2014 Sailing World Cup Final Abu Dhabi
49erFX – Day 1
New Zealand’s Alex Maloney and Molly Meech started the ISAF Sailing World Cup Final with a bang by taking the opening race victory in the 17-boat 49erFX fleet.
The pair picked up a second victory in the third race of the day but a sandwiched tenth tarnishes their good start. Nonetheless the Kiwis had some great racing as Maloney explained, “It was beautiful conditions out there with a nice Abu Dhabi breeze and really nice waves. We were on Course C in front of the Emirates Palace and it was pretty nice out there. The first and last race we had 8-10 knots and it dropped down and got a bit interesting, it’s really nice racing out there.
“We were pretty disappointing with our performance at the Worlds but we had a good break and have had some good preparation for Abu Dhabi. We were in Rio for three weeks and we’re feeling a lot more confident again and a lot more focused.”
Whilst the Kiwis lead, it’s the Italian pairing of Giulia Conti and Francesca Clapcich who were the masters of consistency as they notched up a race win and a pair of seconds. They sit second overall by nature of the Kiwis discarding their tenth and Conti’s face was full of smiles after racing, “It was perfect, perfect conditions. There were 10-14 knots with good waves and we enjoyed it a lot. We had good results and that’s why we enjoyed it a lot.
“We felt very comfortable with the boat. It’s good to have a brand new boat as we used to sail with a pretty old one so there are a lot of differences in performance. It’s just perfect to escape from winter and to be here, we love it.”
Conti was also full of praise for everything she has seen thus far at the ISAF Sailing World Cup Final in Abu Dhabi, “We are staying in such a beautiful hotel and the people here are just so gentle and kind. They’re so curious about sailing as well. The venue is just perfect. There is plenty of space so we can move around without having the problem of touching other boats. The weather is warm and there is a huge mall right here, it has everything. I would stay here the whole winter.”
Sweden’s Lisa Ericson and Hanna Klinga complete the podium after the opening day but it’s still early stages in the competition with six fleet races to follow ahead of the Medal Race.
49er – Day 1
Captain America and Superman’s Polish alias’ Tomasz Januszewski and Jacek Nowak have swooped in to Abu Dhabi to take the 49er lead on the opening day of the ISAF Sailing World Cup Final.
The pair picked up two races wins and a 13th, discarding the latter to top the bill in the 18-boat 49er fleet. They lead Great Britain’s Dylan Fletcher and Alain Sign by a single point, “It’s great to be here and race here with the best of the best,” commented Nowak. “We were on Course D so we were inside the bay and the wind was inshore so there was a lot of shifts and gusts. It was good to have great speed and to be able to read the shifty conditions. All the teams were very close to each other throughout the races.”
The Polish competitors are instantly recognizable on the race track with their superhero outfits and Januszewski explained the origin of their tops, “We are co-operating with under armor, so when the t-shirts went on sale our friend gave us a couple of them.
“He asked who we would like to be and I was just like, stop there, ‘I want to be Captain America’, because I love that superhero and Jack loves Superman.
“After we first wore them everybody has called us Superman and Captain America,” continued Januszewski with a beaming smile, “They’re defending someone’s honor and ambitions so we like those and they’re really friendly, they’re not bad guys.
“It’s a good way to show potential sponsors what we can do and how many opportunities we can give them.”
The racing on the 49er race course was exceptionally close with little separation of the fleet across three races. Fletcher and Sign picked up the first race victory before finishing second behind the Polish sailors in the second. The Brits did not sail the third race due to an equipment issue as the Polish sailors swooped through to take their second race win and the lead.
Januszewski and Nowak are in a good spot to progress with six fleet races and a Medal Race remaining and will be looking to draw on their super strength from within, “With any power you can achieve anything,” said Januszewski, “but if we were to have a power I think we’ll take super speed.”
49er and 49erFX – Day 2
The top spots in the 49er and the 49erFX remain the same following a solid day of racing for the overnight leaders.
Tomasz Januszewski and Jacek Nowak picked up a 2-13-1 scoreline in the 49er to maintain their advantage. Marcus Hansen and Josh Porebski (NZL) are up into second, nine points off the Polish competitors. John Pink and Stu Bithell (GBR) are one point off the Kiwis in the final podium spot.
New Zealand’s Alex Maloney and Molly Meech were near faultless in the 49erFX fleet taking a second and two race victories. As a result of their great day they have extended their lead to 11 points over Sweden’s Lisa Ericson and Hanna Klinga. Giulia Conti and Francesca Clapcich (ITA) drop to third overall.
49er and 49erFX – Day 3
New Zealand’s Alex Maloney and Molly Meech will take a 15 point lead into the 49erFX Medal Race after another fantastic racing day. The Kiwis have guaranteed themselves a medal with the colour to be decided on the final day. But with such a strong lead, Sweden’s Lisa Ericson and Hanna Klinga, who are second, will be hard pressed to reduce the deficit with the Kiwis in such imperious form.
