New Zealand secured its first medals at the World Sailing Youth World Championships since 2022 - and delivered the country's biggest medal haul in seven years - after a dramatic final day in Vilamoura, Portugal.

The 13-strong NZL Sailing Foundation team claimed a silver and two bronze medals overnight, capped by an exceptional performance from 16-year-old Toby Wigglesworth in the boys' kitefoil event.

Wigglesworth started the final day in second place overall and sealed his silver medal with a fifth-place finish in the only completed race of the day for the proudest moment of his young sailing career.

"It feels amazing to be a youth worlds medallist; it was one of my dreams and one of my biggest goals," Wigglesworth said. "I spent many hours on the water, training with the rest of the New Zealand kitefoiling group, and a lot of time in the gym and preparing gear. It was just a great experience. This regatta was one of the best of my career, and hopefully, I can keep building on this."

The Kiwis also earned medals in both 420 fleets — the boys' and girls' two-person dinghy events. Seventeen-year-olds Tessa Clinton and Amelia Higson ended the final day in third overall, despite no racing being possible due to time constraints.

Clinton admitted the waiting game was nerve-wracking, but the delay ultimately worked in their favour, securing them a spot on the podium without further racing. She credited their consistency in a range of conditions and hard work leading up to the event for their success.

"We knew we'd probably do okay in the breeze, but we were unsure about how we would perform in the light winds. European sailors are known for their light-wind sailing, so when we had light days, we were nervous. But it turned out we sailed some really good races, which was awesome," Clinton said.

"We sailed four or five times a week in New Zealand - rain, shine, no matter the conditions. It was tough at times, juggling sailing with exams, and Amelia had to drive over an hour from Maraetai to Takapuna every day. But we never gave up and stayed focused. It feels great to know that all that hard work has paid off, but we couldn't have done it without our amazing coaches."

In the boys' fleet, Cam Brown and Oli Stone had significant ground to make up on the final day. Starting in seventh place, the pair mounted an impressive comeback, finishing second in all three races to secure third place overall.

"The last day of the regatta, we knew it was all on for a medal," said 18-year-old Brown, a veteran of three Youth World Championships. "We just needed three good races."

The young duo, who only began sailing together just over a year ago, stuck to their proven formula for success.

"Our goal was to just follow our roles and routines, and we managed to do that really well in the end," Brown said. "Winning a medal has been a long time coming, and I'm very proud of myself and Oli for achieving it."

While the medallists stole the spotlight, the rest of the team also delivered strong performances, showcasing the depth of New Zealand's sailing talent.

Tom Pilkington was 15th in the boys' ILCA 6 fleet, while Chloe Turner placed 18th in the girls' ILCA 6.

In the girls' 29er, Jess Handley and Bella Jenkins finished 13th, with Will Leech and William Mason 14th in the boys' fleet.

On the windsurfing front, Daniella Wooldridge was 14th in the girls' iQFOiL, while Ben Rist secured 19th place in the boys' competition.

Sam Mackay, Yachting New Zealand's Youth Programme Manager, praised the team for their resilience in challenging conditions and unfamiliar waters. This marked New Zealand's first podium success since Seb Menzies and George Lee Rush won bronze in the boys' 29er in 2022.

"It's been a cool week, but definitely testing. The event setup is fantastic with great facilities, and everyone stayed in the same hotel. But, being in Europe in winter, we had less daylight and more unpredictable weather. Many of the team raced the entire regatta in under 10 knots, while some faced gusts well over 30 knots on day two," Mackay said.

"The scheduling at Youth Worlds is tough since we share race courses, so you always have to be ready to race at any moment. We talked a lot as a team before the event that, while things on shore can change, once we push off the dock, we need to treat every race the same and be ready to go."

Mackay also highlighted the strength of New Zealand's young sailing talent, noting that the team is well-positioned for future success.

"There's been a lot of hard work behind this performance, and the team is really set up for future success," he said. "Most of this group have the chance to come back next year and build on what they've achieved. This is a real positive sign for the future."

Steve Armitage, Yachting New Zealand's Chief Executive, praised the preparation that went into the event - especially the connections with sailors in Yachting New Zealand's high-performance programme.

"Sam and our wider coaching team of Jenny Armstrong, Sara Winther and Andrew Brown deserve credit for the way they have prepared the team and guided them through the regatta," Armitage said. "The results on the water are testament not only to the hard work of the athletes, but also to the focus and dedication of their coaching staff, families and wider support teams."

New Zealand has a proud history at the Youth Sailing World Championships, with 58 medals - 17 gold, 21 silver, and 20 bronze - since the event's inception in 1971. The 2018 team set a record by winning four medals in Corpus Christi.

Past notable winners include America's Cup skippers, Olympic medallists, and Volvo Ocean Race sailors such as Alex Maloney, Blair Tuke, Chris Dickson, Russell Coutts, Dean Barker, and Stuart Bannatyne.

The team is proudly supported by the NZL Sailing Foundation (formerly the NZL Yachting Trust), Oceanbridge, VMG, and High Performance Sport New Zealand.

Final results from the 2025 World Sailing Youth World Championships are available here.

Emirates Team New Zealand collected the top honour at the 2025 Barfoot & Thompson Yachting Excellence Awards on Friday night, with the inaugural Peter Lester Award for Outstanding Contribution to Sailing also introduced in honour of the much-loved late sailor, coach, and commentator.

The America's Cup defenders received the Sir Bernard Fergusson Trophy as Orbit World Travel Sailor of the Year following their third consecutive victory in the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup in Barcelona last year. Their triumph over INEOS Britannia delivered an unprecedented three‑peat, cementing their status as one of the most successful teams in the competition's history.

A delegation including Richard Meacham and Ray Davies accepted the award on behalf of the team, who have already begun preparations to defend the Auld Mug again in Naples in 2027.

Meacham said Emirates Team New Zealand - recently named World Sailing's 2025 Team of the Year - were humbled by the award, and he highlighted Yachting New Zealand's role in creating pathways for nurturing and developing the country's sailing talent, which has produced many of the team's top sailors and shore crew.

Earlier in the evening, the first Peter Lester Award for Outstanding Contribution to Sailing was presented to Mark Mulcare, a former blind world champion who has contributed more than 20 years of service to keelboat and club racing. Mulcare, who lost his sight in his teens and has battled ill health in recent years, manages New Zealand's nationwide keelboat handicapping system, developed the popular Race Track database, and supports clubs nationwide through his roles on Yachting New Zealand's Cruising, Inshore and Offshore Racing Committee and the PHRF committee.

Yachting New Zealand chief executive Steve Armitage said the award recognises volunteer service aligned with the standards Lester set throughout his career.

Lester, who passed away in August, held roles across coaching, performance management, and broadcasting, including serving as Yachting New Zealand's first high‑performance director.

"Peter's contribution was never just technical or tactical - it was deeply human. He inspired generations with his honesty, his storytelling, and his unwavering commitment to excellence," Armitage said. "This award honours individuals, clubs, and organisations who have made a significant and lasting impact on sailing in New Zealand, an ethos Peter embodied throughout his life. Our hope is that this tribute not only recognises his extraordinary legacy but continues to inspire those who follow in his wake."

Megan Thomson and her 2.0 Racing Team were named Barfoot & Thompson Female Sailor of the Year after finishing runners‑up at the 2025 Women's Match Racing World Championship in Chicago. Thomson, Tiana Wittey, Josi Andres, Charlotte Porter, and Hattie Rogers pushed five‑time world champion Pauline Courtois to a deciding race in the final, matching their 2024 silver‑medal result.

Kiwi wingfoiling star Sean Herbert received the Barfoot & Thompson Male Sailor of the Year award following a strong season. The 23‑year‑old Aucklander won bronze at the Formula Wing World Championship in Sardinia, added another bronze at his World Cup debut in Switzerland, won the US Wingfoil Championships, defended his national title, and secured both the national Triple Crown and Hawaii State titles.

