Lots still to play for in Auckland

With five gold medals confirmed at the 2016 Aon Youth World Sailing Championships in Auckland, New Zealand there is still a lot to play for with a host of medals up for grabs.

Australia’s Finnian Alexander has a commanding lead of 27 points in the boy’s Laser Radial and will secure the gold barring a disaster on the final day. The only reason the Aussie isn’t celebrating with the other gold medallists is that he has been carrying a disqualification from the very first race, that means a bad result could send him crashing down the fleet.
 
Paolo Giargia (ITA) is second with Carrson Pearce (USA) and Ismael Iess Falcon (ESP) seven points back. All three will be hoping the Aussie does have that final race disaster to give them a chance of snatching the top spot.
 
The girl’s Laser Radial is still tight at the top with Germany’s Hannah Anderssohn a single point ahead of Uruguay’s Rio 2016 flag bearer, Dolores Moreira Fraschini. Third place is the 2015 Youth Worlds champion Maria Erdi (HUN). The defending champion pulled herself back in to contention with two second places to leave her five points of top. Sandra Luli (CRO) is also within striking distance and will compete for a medal.
 
The 2015 girl’s 420 champions, Poland’s Julia Szmit and Hanna Dzik, are in pole position to defend their title and have an eight point lead over Alexandra Stalder and Silvia Speri (ITA) in second. The two teams will fight for gold.
 
The Italian team will need to be careful though while fighting for gold, they are also at threat of missing out on a medal altogether with a bad result. Olivia Belda and Marina Arndt (BRA), Violette Dorange and Camille Orion (FRA) and Kathryn Hall and Ashton Borcherding (USA) are all in contention for medals and will apply the pressure to the Italians.
 
In the boy’s 29er France’s Gwendal Nael and Lilian Mercier take a four point advantage over second placed Crispin Beaumont and Tom Darling (GBR) in to the key final race shoot out.
 
Australia’s John Colley and Simon Hoffman are just out of reach of gold, but are 11 points from silver. They also have a 12 point cushion back to fourth and will push the British on the final day to see if they can take a step up on the podium.
 
The all important final races are scheduled for 09:55 local time on Tuesday 20 December out of the Torbay Sailing Club.

Youth Worlds
 
Auckland, New Zealand is hosting the Aon Youth Sailing World Championships, the 46th edition, from 14 to 20 December 2016. More than 380 sailors from 65 nations sailing in more than 260 boats across nine disciplines will compete in New Zealand.
 
Website – www.isafyouthworlds.com/home.php