Punishing conditions prevented all bar one of the Australian Sailing Team from competing in the Hempel World Cup in Enoshima, Japan yesterday. The only athlete who did manage to get on the water was big man Jake Lilley in the Finn.

Laser coach Michael Blackburn got it right when he advised to be ready for anything. There were gusts to 30 knots from the Sou’west, and waves to 2.5m. There was moderate to heavy rain, as well.

The long-term average pattern is for variable weather conditions, hot and humid, light all week, or strong for the whole regatta, a seriously mixed bag. All vital to know for the Tokyo Olympics which will be run at the same venue just next year.

Results of the regatta from the outset will be crucial, as a full set of races for the regatta may not be achievable. In these sorts of situations, even countbacks (determining who on the same points had higher or more significant results) can be become critical to a sailor’s medal chances.

Fresh from the mission was Jake Lilley, in his Finn, a class that is ideally suited to heavy weather. “None of us were surprised that they sent us out to test the waters. We’re used to it. I am surprised we did not have a second race, as we were dialled in.”

“It was hard yakka, but good fun. It is pretty cool to surf a lot back downhill after all your hard work beating up to the weather mark. They were long rides where you got to stay on the one wave.”

Despite a penalty turn for touching a mark, Lilley achieved an eighth place today; still inside the fabled top ten. From here on the Finn and other classes may have to do three races in a day to complete their series.

The esprit de corps of the entire team is for every person to prove, improve and stake a claim for the future. For some that will mean representing Australia at the Olympics. Iain Murray, the Director of High Performance for the AST said, “The aim is to give everyone an opportunity. The reason we have a big team is that it is the final year of the quadrennial, and we need to get all the sailors the experience now, as it will be invaluable for all of them, whether they come to Enoshima next year or not.”

“Australia has an open book on selection, with a nomination panel comprised of Olympians and World Champions. Multiple sailors/crews in the one class do make it challenging. Just look at depth and strength of our Laser and Nacra 17 fleets. Combined with emerging talent in the skiffs for example, it certainly shows how good Australia is at this sport.”

Having the second largest team here does provide its own headaches and just getting them to the boat park each day is one of them. Dense traffic on the island in this popular tourist spot can result in a long queue. The ever-adaptable Australian Sailing Team have solved this by bicycle, demonstrating you have to ready for anything by land and by sea.

It is expected that the weather will peak overnight, so all athletes are ready to go for an big day of racing on Day 3.

Australian Sailing Team results at the Hempel World Cup Series, Enoshima:

Men’s 470 (34 boats)
5^th: Mat Belcher and Will Ryan 5, - 5 points
27^th: Chris Charlwood and Josh Dawson 27, - 27 points

Women’s 470 (22 boats)
10^th: Nia Jerwood and Monique de Vries 10, - 10 points

49er (37 boats)
11^th: Thomas Needham and Joel Turner 4, 16, (28) – 20 points
22^nd: Lachy Gilmour and David Gilmour 14, (30), 16 – 30 points
31^st: Sam and Will Phillips (35), 13, 34 – 47 points

49erFX (36 boats)
15^th: Tess Lloyd and Jaime Ryan 19, 16 – 35 points
17^th: Natasha Bryant and Annie Wilmot 17, 19 – 36 points
29^th: Amelia Stabback and Caitlin Elks 35, 18 – 53 points

Finn (25 boats)
13^th: Jake Lilley 16, 8 – 24 points

Laser (51 boats)
4^th: Mitch Kennedy 4, 10 – 14 points
15^th: Tom Burton 20, 14 – 34 points
16^th: Matt Wearn 18, 19 – 37 points
28^th: Finn Alexander 19, 38 – 57 points
30^th: Luke Elliott 34, 25 – 59 points

Laser Radial (49 boats)
30^th: Elyse Ainsworth 29, 26 – 55 points
35^th: Mara Stransky 21, 42 – 63 points

Nacra 17 (32 boats)
2^nd: Nathan Outteridge and Haylee Outteridge 5, 3 – 8 points
3^rd: Jason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin 7, 2 – 9 points
29^th: Paul Darmanin and Lucy Copeland 23, 25 – 48 points

Photos: Beau Outteridge

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