Olympian Paul Snow‑Hansen was named B&G Performance Coach of the Year, while Sophia Morgan received the Yachting New Zealand Emerging Coach of the Year award. PredictWind Emerging Talent awards went to Blake Batten and RS Feva world champions Zofia Wells and Charlotte Handley.

iQFOiLer Stella Bilger won the NZL Sailing Foundation Young Female Sailor of the Year, and Mattias Coutts took out the NZL Sailing Foundation Young Male Sailor of the Year. Bilger claimed gold at the iQFOiL under‑23 World Championships in Portugal earlier this year, leading a Kiwi one‑two with teammate Aimee Bright. Coutts, 19, won the 2024 PredictWind Moth World Championships, the 2025 Moth Nationals, and the 2024 STACK Winter Champs. He has since begun a 49er campaign with Oscar Gunn while maintaining strong Moth results, including top finishes at Foiling Week and the 2025 Moth Worlds.

Kohimarama Yacht Club won the Evocean Sustainability Award for the Marama Project, the country's first full restoration and electrification of a 23‑foot committee boat. Volunteers, youth sailors, and local marine specialists helped replace the diesel engine with a solar‑powered electric system, providing silent, off‑grid operation.

Lucas Hebberd received the MAST Academy Young Leadership Award for strengthening Murrays Bay Sailing Club's Learn to Sail programme, expanding training opportunities, and organising family‑focused events.

Sailability Wellington received the North Sails Sportsmanship Award for leading the development of the ParAble yacht, a larger, more adaptable boat for disabled sailors now recognised as a national class.

Ryan Parkin was named Millennium Hotels and Resorts NZ Official of the Year after earning selection for the Youth and Women's America's Cup following a 12‑month development pathway.

The complete list of winners at the 2025 Barfoot & Thompson Excellence Awards winners:

Yamaha Motor NZ Service Awards: Graham Catley, Aevril Hibbard, Grant Innes, Gwenda Johnson, Kevin Lidgard, Blair Park, Larry Paul, Paul Pearson, Wayne Radford, Brett Willcock.

Kiwi Yachting and Baltic Lifejackets Cruising Award: Bruce Maunsell.

Appliances Online Youth Performance Awards: Ella Arnold and Ben Roff, Matteo Barker, Stella Bilger, Aimee Bright, Mattias Coutts, Xervier Doney, George Pilkington, Jake Pye, Summer Torbet, Chloe Turner, Zofia Wells and Charlotte Handley, Westlake Girls High School sailing team.

Radix Nutrition Performance Awards: 2.0 Racing Team, Emirates Team New Zealand, George Gautrey, Sean Herbert, Knots Racing, Isaac McHardie and William McKenzie, Seb Menzies and George Lee Rush, Anna Merchant and Aaron Hume‑Merry, Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron Admiral's Cup team, Veerle ten Have.

Yachting New Zealand Emerging Coach of the Year: Sophia Morgan.

B&G Performance Coach of the Year: Paul Snow‑Hansen.

PredictWind Emerging Talent Award: Blake Batten, Zofia Wells and Charlotte Handley.

MAST Academy Young Leadership Award: Lucas Hebberd.

North Sails Sportsmanship Award: Sailability Wellington.

Evocean Sustainability Award: The Marama Project.

Millennium Hotels and Resorts NZ Official of the Year: Ryan Parkin.

The Peter Lester Award for Outstanding Contribution to Sailing: Mark Mulcare.

NZL Sailing Foundation Young Female Sailor of the Year: Stella Bilger.

NZL Sailing Foundation Young Male Sailor of the Year: Mattias Coutts.

Barfoot & Thompson Female Sailor of the Year: 2.0 Racing Team.

Barfoot & Thompson Male Sailor of the Year: Sean Herbert.

Orbit World Travel Sailor of the Year: Emirates Team New Zealand.

Tom Saunders celebrated his return to the world stage with New Zealand’s second medal of the short international sailing season, claiming silver in his first major regatta since the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The 32-year-old Tauranga sailor won silver in the ILCA 7 (formerly Laser) at the French Olympic Week in Hyères overnight, climbing to second overall with an impressive third-place finish in the double-points medal race.

It was his first international competition since finishing seventh in his Olympic debut in Marseille last August, having taken a break from racing.

Saunders enjoyed a consistent week, handling various conditions - from very light breezes to the famed Mistral, which blew at over 25 knots across the Bay of Hyères.

He finished inside the top 10 in six of the nine qualifying races, including a win in the final gold-fleet race, before leapfrogging the Netherlands' Duko Bos into second with his performance in the decider.

Hong Kong’s Nicholas Halliday took gold, while Kiwis Caleb Armit (12th) and George Gautrey (17th) narrowly missed out on a place in the medal race.

Saunders, a former class world champion, credited his extended break from racing for his success this weekend.

"It was nice to be back racing. It was my first event back, of course, but that doesn’t change too much - there's always an expectation to perform, and it's nice when it comes off. I've had a busy six months or so trying to figure out my best path forward. Sport can be selfish, particularly leading into Paris, and it’s easy to get tunnel vision," Saunders said.

"Stepping out of that for a moment has been good."

While this marks the start of his campaign towards the Los Angeles 2028 Games, Saunders will split his time between sailing, studying and coaching, which he has been doing a lot of over the past few months.

"I have LA in mind, of course, but there's plenty more to do between now and then. It's a bit of a balancing act."

The books will have to wait for now, however, with Saunders set to compete at the 2025 world championships in Qingdao, China, from 10 May.

"I'm coming back home for five days and then off to China for our world champs. It'll be a very quick turnaround."

Saunders was one of two Kiwis fighting for a podium spot in their medal events, with Josh Armit reaching the semifinals of the men’s iQFOiL (windfoil) medal series.

Armit, who finished fourth in Marseille, qualified for the knockout round after winning three of his qualifying races. He also won his four-board quarterfinal before bowing out at the penultimate stage, finishing fifth overall - one place better than his sixth at the season-opening Princess Sofia Regatta in Palma, Spain, a fortnight ago.

Fellow New Zealander Eli Liefting was 14th, while Stella Bilger and Aimee Bright represented the country in the women's event in the absence of Veerle ten Have, who won bronze in Palma.

"It's been a valuable block in Europe, checking in with the international fleet with the new sail size for this next Olympic cycle," Armit said.

"It’s been good to race in the wide range of conditions we’ve had here. As a squad, it feels like we’re on track. We're heading back to New Zealand now for a training block leading into the worlds."

Armit and ten Have will lead the young Kiwi contingent at the pinnacle event in Aarhus, Denmark, in early July.

In other results, Lukas Walton-Keim was 12th in the men’s kitefoil, with Toby Wigglesworth 40th and Lochy Naismith 42nd. Lucy Bilger finished 16th in the women’s kitefoil competition.

Greta Pilkington continued her impressive start to the season with a 14th-place finish in a 72-boat ILCA 6 (Laser Radial) fleet, while Seb Menzies and George Lee Rush were the top New Zealand team in the 49er class.

Menzies and Lee Rush, who achieved a career-best ninth place in Palma, finished 13th over the weekend, followed by Sam Bacon and Blake McGlashan (28th), and Francesco Kayrouz and Hamish McLaren (37th).

Click here for the final results and standings.

Plenty of hard work and a touch of Olympic inspiration has propelled one of New Zealand's most promising double-handed crews to success at the country's premier domestic sailing event.

Seb Menzies and George Lee Rush have now joined an impressive list of sailors to have won the 49er title at Oceanbridge Sail Auckland, with the young duo delivering a masterclass in consistency over three days at Torbay.

The regatta concluded on a thrilling note, with titles in several classes only decided in the final race but while some sailors faced last-minute battles for victory, Menzies and Rush had all but secured their title before pushing off Waiake Beach on Sunday.

The pair, who won the 49erFX junior world championships in 2022, claimed four race wins and finished outside the top three only once, underlining their consistency in a range of challenging conditions.

