SAILING: Defending World Champions Mat Belcher (QLD) and Will Ryan (QLD) have kicked- off the 2015 470 World Championships in Haifa, Israel with a bang winning all three races on the first day and taking the overall lead.
The 2015 470 World Championships got underway on the warm waters of Haifa Bay on Monday, 12 October 2015. The 470 Men were split into yellow and blue fleets for three races, with the 470 Women contesting two races in a single fleet. Weather conditions were perfect with a clear blue sky and 13-15 knots of breeze, and big rolling waves.
And it was a convincing first day for Australian Sailing’s current World #1 and dual World Champions Mat Belcher (QLD) and Will Ryan (QLD), who are aiming to defend their title for the third time in a row this week. It would be the sixth World Championship title for Olympic gold medallist Mat Belcher.
“This was a great way to start our defence”, Mat Belcher said. “There are still a lot of races to go but it certainly gives us confidence in the way we are sailing.”
“We are enjoying the conditions and looking forward to tomorrows final qualifying races. We just tried to stay out of trouble and sail our own race. We managed to do that today and we hope we can continue the same for tomorrow (Tuesday, October 13, 2015).”
The pair has made it clear that they are out to win this World Championship, but what looked like an easy run on day one was also the result of hard, consistent work as crew Will Ryan explained:
“We had a good first day. Actually it was quite tricky, and the results may not be a true indication for how hard we were having to fight. But we are very happy to come away from the first day like this – obviously not much more we could have asked for results wise; however also pleasing that it felt we are sailing well and slowly becoming more familiar with the intricacies of the venue.”
And about the conditions he added: “It’s great to be able to race in warm water with short sleeve rash vests; but the heat and the salty water certainly takes it out of you on a day like today with big waves. No doubt it will be a long week - but looking forward to it!”
A total of three Australian Sailing men’s crews and two Australian Sailing women’s crews are currently competing in Haifa from 12-17 October.
Patrick and Alexander Conway (NSW) finished day one ranked 34th overall with Angus Galloway (QLD) and Joshua Dawson (NSW) following in 36th.
In the Women’s 470 Australian Sailing Squad’s Carrie Smith (WA) and Jaime Ryan (QLD) are back in the boat after extended medical issues sidelined Carrie Smith over the last few months and had a strong come-back posting a 17th and 11th moving them into ninth overall. Sasha Ryan (QLD) and Amelia Catt (TAS) complete the Australian contingent in the 42-boat women’s fleet and finished the first day ranked 32nd.
The World Championship regatta in Israel is also a significant event for those teams still seeking to qualify their nation to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, with six places on offer for the 470 Men and three for the 470 Women.
While Australia has already secured Olympic qualification in the men’s 470 class through Mat Belcher’s and Will Ryan’s World Champion performance at the 2014 ISAF Sailing World Championship, the women’s 470 class is yet to qualify.
In the 470 women, the maths is 13 nations gunning for three nation places in Israel. In contention are teams from: Australia, Canada, Chile, Spain, Finland, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Switzerland, Turkey.
If required, the final Olympic qualifying opportunity for 470W will be at the ISAF Sailing World Cup in Melbourne mid-December.
The 2015 470 World Championships commenced Monday, 12 October with the world’s best Olympic 470 class sailors racing at the coastal city of Haifa for six days. Medal Races and prize giving are scheduled for Saturday, 17 October.
Sailing Australia
