The Australian Sailing Team and Squad will be in full flight this week, competing alongside more than 600 sailors from 46 nations in all 10 Olympic class disciplines at the World Cup Series regatta at Hyeres in southern France.

The event is Round 3 of the 2018 series, which started at Gamagori, Japan, last October. Round 2 was in Miami in the US in January. Hyeres marks the last opportunity for qualification to the World Cup Series Final, to be staged in Marseilles, which will play host to the sailing competition for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Hyeres will provide the world’s top sailors with a useful barometer of their standing in the lead-up to the biggest sailing event this year, the World Championships in Aarhus, Denmark, in August.

Australia’s full complement will be in action this week, including winners at Miami, Olympic Laser champion Tom Burton and Nacra 17 Olympic silver medallists Jason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin.

Laser sailor Matt Wearn will be looking to back up his gold medal at the Trofeo Princesa Sofia in Palma, Spain, earlier this month, as will 470 Olympic silver medallists Mat Belcher and Will Ryan, who also claimed the coveted Princesa Sofia Trophy for best overall performance at the regatta.

Australia’s Finn class sailors will hope for improvement on Palma, where Oli Tweddell (12th) was the best-placed Team member. National champion Jake Lilley, who was 19th at Palma, won at Hyeres in 2016.

49er National champions David Gilmour and Joel Turner are keen to improve on their 16th placing at Palma, while young 49erFX pair Natasha Bryant and Annie Wilmot will look for another encouraging result after coming 17th at Palma and 12th in Miami.

• Racing starts on Tuesday, April 24, at 11am (7pm AEST). Australian Sailing will have daily updates via website and social media channels. See ‘Follow the Australian Team’ addresses below.

Regatta local website - www.swc.ffvoile.fr

World Sailing - www.sailing.org/world-cup-series

Full entry list HERE

AUSSIES IN ACTION:

LASER:

Luke Elliott

Matt Wearn

Finn Alexander

Dan Self

Tom Burton

Mitch Kennedy

LASER RADIAL:

Paige Caldecoat

49ER:

David Gilmour/Joel Turner

Kurt Hansen/Harry Morton

Lachy Gilmour/Ryan Donaldson

49ERFX:

Amelia Stabback/Ella Clark

Natasha Bryant/Annie Wilmot

470W:

Nia Jerwood/Monique de Vries

470:

Mat Belcher/Will Ryan

Chris Charlwood/Josh Dawson

FINN:

Jake Lilley

Jock Calvert

Lewis Brake

Oliver Tweddell

NACRA 17:

Jason Waterhouse/Lisa Darmanin

Follow the Australian Sailing Team

Web: www.australiansailing.org

Instagram: @aussailingteam

Facebook: @aussailingteam

Twitter: @aussailingteam

YouTube: AusSailingTeam

Follow Australian Sailing:

Web: www.sailing.org.au

Instagram: @austsail

Facebook: @austsail

Twitter: @austsail