They are part of a squad of five 49er teams training together over the past two years to maintain a strong talent pipeline in the class.

Rush credited this squad-based approach for their success.

"There's a group of us who have all come into the class at roughly the same level and the same time from the 29er," he said. "It's a very competitive fleet and we're all evenly matched but being able to train together, progress together and share everything is an awesome place to be in."

Menzies and Rush finished 11 points ahead of Mattias Coutts and Oscar Gunn, with Francesco Kayrouz and Hamish McLaren third.

"We really focused on our starts this week," Rush explained. "At the national championships last week, that was our biggest weakness, so we made it our priority for this event."

The squad has drawn inspiration from New Zealand’s international success in the 49er class, particularly from Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, and more recently, Isaac McHardie and Will McKenzie.

McHardie and McKenzie won silver in the 49er at last year’s Paris Olympics, continuing New Zealand’s podium streak in the class at the past four Games.

"Statistically, it’s our strongest class, and there’s always been a great group of sailors involved. We all want to carry that legacy forward and achieve even more success," Rush said.

Elsewhere, Erica Dawson and Molly Meech won the 49erFX event, while Nelsen Meacham and Tim Howse edged out Will Leech and Will Mason by a single point in the final 29er race.

In the ILCA 7 (formerly Laser) competition, Singapore’s Ryan Lo topped the podium ahead of New Zealanders Tom Saunders and George Gautrey.

Lo, who has represented Singapore at the past two Olympics, won four of the 10 races, including the first today, finishing two points ahead of Saunders.

Saunders, who placed seventh in Marseille last August, will head to Europe next month for the start of the international season, joined by Gautrey, who has recently returned to ILCA 7 racing after an extended break.

Saunders revealed he had been coaching Lo for much of the year.

"Obviously, I’ve been doing too good a job!" he joked. "Seriously though, Ryan is a great sailor, and he raced well."

Greta Pilkington continued her dominance in the domestic ILCA 6 (Laser Radial) fleet, winning six of the 10 races to claim the title by 13 points ahead of her younger brother, Tom.

She had previously won the national title in Nelson in January and achieved impressive results in Australia.

Tessa Clinton and Amelia Higson took out the 420 event in their first major regatta as a team.

Clinton, a two-time youth worlds competitor, recently partnered with promising Starling sailor Higson, and together they won six of the 10 races to take victory by 12 points over Thomas Jurczyluk and Oli Wyeth.

"We’ve made great progress in a short time and are really happy with how the weekend went," Clinton said.

Asked about their key to success, Clinton highlighted communication - along with plenty of singing.

"I think we know how to push each other’s buttons. If I go quiet, Amelia tells me to snap out of it, and vice versa.

"There was also a lot of Coldplay, Adele, and The Killers to keep us motivated!"

Veerle ten Have overturned a four-point deficit on the final day to win the windfoil 7.3m title, with Stella Bilger second and Aimee Bright third.

Eli Liefting held on to his one-point lead in the windfoil 8m category, despite Josh Armit winning the final race. Armit finished second overall, with Blake Hinsley third.

Toby Wigglesworth topped the kitefoil fleet, with Lucy Bilger the highest-placed female competitor.

Final results and standings from the 2025 Oceanbridge Sail Auckland at Torbay Sailing Club.

420 fleet (6 boats)
1. Tessa Clinton/Amelia Higson 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 (3) 1 1 - 11 points
2. Thomas Jurczyluk/Oli Wyeth (8UFD) 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 - 23 pts
3. Nico Holmes/Finn Holmes 3 5 5 (6) 4 5 4 4 5 4 - 39 pts

ILCA 6 fleet (22 boats)
1. Greta Pilkington (6) 1 1 1 6 1 1 1 2 4 - 18 pts
2. Tom Pilkington (8) 4 4 3 2 4 3 2 3 6 - 31 pts
3. Naiomi Ferrissey 1 3 2 5 (23UFD) 3 2 7 1 14 - 38 pts

ILCA 7 fleet (8 boats)
1. Ryan Lo 3 1 3 1 3 3 1 1 (6) 3 - 19 pts
2. Tom Saunders 2 3 1 (9UFD) 2 2 2 3 2 4 - 21 pts
3. George Gautrey 1 4 4 2 1 1 3 4 (7) 7 - 27 pts

29er fleet (13 boats)
1. Nelsen Meacham/Tim Howse 1 1 1 3 1 3 4 2 (8) 1 3 3 - 23 pts
2. Will Leech/Will Mason 3 2 3 1 3 1 2 3 2 (5) 2 2 - 24 pts
3. Peer Kruse/Leo Brown 2 5 2 6 2 2 3 4 3 6 (10) 8 - 43 pts

49er fleet (10 boats)
1. Seb Menzies/George Lee Rush 1 3 1 1 1 2 (4) 2 2 3 3 2 - 21 pts
2. Mattias Coutts/Oscar Gunn 6 2 4 (7) 4 1 1 4 3 4 2 1 - 32 pts
3. Francesco Kayrouz/Hamish Mclaren 5 6 2 3 (7) 5 2 1 6 1 5 3 - 39 pts

49erFX fleet (3 boats)
1. Erica Dawson/Molly Meech 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (4DNC) 4DNC - 14 pts
2. Nicola Hume/Rebecca Hume 2 (3) 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 - 20 pts    
3. Erin Kee/Isla Kee (4SOP) 2 3 3 3 3 4DNS 4DNC    4DNC 4DNC 4DNC 4DNC - 38 pts

iQFOiL 7.3m fleet (9 boards)
1. Veerle ten Have 3 2 3 1 (4) 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 3 2 - 24 pts    
2. Stella Bilger 1 1 1 2 1 3 2 (4) 1 4 2 4 2 3 - 27 pts
3. Aimee Bright 2 (4) 2 3 2 4 3 1 3 3 4 2 1 1 - 31 pts

iQFOiL 8m fleet (9 boards)
1. Eli Liefting 1 2 1 1 2 1 2 2 1 2 (3) 1 1 2 - 19 pts
2. Josh Armit 2 1 2 2 1 2 1 1 2 1 (4) 2 2 1 - 20 pts
3. Blake Hinsley 3 3 3 (4) 3 3 3 3 3 4 2 3 3 4 - 40 pts

Kitefoil fleet (4 boards)
1. Toby Wigglesworth 2 1 (4) 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 - 13 pts
2. Lochy Naismith 3 3 3 3 4 1 1 2 2 (5DNF) - 22 pts
3. Lukas Walton-Keim 1 2 1 2 1 (5DNC) 5DNC 5DNC 5DNC 5DNC - 27

Full results here.

Twelve sailors will represent New Zealand in nine of the 10 Olympic classes at July's Olympic test event in Marseille, just over a year out from the Paris Games.

The test event is considered a dress rehearsal for the Olympics, with competitors racing at the same venue and against a similar level of competition to what they’ll encounter at the quadrennial showpiece next year.

Yachting New Zealand high performance director Ian Stewart said selection was hotly contested across several of the classes, as was evident at the first two regattas of the new European season - the Princess Sofia Regatta in Palma de Mallorca, and the World Cup in Hyères.

One of those classes is the 49er, where Isaac McHardie and Will McKenzie won the nod over Logan Dunning Beck and Oscar Gunn following a bronze medal in Spain and a sixth place in France.

Jo Aleh and Molly Meech were picked in the 49er FX class ahead of Alex Maloney and Olivia Hobbs, while George Gautrey edged Tom Saunders to selection in the ILCA 7 (Laser) courtesy of his silver medal at the Princess Sofia.

Nacra 17 combination Micah Wilkinson and Erica Dawson, who finished third at the Lanzarote International Regatta in February and managed a top-10 finish in Hyères, have also been selected as have windfoilers Josh Armit and Veerle ten Have.

Ten Have won bronze in Palma, with Armit finishing fourth in the men's competition at the same event before securing a seventh place at the European championships in Greece earlier this month.

