Dutch double for GBR 470 teams 

Weguelin-McIntyre and Seabright-Carpenter close out 470 Women's EUROSAF regatta gold and silver

British pairings Sophie Weguelin-Eilidh McIntyre and Amy Seabright-Anna Carpenter ensured their places on the top two steps of the 470 Women’s podium as the third stage of EUROSAF Champions Cup sailing series drew to a close in the Netherlands this weekend.

The two British crews were neck and neck on points at the top of the leaderboard heading in to their final medal race at the Delta Lloyd Regatta, with the more experienced Podium squad pairing of Weguelin and McIntyre having had a points advantage eked away following a black flag starting disqualification on their penultimate day of racing in Medemblik.  

Seabright and Carpenter, members of the British Sailing Team’s Podium Potential squad, exerted the pressure with an impressive race win in the final fleet race to their teammates’ tenth to level the scoreline ahead of the final ten-boat medal decider, setting the scene for an enticing British battle for gold.

Weguelin and McIntyre saw a great start to a gusty 7-18 knot finale, and led from thereon in, able to cover their teammates and rivals before eventually closing out the race win – and the gold medal – by over a minute’s lead. Seabright and Carpenter were next across the line to ensure a British 1-2 in the race, and 1-2 overall in the women’s double-handed class.  

“We actually had quite a tough week,” McIntyre explained. “We got a black flag yesterday having won that race, so that was a big blow and it meant we lost quite a big lead, so we had to claw it all back.  But it meant that the medal race was fun.  It’s not worth the win unless it’s tight, is it?!”

“We thought [the medal race] was going to be really, really windy but it dropped significantly once the cloud went through and it turned into a different day.  We just had to take it as it came.  It was pretty wacky!”

“It’s nice that we were so close on points and it made for some good racing today – it’s exciting,” added Weguelin of the challenge from her teammates.

Alexandra Rickham and Niki Birrell added SKUD class silver to the British Sailing Team’s tally, with windsurfer Tom Squires claiming a hard fought bronze in the RS:X men’s class and his first EUROSAF medal outside of the UK.

Joe Bennett joined Squires in the RS:X men's medal, finishing second in the race to claim ninth place overall, while there were top ten finishes for British sailors in seven other classes – Podium Potential 49er crew James Peters-Fynn Sterritt continued their impressive form from the Hyeres World Cup to finish sixth, one place ahead of Dylan Fletcher-Alain Sign.  

In the three person Paralympic Sonar class, John Robertson-Hannah Stodel-Steve Thomas were fourth with Craig Wood-Steve Palmer-Liam Cattermole seventh, while Helena Lucas was eighth in the 2.4mR.

Ben Saxton-Nicola Groves were ninth in the Nacra 17 event – teammates John Gimson-Hannah Diamond had to withdraw through injury to helm Gimson – while Podium Potential 49erFX pairing Vikki Payne-Steph Orton secured a ninth place in the women’s skiff event.

Hannah Snellgrove, Elliot Hanson and James Hadden were the top British finishers in their respective Laser Radial, Laser and Finn events, in sixth, tenth and 13th respectively.

The Delta Lloyd Regatta was the final chance for sailors to qualify their places the ISAF Sailing World Cup Weymouth & Portland (8-14 June), with a number of additional British crews expected to now feature alongside the pre-qualified names once the final confirmed entry list is published this week.

Full Delta Lloyd Regatta results.

British Sailing Team medallists at the 2015 Delta Lloyd Regatta:
Gold
Sophie Weguelin-Eilidh McIntyre (470 Women)

Silver
Amy Seabright-Anna Carpenter (470 Women)
Alexandra Rickham-Niki Birrell (SKUD)

Bronze
Tom Squires (RS:X Men)