Italy’s Giulia Conti and Francesca Clapcich are 18 points off Ericson and Klinga in third. They will be relying on the Swedish to finish dead last and take the race victory themselves to move up to silver. Nina Keijzer and Claire Blom (NED) are three points off the Italians in fourth.
Polish superheroes Tomasz Januszewski and Jacek Nowak have been doing everything right in the 49er to maintain their lead going into the final day. Whilst their day was somewhat of a mixed bag with scores of 4-13-8, they can feel pleased to hold a five point lead over Marcus Hansen and Josh Porebski (NZL).
Spain’s Carlos Paz and Anton Paz, Beijing 2008 Olympic gold medallist, are tied on 50 points with Julien d’Ortoli and Noé Delpech of France in third.
Poland’s Januszewski And Nowak Take First Major 49er Honours
It was a week of hard graft for the 49er fleet with no team able to take a stranglehold across the series. In the end Tomasz Januszewski and Jacek Nowak (POL) kept hold of their overnight lead with a Medal Race tenth to secure their first major title.
The Polish team have regularly found themselves in the middle of the fleet but found what they’ve been striving for in Abu Dhabi, “All throughout the year we have been fighting,” explained Nowak, “We were very confident but our results didn’t give us what we wanted so our hunger grew bigger and bigger. At this event we made it to where we wanted to be. We are very satisfied.
“We are feeling great because this is the end of our season. This kind of regatta is the first issue of it and it was great to be here in Abu Dhabi and to win it, against the best, it makes us very happy.
“We like racing in places we like. In Abu Dhabi there’s a great atmosphere which made us very confident, we like it here.”
Carlos Paz and Beijing 2008 Olympic gold medallist Anton Paz (ESP) were able to claim silver with a fourth in the Medal Race. John Pink and Stu Bithell (GBR) took a third to pick up bronze. For Dylan Fletcher and Alain Sign (GBR), their race win wasn’t enough to propel them into the medal positions.
Medal Race Day
Link to watch 49erFX medal race
Link to watch 49er medal race
49er
Poland’s Januszewski And Nowak Take First Major 49er Honours. It was a week of hard graft for the 49er fleet with no team able to take a stranglehold across the series. In the end Tomasz Januszewski and Jacek Nowak (POL) kept hold of their overnight lead with a Medal Race tenth to secure their first major title.
The Polish team have regularly found themselves in the middle of the fleet but found what they’ve been striving for in Abu Dhabi, “All throughout the year we have been fighting,” explained Nowak, “We were very confident but our results didn’t give us what we wanted so our hunger grew bigger and bigger. At this event we made it to where we wanted to be. We are very satisfied.
“We are feeling great because this is the end of our season. This kind of regatta is the first issue of it and it was great to be here in Abu Dhabi and to win it, against the best, it makes us very happy.
“We like racing in places we like. In Abu Dhabi there’s a great atmosphere which made us very confident, we like it here.”
Carlos Paz and Beijing 2008 Olympic gold medallist Anton Paz (ESP) were able to claim silver with a fourth in the Medal Race. John Pink and Stu Bithell (GBR) took a third to pick up bronze. For Dylan Fletcher and Alain Sign (GBR), their race win wasn’t enough to propel them into the medal positions.
49erFX
Alex Maloney and Molly Meech (NZL) rounded off a great week by claiming a Medal Race fourth and with it, 49erFX ISAF Sailing World Cup Final glory.
Consistency has been the name of the Kiwis game and only a tenth from the opening day scars a sublime scoreline of top four finishes.
After racing they were two happy sailors even though they didn’t perform how they would have liked, “We’re pretty happy but today was quite a hard day. Not exactly what we planned to do but I’m glad we did exactly what we needed to do,” said Meech.
The Kiwis had a 15 point lead over Lisa Ericson and Hanna Klinga (SWE) coming into the day so they knew what was required of them to take victory. They remained fairly steady on the race track with the Swedes unable to pose a major threat. The Swedes picked up silver whilst a Medal Race second for Giulia Conti and Francesca Clapcich (ITA) handed them bronze.
Abu Dhabi has spoilt the competitors throughout the four racing days and the gold medallists were quick to praise the Emirati capital, “It’s been pretty amazing sailing conditions here,” said Meech. “A lot better than I expected and the venues been great. Quite a few of the top girls have been here and the racing’s been really nice.”
Maloney added, “It was a really cool event and we’re happy to come away with the win. The competition’s been really good. Abu Dhabi’s been a beautiful place to sail, the water’s really clear and it’s been amazing.”
Maloney and Meech will look to qualify to return to next year’s edition through the ISAF Sailing World Cup regattas and the rankings system across the 2015 season. But for now, they’re looking forward to some time back in their native lands. Maloney concluded, “We go home for December and have a good block in New Zealand and then we’ll take a nice break over Christmas and New Year and then we’ll be in Miami for the ISAF Sailing World Cup regatta there for the first time.”