The iQFOIL will make its Olympic debut in Paris, replacing windsurfing.

New Zealand's leading women's kitefoiler Justina Kitchen will also compete in Marseille, while Lukas Walton-Keim has recovered from a knee injury to book his spot in the men's event.

New Zealand will also have an ILCA 6 competing at the test event, despite not meeting the selection criteria. This is a unique selection to help support and develop the class as they continue their efforts to qualify for 2024.

Olivia Christie will compete in the boat, formerly called the Laser Radial, in Marseille.

Another class debuting in Paris next year is the 470 mixed, with the test event not considered an immediate priority for our NZL crews given the very new combinations, time in the boat, and regatta results. 

"Congratulations to those who have been selected. The test event provides an invaluable opportunity for our sailors to race at the Olympic venue against an Olympic-sized fleet and to understand the conditions they will encounter in 2024," Stewart said.

"There's a long way to go before the sailing team is finalised for the Paris Games, with strict performance criteria which must still be met."

Other sailors who have not been selected to compete at the test event but who remain in contention for Olympic success, will also be in attendance in Marseille, Stewart added.

The Olympic test event is scheduled for July 9 to 16 and will be followed by the sailing world championships in The Hague in August.

New Zealand team to compete at the Olympic test event in Marseille, France (July 9-16):
Nacra 17 (mixed): Micah Wilkinson and Erica Dawson 
49er: Isaac McHardie and Will McKenzie
49er FX: Jo Aleh and Molly Meech
iQFOIL (men): Josh Armit
iQFOIL (women): Veerle ten Have 
Formula kite (men): Lukas Walton-Keim 
Formula kite (women): Justina Kitchen
ILCA 7: George Gautrey
ILCA 6: Olivia Christie

He’s sailed around the globe, competed in many of the world's most iconic yacht races, and lifted the America’s Cup four times - yet nothing has made veteran Kiwi sailor Matthew Mason prouder than witnessing his young son’s rare sailing feat over the weekend.

Fourteen-year-old Will Mason was on Saturday crowned the national champion in the Starling class, only five days after winning the Optimist national title.

He won four of 10 races in the Starling event at Manly Sailing Club, beating 49 other competitors despite only sailing the boat for the last three months.

Last Monday, Will also triumphed by 10 points in a 51-boat fleet at the Optimist nationals at Wakatere Boating Club.

“It feels amazing, especially coming out of the Optis and straight into the Starlings,” Will said.

“I’m pretty sore but I only get another day off before five more days of sailing in the secondary schools team national championships.”

The Starling is a popular singlehanded dinghy and is widely regarded as a transitional youth class for sailors up to 70kg.

At only 51kg, Will was one of the smaller boys in the fleet and had to battle his much bigger competition – and strong winds - on Friday.

“It was quite tough as I knew I didn’t have the pace of the others. Besides, the last time I sailed a Starling it was very windy – and I ended up capsizing every time I sailed downwind,” he said.

“On Friday I just wanted to eliminate as many mistakes as I could and get around the course in one piece.”

He did – leading by 18 points when racing was abandoned on Saturday due to 30kn+ winds – to hand the Year 10 Takapuna Grammar student the Starling title at his first attempt.

Dad Matthew is one of the country’s most renowned sailors, having completed 15 Sydney Hobart races and the Whitbread Round the World Race (now called the Ocean Race).

He also competed in seven America’s Cup campaigns, winning four.

“I was never the best dinghy sailor around and to say I’m stoked with what Will has achieved is an understatement. This weekend registers right up there with any of my achievements,” Matthew said.

“Will and I run our own little programme now and we’re both enjoying spending the time together. It’s very special.

“There's nothing better than watching your kids do well and supporting them - whether you're on the sideline at a rugby game or waist-deep in the water, pushing out an Optimist.”

Father and son “do get carried away” with their sailing talk on occasion, Will adds.

“Dad introduced me to the sport when I was about 7 and has been there helping me as much as he can but he mostly tries to stand back and let me do things my way.

“I like just having fun when I’m out sailing with my friends but winning every now and then is also not a bad feeling.”

Like his dad, Will wants to one day help Team New Zealand lift the Auld Mug.

“Seeing everything Dad has achieved definitely makes me want to be like him. And I do like the America’s Cup – especially with how fast the new generation of boats are going."

For now, Will’s focus is on this week’s schools regatta off Algies Bay north of Auckland, a tilt at qualifying for the youth world championships later this year - and his schoolwork.

“I just can’t keep him off the water. If he is given a choice between sailing and doing anything else, he’ll go sailing,” Matthew Mason said.

“At least that’s not the worst way to get through your teenage years.”

Tom Saunders was hurting after narrowly missing out on a medal on the final day of the ILCA 7 (Laser) world championships in Mexico but also excited about his ability to consistently be near the top at major regattas.

Saunders, who won the 2021 world title in Barcelona last year, went into the final day in second but dropped to fourth on the back of a 14th and 17th in racing today. It left him two points behind Croatia's Filip Jurisic, whose two second placings today saw him leapfrog a number of other contenders into third.

France's Jean-Baptiste Bernaz held on to take gold, finishing 17 points ahead of two-time world champion Pavlos Kontides of Cyprus.

The ILCA 7 is the most competitive of the Olympic classes, with considerable depth among the fleet, so for Saunders to finish first and fourth in consecutive years shows he's tracking well towards the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"Obviously it’s going to hurt a little bit but I don’t think I can be too hard on myself," he said. "Contending for a world title on the last day is right where I want to be.

"I was pretty proud of the way I turned things around because it wasn’t an easy start to the event for me. I felt like each day I was getting a little bit better and I was definitely peaking towards the end. There are a lot of good things to take away from this event, and the two we had in Europe, and it's exciting to know I can contend in any breeze.

"It didn’t quite go my way today but I was happy with how I sailed, particularly that last race. I did exactly what I wanted to do but it was just incredibly hard to pick it out there and we just couldn’t quite get the strategy right today on the first beat. You could make it look pretty easy or make it look pretty hard and that was the way it went for me today. I gave it a good shot, so pretty proud."

Saunders will now take a break from ILCA 7 sailing after an intensive start to the year before heading to the Olympic venue in Marseille in July for a training block. His next major event will be at the test event for next year's combined world championships at The Hague in September.

Luke Deegan (87th overall) and Luke Cahmore (93rd) also completed their world championship campaigns today with their best results of the regatta, with Deegan 15th and Cashmore eighth in the only silver fleet race today.

Former world championships bronze medallist George Gautrey withdrew from the event after day two as he recovers from Covid-19.

Results and final standings after the sixth day of the ILCA 7 world championships in Mexico:

Gold fleet (63 boats)

1st: Jean-Baptiste Bernaz (FRA) (19) 3 2 3 2 2 1 4 13 14 (64 BFD) 7 - 51 points
2nd: Pavlos Kontides (CYP) (11) 8 6 2 3 1 25 (27) 1 5 5 12 - 68 pts
3rd: Filip Jurisic (CRO) 3 6 (14) 13 9 3 3 (51) 33 1 2 2 - 75 pts

4th: Tom Saunders (NZL) 4 10 (19) 12 13 4 4 1 12 3 14 (17) - 77 pts

63rd: George Gautrey (NZL) 3 6 23 15 (64 DNC) 64 DNC 64 DNC 64 DNC 64 DNC 64 DNC 64 DNC 64 DNC - 431 pts

Silver fleet (63 boats)

87th: Luke Deegan (NZL) 42 (52) 40 38 (46) 30 16 28 37 25 15 - 271 pts
93rd: Luke Cashmore (NZL) 37 34 34 39 (40) (45) 26 36 25 37 8 - 276 pts

Full results

New Zealand's top Olympic class sailors emerged from their first block of international competition in two years knowing they're not too far off the top.

Five boats finished in the top 10 at the French Olympic Week regatta which finished in Hyeres today on top of five who were in the top 10 at last month's Palma World Cup, which represents a good return after so long in the international wilderness. Only four of those who competed in Hyeres went to last year's Tokyo Olympics and two were in different combinations. 

No racing was possible in the iQFoil medal races in Hyeres today due to light winds, meaning Veerle ten Have finished fifth overall in the women's event and Josh Armit eighth in the men's competition.

The remaining classes all got their medal races away with Micah Wilkinson and Erica Dawson finishing fifth overall in the Nacra 17, George Gautrey ninth in the ILCA 7 (Laser) and Alex Maloney and Olivia Hobbs ninth in the 49erFX.

The race didn't exactly go to plan for Wilkinson and Dawson, who started the day in fourth, but they picked up a penalty in the pre-start after a tangle with the Australians and struggled to recover.

"It was a lot of fun, quite eventful and we definitely came out on the wrong side of it, ending up last [in the double points race], but it was a cool opportunity to learn and we are definitely going to be coming back stronger next time," Wilkinson said. "Overall it’s been a really good week, with positive signs for us."

It was also a good week for Maloney and Hobbs, who were competing in their second international event together after teaming up in February. The pair won two races earlier in the week on top of five other top-five results.

"We are really encouraged after the first two events we have done together as a team and have real clarity on what we need to work on," Maloney said. "It’s an exciting place to be at and it feels good to be shaking off the racing rust."

Maloney and Hobbs, along with some other Kiwi crews, will head to Marseille to train at the Olympic venue.

The windfoiling squad heads to Lake Garda to prepare for this month's iQFoil European Championships in good spirits after impressing in their first international competitions.

Ten Have was seventh in Palma and fifth in Hyeres and shows good potential in a class that will make its debut at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She finished outside the top 10 in races only once this week and fancied her chances of finishing on the podium had the medal racing taken place.

Both ten Have and Armit were sent out for their medal races but were soon sent back to shore when it was apparent there wasn't enough wind to get foiling.

"Josh and I are both gutted because we were pretty keen to race, especially as the light is kind of our strong point at the moment because it’s what we have been training in the most," ten Have said. 

"Because we didn’t race today, I want to race even more now. I can’t wait to get back racing even though it’s been only a couple of hours."

The men's iQFoil was dominated by French and Polish sailors, with 11 of the top 13 from those two countries, but the Olympics will present a different picture with only one from each nation selected to compete.

Armit went into these first two European regattas with no expectations having not competed internationally in the class before - he's been windfoiling for only two years but in 2018 won gold in the ILCA 6 at the youth sailing world championships - and showed huge improvement in a short space of time.

"It was a really good week," he said. "I learned so much and have some new stuff in the playbook, which is really cool. A big one is all the modes and settings but also how to race because there are all these new courses that we haven’t been able to race in fleets in New Zealand."

The main focus for New Zealand's sailors this year will be their class world championships, which mostly take place in September and October. The ILCA 7 squad, however, now head to Mexico for their world championships where Tom Saunders will defend the title he won in Spain late last year.

Results and standings after final day of the French Olympic Week regatta in Hyeres:

49er (61 boats)

1st: Dominik Buksak / Szymon Wierzbicki (POL) 3 1 1 3 4 1 1 4 2 8 2 10 9 (23) 9 8 - 66 points
2nd: Nevin Snow / Max Agnese (USA) 1 4 3 1 2 3 3 11 5 4 (18) 17 3 4 14 18 - 93 pts
3rd: Erwin Fischer / Clement Pequin (FRA) 1 1 14 4 (19) 1 1 16 9 2 5 1 6 15 2 16 - 94 pts

12th: Logan Dunning Beck / Oscar Gunn (NZL) 12 6 7 8 1 13 11 5 14 17 (21) 4 8 8 19 - 133 pts
13th: Isaac McHardie / William McKenzie (NZL) 2 11 4 8 11 3 2 20 15 (27) 26 23 1 3 15 - 143 pts
32nd: Sam Bacon / Henry Gautrey (NZL) 14 15 12 29 23 22 20 (32 BFD) 5 10 1 1 - 152 pts

49erFX (38 boats)

1st: Martine Grael / Kahena Kunze (BRA) 8 (13) 4 5 8 5 1 3 1 11 2 3 2 1 2 12 - 68 pts
2nd: Vilma Bobeck / Rebecca Netzlar (SWE) 1 1 14 (20 DSQ) 2 9 3 2 1 1 1 9 8 5 8 10 - 75 pts
3rd: Helene Noess / Marie von Ronningen (NOR) 5 12 1 1 1 4 4 4 6 16 (19) 4 1 12 3 4 - 79 pts

9th: Alex Maloney / Olivia Hobbs (NZL) 3 10 5 11 10 1 1 4 3 10 9 11 3 10 (17) 20 - 110 pts
12th: Jo Aleh / Molly Meech (NZL) 6 12 16 4 15 2 9 8 6 3 8 (19) 15 15 5 - 123 pts

Nacra 17 (32 boats)

1st: Ruggero Tita / Caterina Banti (ITA) 1 5 4 4 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 (6) 4 8 - 36 pts
2nd: John Gimson / Anna Burnet (GBR) 3 (16) 3 1 5 4 5 2 1 3 3 3 3 5 1 12 - 54 pts
3rd: Sinem Kurtbay / Akseli Keskinen (FIN) (14) 1 3 2 2 2 3 6 2 4 2 9 1 10 14 - 72 pts

5th: Micah Wilkinson / Erica Dawson (NZL) 7 1 12 (16) 6 3 3 10 4 4 14 6 4 9 2 20 - 105 pts

Women's iQFoil (32 boards)

1st: Hélène Noesmoen (FRA) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (2) (6) 1 21 1 (8) 1 1 - 12 pts
2nd: Maja Dziarnowska (POL) (6) (6) 5 2 3 2 2 3 4 2 5 (9) 5 1 1 - 36 pts
3rd: Delphine Cousin (FRA) 2 3 7 6 2 4 3 4 2 6 11 3 (13) (15) (15) - 53 pts

5th Veerle ten Have (NZL) (9) 4 2 5 7 3 4 5 8 4 (17) 5 3 (9 RDG) 5 - 55 pts
27th: Brianna Orams (NZL) 27 28 26 28 (30) (30) 29 25 25 25 25 17 20 17 (33 DNF) - 293 pts

Men's iQFoil (57 boards)

1st: Nicolas Goyard (FRA) (10) (2) 2 (6) 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 - 15 pts
2nd: Clément Bourgeois (FRA) 2 3 3 1 6 (57 DNF) 8 2 (13) (11) 1 3 6 5 1 - 44 pts
3rd: Sebastian Koerdel (GER) (11) 1 6 4 3 2 4 3 (18) 2 (11) 3 1 5 1 11 - 46 pts

8th: Josh Armit (NZL) (15) 13 13 (28) 7 10 (17) 9 11 5 5 9 9 7 3 7 - 108 pts
27th Eli Liefting (NZL) 27 (36) (47) 20 20 31 24 32 31 (40) 13 5 13 36 27 21 - 300 pts
56th: Thomas Crook (NZL) (DNC 58) (DNC 58) DNC 58 DNC 58 DNC 58 DNC 58 DNC 58 DNC 58 DNC 58 DNC 58 39 DNC 39 DNC 39 DNC 57 DNC 39 DNC 39 DNC - 651 pts

ILCA 7 (129 boats)

1st: Pavlos Kontides (CYP) 3 1 2 2 1 10 7 5 7 (17) 4 - 42 pts
2nd: Elliot Hanson (GBR) 14 19 4 3 3 5 4 3 3 2 2 - 43 pts 
3rd: Michael Beckett (GBR) 6 4 3 6 4 1 (26) 14 1 1 10 - 50 pts

9th: George Gautrey (NZL) 9 2 2 2 5 16 5 8 (23) 18 14 - 81 pts
24th: Tom Saunders (NZL) 2 3 1 4 (44 UFD) 44 UFD 44 DSQ 2 18 12 - 130 pts
91st: Luke Deegan (NZL) (35) 17 31 25 33 21 4 21 10 11 - 173 pts
104th: Luke Cashmore (NZL) 35 26 28 41 9 29 2 18 (44 BFD) 44 BFD - 232 pts

ILCA 6 (65 boats)

1st: Agata Barwinska (POL) 8 2 1 17 4 (19) 7 2 19 14 12 - 86 pts
2nd: Marie Barrue (FRA) 16 12 6 16 (28) 1 12 18 4 10 16 - 111 pts
3rd: Louise Cervera (FRA) 5 9 22 7 (25) 24 3 21 14 6 2 - 113 pts

45th: Olivia Christie (NZL) 32 33 40 39 36 44 38 26 44 (66 DNF) - 331 pts

Full results

Five New Zealand crews will contest the medal races on the final day of racing at the French Olympic Week regatta in Hyeres tonight (NZ time), with two windfoilers in with a chance of finishing on the podium.

