is also greatly appreciated.

Share or bookmark this story: