Decider Down Under

Australians made up the bulk of the fleet on ‘home turf’ at the Sailing World Cup Final 2016, concluding the Olympic season

A total of 158 Olympic class elite and professional sailors including an impressive home team turnout of 66, contested the Sailing World Cup 2016 Final, presented by Land Rover, in Melbourne last December.

With the ultimate grandstand setting alongside St Kilda Pier and beach, visitors enjoyed a bustling metropolitan atmosphere as they watched the racing unfold across the 10 Olympic classes.

After a light wind start, which forced a delay to the start of the first race, competitors were then able to enjoy good winds which increased throughout the event and even caused racing to be postponed for a day when it reached 40+ knots.

FORMULA KITE 

Although Oliver Bridge (GBR) took a 14-point lead into the three single point, non-discardable kite Medal Races and ultimately took the overall win, his day didn’t all go to plan: “Something was stuck on my foil and I couldn’t get started again. It was quite annoying but I managed to catch up a couple of places.”

Florian Trittel (ESP) pushed up to second overall after a 1-2- 4 scoreline. This relegated Guy Bridge (GBR), younger brother of Oliver, to third overall.

RS:X WOMEN 

Poland’s Zofia Klepacka who held a six-point lead over a strong Chinese contingent going into the Medal Race managed to outwit her closest rivals and win gold.

Commenting, Klepacka said: “I gave it full power and I was ready. I was concentrating before racing. I knew it would be a short race and the Chinese girls attacked me before the start and after the start.”