Veerle ten Have qualified for the women's iQFoil in fifth and Josh Armit in eighth but the windfoilers run a different format to most other Olympic classes with all 10 qualifiers in with a chance of claiming a medal.  

Micah Wilkinson and Erica Dawson go into the Nacra 17 medal race in fourth but too far behind the top three to have any chance of finishing on the podium, while Alex Maloney and Olivia Hobbs are seventh in the 49erFX and George Gautrey eighth in the ILCA 7 (Laser). 

There will be plenty of interest in the performances of ten Have and Armit, who have both impressed in the early stages of their international windfoiling careers.

Ten Have had a difficult time on the final day of qualifying, crashing with another competitor while leading her first race, and then sailing the second race not realising she had a damaged mast. She received redress for the incident in the first race but lost some performance from the damaged mast in the second.

"Today was a bit of a rough one for me," she said. "I was leading going around the final mark before the final reach and the girl behind didn't see that I had slowed down and she came crashing straight in from behind. She clipped my sail and we both fell in and everyone passed us.

"I'm keen to get into the action tomorrow. I definitely feel more equipped now I have had the experience [of racing in the medal race format] so know what to expect. I guess I'm more eager as well to get up there. I definitely have that fire of wanting to get up in there."

It will be an entirely new experience for Armit, who continued his progress up the overall standings to qualify for the medal races on the back of a third and seventh in his two races today.

The top qualifer moves straight through to the final and next two qualifiers into the semifinals while the remaining seven sailors compete in a one-off race to find the last two semifinalists.

"It's going to be my first time in a medal race so it's pretty pleasing to tick that box," said Armit, who only started windfoiling two years ago. "It was cool to put together some more good races today because I am learning so much every day. 

"I'm still getting my head around the format but know I need to do the best I can in each race. I'll just need to attack it and be really aggressive because everything is on the line. It's intense racing."

Wilkinson and Dawson will go into their Nacra 17 medal race with eyes only for their Australian rivals. The pair can't climb any higher than fourth but, equally, can't drop any further than fifth, so will treat it like a match race against Jason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin. 

"It's who beats who in the medal race tomorrow so it's going to be a good battle with the Aussies," Wilkinson said. "We're really looking forward to it. It's the first chance we've had to have a crack at a match race in a medal race."

It will also be Maloney and Hobbs' first medal race as a combination, although Maloney has plenty of experience, and they'll look to sail their own race with most above them needing to keep an eye on their rivals as they decide the medals.

Gautrey dropped four places in the standings on the ILCA 7 course today as he got caught up in traffic but has the chance to recover most of that tonight with the points so tight.

"This will be only my second medal race, which is a bit of a product of Covid and not having done a lot of World Cups, so I will go in a little fresh and hoping to learn something," he said. "I'll probably be aggressive. The points are tight and I can get up to fifth, so I'll go for it."

Logan Dunning Beck and Oscar Gunn narrowly missed out on qualifying for the 49er medal race, missing out on countback, and Jo Aleh and Molly Meech showed encouraging signs to finish 12th in the 49erFX in their first international event together.

Results and standings after day 5 of the French Olympic Week regatta in Hyeres:

49er (61 boats)

1st: Dominik Buksak / Szymon Wierzbicki (POL) 3 1 1 3 4 1 1 4 2 8 2 10 9 (23) 9 - 58 points
2nd: Nevin Snow / Max Agnese (USA) 1 4 3 1 2 3 3 11 5 4 (18) 17 3 4 - 58 pts
3rd: Erwin Fischer / Clement Pequin (FRA) 1 1 14 4 (19) 1 1 16 9 2 5 1 6 15 2 - 78 pts

12th: Logan Dunning Beck / Oscar Gunn (NZL) 12 6 7 8 1 13 11 5 14 17 (21) 4 8 8 19 - 133 pts
13th: Isaac McHardie / William McKenzie (NZL) 2 11 4 8 11 3 2 20 15 (27) 26 23 1 3 15 - 143 pts
32nd: Sam Bacon / Henry Gautrey (NZL) 14 15 12 29 23 22 20 (32 BFD) 5 10 1 1 - 152 pts

49erFX (38 boats)

1st: Martine Grael / Kahena Kunze (BRA) 8 (13) 4 5 8 5 1 3 1 11 2 3 2 1 2 - 56 pts
2nd: Vilma Bobeck / Rebecca Netzlar (SWE) 1 1 14 (20 DSQ) 2 9 3 2 1 1 1 9 8 5 8 - 65 pts
3rd: Stephanie Roble / Margaret Shea (USA) 2 1 6 9 (12) 1 9 1 6 4 4 2 6 9 7 - 67 pts

7th: Alex Maloney / Olivia Hobbs (NZL) 3 10 5 11 10 1 1 4 3 10 9 11 3 10 (17) - 90 pts
12th: Jo Aleh / Molly Meech (NZL) 6 12 16 4 15 2 9 8 6 3 8 (19) 15 15 5 - 123 pts

Nacra 17 (32 boats)

1st: Ruggero Tita / Caterina Banti (ITA) 1 5 4 4 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 (6) 4 - 28 pts
2nd: John Gimson / Anna Burnet (GBR) 3 (16) 3 1 5 4 5 2 1 3 3 3 3 5 1 - 42 pts
3rd: Sinem Kurtbay / Akseli Keskinen (FIN) (14) 1 3 2 2 2 3 6 2 4 2 9 1 10 - 58 pts

4th: Micah Wilkinson / Erica Dawson (NZL) 7 1 12 (16) 6 3 3 10 4 4 14 6 4 9 2 - 85 pts

Women's iQFoil (32 boards)

1st: Hélène Noesmoen (FRA) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (2) (6) 1 21 1 (8) 1 1 - 12 pts
2nd: Maja Dziarnowska (POL) (6) (6) 5 2 3 2 2 3 4 2 5 (9) 5 1 1 - 36 pts
3rd: Delphine Cousin (FRA) 2 3 7 6 2 4 3 4 2 6 11 3 (13) (15) (15) - 53 pts

5th Veerle ten Have (NZL) (9) 4 2 5 7 3 4 5 8 4 (17) 5 3 (9 RDG) 5 - 55 pts
27th: Brianna Orams (NZL) 27 28 26 28 (30) (30) 29 25 25 25 25 17 20 17 (33 DNF) - 293 pts

Men's iQFoil (57 boards)

1st: Nicolas Goyard (FRA) (10) (2) 2 (6) 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 - 15 pts
2nd: Clément Bourgeois (FRA) 2 3 3 1 6 (57 DNF) 8 2 (13) (11) 1 3 6 5 1 - 44 pts
3rd: Sebastian Koerdel (GER) (11) 1 6 4 3 2 4 3 (18) 2 (11) 3 1 5 1 11 - 46 pts

8th: Josh Armit (NZL) (15) 13 13 (28) 7 10 (17) 9 11 5 5 9 9 7 3 7 - 108 pts
27th Eli Liefting (NZL) 27 (36) (47) 20 20 31 24 32 31 (40) 13 5 13 36 27 21 - 300 pts
56th: Thomas Crook (NZL) (DNC 58) (DNC 58) DNC 58 DNC 58 DNC 58 DNC 58 DNC 58 DNC 58 DNC 58 DNC 58 39 DNC 39 DNC 39 DNC 57 DNC 39 DNC 39 DNC - 651 pts

ILCA 7 (129 boats)

1st: Philipp Buhl (GER) 1 3 1 1 2 1 1 9 (29) 19 - 38 pts
2nd: Pavlos Kontides (CYP) 3 1 2 2 1 10 7 5 7 (17) - 38 pts
3rd: Michael Beckett (GBR) 6 4 3 6 4 1 (26) 14 1 1 - 40 pts

8th: George Gautrey (NZL) 9 2 2 2 5 16 5 8 (23) 18 - 67 pts
24th: Tom Saunders (NZL) 2 3 1 4 (44 UFD) 44 UFD 44 DSQ 2 18 12 - 130 pts
91st: Luke Deegan (NZL) (35) 17 31 25 33 21 4 21 10 11 - 173 pts
104th: Luke Cashmore (NZL) 35 26 28 41 9 29 2 18 (44 BFD) 44 BFD - 232 pts

ILCA 6 (65 boats)

1st: Agata Barwinska (POL) 8 2 1 17 4 (19) 7 2 19 14 - 74 pts
2nd: Marie Barrue (FRA) 16 12 6 16 28 1 12 18 4 10 - 95 pts
3rd: Emma Plasschaert (BEL) 6 7 10 8 6 37 (66 BFD) 5 20 2 - 101 pts

45th: Olivia Christie (NZL) 32 33 40 39 36 44 38 26 44 (66 DNF) - 331 pts

Full results

New Zealand's first foray into the international sailing scene for some time has finished with three top-10 results after the final day of the Princess Sofia Regatta in Palma.

For many in the 20-strong Kiwi contingent, this was their first international regatta for two years so the biggest thing was to not only check in with the international fleet to see how they stack up but also get back into high-quality racing. 

Tom Saunders was the best placed of the Kiwis, finishing fifth overall in the ILCA 7 (Laser) after a sixth place in today's top 10 medal race and Micah Wilkinson and Erica Dawson were second in the Nacra 17 medal race to finish sixth overall.

One of the bright spots of the week has been the performance of Veerle ten Have in the women's iQFoil class and she picked up two races wins and a handful of top-five results in her first ever international windfoiling event.

The iQFoil run a different format on medal race day to more traditional Olympic classes, with the top qualifier moving directly through to a three-person final, the second best sailor qualifying for the semfinals and the rest in the top 10 then battling it out in a one-off race for the remaining two spots in the semifinal.

Ten Have was fourth in that race, which meant she finished seventh overall.

"It was the coolest race by far that I have ever done because all of the girls were so close the entire time," the 21-year-old said. "Over those 10 minutes or so we were all within 10m-20m of each other battling it out. It was super intense. 

"This regatta was really just to check in [with the international fleet]. The fact I have come through in that top bunch is really confidence boosting for the next couple of regattas and the next couple of years. I know I have all the tools to make me the best, which gives me that confidence."

Wilkinson and Dawson also know they're not too far off in the Nacra 17, although no one was able to match the Italian pair of Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti who won nine of the 13 races to finish a mammoth 36 points ahead of the next best crew.

Wilkinson and Dawson were second in today's medal race - behind the Italians - to round out the regatta in sixth.

"It was a pretty cool way to finish the regatta," Wilkinson said. "You're never happy with sixth but it's a good way to start the Olympic cycle.

"We have spent the summer training alone so to come back into the fleet and be competitive is exciting. We know we have a lot of potential and a lot more speed to find now we are mixing and mingling with everyone in Europe."

Wilkinson and Dawson, like everyone else in the 20-strong Kiwi contingent who competed in Palma, will remain in Europe and race at the next World Cup regatta in Hyeres at the end of the month. Their main target will be racing well at the various class world championships, which are mostly in the second half of the year.

One exception is the ILCA 7 class and Saunders will be defending his world title in Mexico next month. He was reasonably satisfied with his week in Palma and his fifth placing overall.

"It was a very shifty medal race for us, as we should expect these days," he said. "I just slightly misjudged the first shift and that was game over. The fleet was well spread from there, unfortunately. 

"However, I'm happy to grind out fifth place for my first event this year in some very windy conditions. I have to thank [coach] Dan Slater who has been with me the last few weeks. We've made some good steps forward to becoming a more rounded sailor but I still have some areas I need to improve which was highlighted this week."

Results and final standings after day 6 of the Princess Sofia Regatta in Palma:

ILCA 7 (165 boats)

1st: Michael Beckett (GBR) 2 1 1 2 12 13 (14) 2 1 3 14 - 51 points
2nd: Matt Wearn (AUS) (56 DNC) 26 2 1 2 2 3 12 6 1 2 - 57 pts
3rd: Phillip Buhl (GER) 1 2 7 2 21 1 1 (23) 11 2 20 - 68 pts

5th: Tom Saunders (NZL) 4 10 3 5 9 19 15 (36) 2 6 12 - 85 pts
51st: George Gautrey (NZL) 17 (56 DNF) 1 2 41 49 56 UFD 26 44 37 - 273 pts
92nd: Luke Deegan (NZL) 33 28 36 26 15 39 19 28 (46) 34 - 258 pts
95th: Luke Cashmore (NZL) 29 27 36 33 11 (42) 33 34 35 29 - 267 pts

ILCA 6 (89 boats)

1st: Sarah Douglas (CAN) 2 - 2 1 1 1 (46 UFD) 2 1 1 6 1 12 - 28 pts
2nd: Hannah Snellgrove (GBR) 3 (9) 6 6 7 1 3 5 3 7 18 - 59 pts
3rd: Vaeileia Karachaliou (GRE) 7 5 2 4 3 8 4 4 4 (34) 20 - 62 pts

40th: Olivia Christie (NZL) 10 24 22 23 33 24 20 42 44 28 - 226 pts

Men's iQFoil (111 boards)

1st: Andrew Brown (GBR) 4 2 1 (6) 1 1 3 (7) 1 1 1 1 4 9 2 (16) 3 6 6 1 - 37 pts
2nd: Nicolo Renna (ITA) 3 (7) 3 2 3 3 2 (10) 1 1  4 6 (48) 3 15 1 7 2 (26) 2 - 56 pts
3rd: Luuc van Opzeeland (NED) 1 (8) (14) 5 0.5 0.5 3 2 3 7 3 4 1 (52 UFD) 1 9 1 1 (14) 3 - 42 pts

24th: Josh Armit (NZL) 13 (27) 17 17 9 9 10 22 9 (35 BFD) 31 26 21 (39) 28 23 15 9 2 - 239 pts
53rd: Thomas Crook (NZL) 7 (52 DNF) 29 18 (STP 51) NSC 51 NSC 24 8 1 15 1 4 5 4 4 (51) 11 1 (24) - 183 pts
61st: Eli Liefting (NZL) 30 35 (52 DNC) (52 DNC) 13.5 13.5 29 24 3 7 15 15 21 12 10 (51) 8 5 (51 DNC) - 241 pts
89th: Antonio Cozzolino (NZL) (52 DNC) (52 DNC) 22 52 DNC 51 DNC 51 DNC 52 DNC 52 DNC 35 DNC 35 DNC (51 DNC) 10 (51 DNC) 51 DNC 51 DNC 16 3 10 51 DNC - 544 pts

Women's iQFoil (74 boards)

1st: Helene Noesmoen (FRA) (17) 1 2 1 1 1 14 2 1 5 1 4 3 (27) (18) 3 4 13 2 1 - 58 pts
2nd: Pilar Lamadrid Trueba (ESP) 1 2 (13) 4 6 6 (15) 7 11 3 1 1 1 (75 BFD) 13 2 6 11.1 5 2 - 80.1
3rd: Maja Dziarnowska (POL) 12 (14) 9 (22) 8 8 5 (23) 9 9 3 12 14 2 10 8 7 7 8 3 - 131 pts

7th: Veerle ten Have (NZL) (21) 16 10 13 3 3 10 (46) 7 13 1 (21) 11 7 2 4 2 3 1 6 - 106 pts
52nd: Brianna Orams (NZL) (75 DNF) 59 54 55 40 40 (75 DNC) (75 DNC) 23 23 25 54 51 43 21 34 40 49 47 - 658 pts

49er (76 boats)

1st: Erwan Fischer / Clemen Pequin (FRA) 1 1 1 (14) 2 8 1 13 5 1 4 1 12 - 50 pts
2nd: Ian Barrows / Hans Henken (USA) 1 10 6 2 (13) 1 5 3 4 6 5 6 4 - 53 pts
3rd: Mikolai Staniul / Jakub Sztorch (POL) 1 12 (13) 3 4 3 6 1 1 10 6 13 14 - 74 pts

16th: Logan Dunning Beck / Oscar Gunn (NZL) 10 2 9 12 6 (18) 5 8 20 22 4 - 119 pts
27th: Isaac McHardie / William McKenzie (NZL) (27 DNC) 4 2 11 37 DSQ 1 15 7 3 9 4 2 - 85 pts
48th: Sam Bacon / Henry Gautrey (NZL) (27 DNC) 16 21 14 10 17 12 24 5 10 27 DNC 22 - 178 pts

49erFX (56 boats)

1st: Odile van Aanholt / Anette Duetz (NED) 4 1 2 (19) 2 1 1 3 14 1 6 4 12 - 51 pts
2nd: Martine Grael / Kahena Kunze (BRA) 2 1 6 15 1 9 15 2 1 4 (26 UFD) 3 2 - 61 pts
3rd: Jana Germani / Giorgia Bertuzzi (ITA) 16 3 4 (18) 3 6 5 5 2 17 2 2 4 - 69 pts

21st: Alex Maloney / Olivia Hobbs (NZL) 14 7 8 21 8 (22) 9 19 12 20 20 12 - 150 pts

Nacra 17 (38 boats)

1st: Ruggero Tita / Caterina Banti (ITA) 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 (3) 2 - 16 pts
2nd: Sinem Kurtbay / Akseli Keskinen (FIN) 3 2 2 (7) 7 3 5 4 4 3 3 2 14 - 52 pts
3rd: John Gimson / Anna Burnett (GBR) 5 8 9 1 2 2 6 1 3 6 (12) 1 12 - 56 pts

6th: Micah Wilkinson / Erica Dawson (NZL) 6 13 6 13 9 (15) 2 5 2 10 4 6 4 - 80 pts

Full results

Micah Wilkinson and Erica Dawson used their pace downwind to good effect today to put themselves in contention in the Nacra 17 after day four of the Princess Sofia Regatta in Palma.

The Tokyo Olympians are the best placed of the Kiwis at this year's first Hempel World Cup Series event and sit in sixth, with Tom Saunders ninth in the ILCA 7 (Laser) and Veerle ten Have ninth in the women's iQFoil windfoiling. 

Logan Dunning Beck and Oscar Gunn are 14th in the 49er but need to make up only four points tomorrow to qualify for the top 10 medal race. It's been a challenging week for the pair after Dunning Beck suffered a painful rib injury in training on the eve of the regatta.

Wilkinson and Dawson enjoyed the beautiful sailing conditions off Palma today, complete with sunshine, a steady onshore breeze and nice waves. They're the sort of conditions they chased throughout the New Zealand summer and their hard work seems to be paying. off.

They started the day with a 15th (their drop for the regatta) but backed it up with two seconds and a fifth to make good progress up the leaderboard. They're 26 points behind the Finnish combination in third but still have a chance of climbing onto the podium with one more day of fleet racing before the top 10, double points medal race.

"It was a better day for us," Dawson said. "The last race was pretty epic. We port tacked the fleet and managed to cross so that was pretty exciting. Unfortunately, the Italians got us at the top of the last beat but overall it was a good day."

Wilkinson said they needed to find a click of speed against the top crews upwind but was encouraged by their speed downwind, although finding that speed has taken its toll.

"Our downwinds are our strength," he said. "We pushed hard over the summer to increase our speed downwind in the big stuff. Erica got a concussion in December and broke her finger in January in crashes while training in heavy conditions.

"It's nice to see some of that mahi paying off but we have plenty more in the tank."

Saunders will be hoping to find some of that speed tomorrow after another frustrating day on the ILCA 7 course. The world champion was 15th and 36th in today's two gold fleet races and slipped two places to ninth. 

He's still in contention in a highly-competitive fleet but knows time is running out.

"The results speak for themselves today," he said. "It was really nice conditions out there but I'm just not quite firing. I'm still hanging in there, which is pleasing. Tomorrow looks great again, I just need to execute. It's as simple as that."

Veerle ten Have continues to impress in the women's iQFoil in her first international event in more than two years and on the new equipment that will be used at the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

She backed up her race win yesterday with three results in and around the top 10, including a second placing in the final race of the day to further highlight her potential.

Josh Armit has also performed well in the men's iQFoil and sits in 28th while Thomas Crook is second in the silver fleet after posting five top-five results today including a race win. Crook finds himself in illustrious company with Olympic champion Kiran Badloe only three points ahead in the silver fleet.

This week has been about checking in for their entire New Zealand squad in Palma after so long in the wilderness. For former Olympic silver medallist Alex Maloney, the Princess Sofia Regatta also represents her first international event with new 49erFX partner Olivia Hobbs.

The pair climbed a few places today in the first day of racing in the gold fleet but had a bit of drama to start the day.

"We had a bit of a hectic day with a bit of gear failure onshore so we were in a bit of a rush to make it to the first start," Maloney said. "We just made it with a tow from a coach.

"The day was about having good boat speed and keeping it simple. We had some really good moments but also some where we lost a few points but I feel like all the mistakes we can identify and it's the first time we are making those mistakes as a team." 

A fantastic fleet of 37 Lasers participated in the 41st edition of the RSA Laser Regatta at Panmure Lagoon Sailing Club this Sunday with sailors coming from as far away as Port Ohope, Onerahi, Hamilton and the four corners of Auckland to compete in this much anticipated annual event. The weather came to the party allowing for some great racing conditions on the Basin with winds ranging between 10 to 17 knots. Shifty gusts caught many, even the top sailors, by surprise and a spectacle of acrobatic capsizes could be enjoyed by the public.

Rohan Lord from Pupuke Boating Club and previous Laser National Champion and RSA winner in 1987 and 1989 was this year's winner leading the field in 4 of the races in the Laser Standards. Luuk Van Basten Batenburg from Pupuke and previous RSA winner in 2003 2010 and 2011 won the 5th race and came second overall. Mike Keaton from Pupuke came 3rd overall.

In the Radial fleet, PLSC's very own Kevin Welsh won the day which is his 4th win in that division, Samantha Stock from Murrays Bay Sailing Club and a member of the 2018 NZL Sailing Foundation Youth Team not only came second overall but as well first Junior sailor and first Woman sailor. Taylor Farrell from PLSC came second woman sailor and Helen Spencer from Hamilton Yacht Club came third woman and first Master Women sailor. Jim Quinn from Point Chevalier Sailing Club, a previous World Radial Great Grand Masters Champion and a legend (75+) was third Radial, an amazing achievement showing that skills not age matter.

The day closed with a BBQ of steak and sausages kindly donated by Manfreight followed by Prize giving. We have to thank our invaluable army of helpers who kept the whole day running like clockwork. Special thanks to Garth Briden and Jock Bilger for setting up a great arena for the regatta with a great course and some great starts. Need to thank of course our Sponsors who donated an impressive list of prizes.

Results and Photos