The Official
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www.sailing.org |
Samoa's sailing team accomplished a first on Thursday at Mulifanua, earning two team bronze medals and an individual bronze medal as the sailors competed to the backdrop of beautiful Savai'i. It is the first medals ever won by Samoa's sailing team in any major international competition. Entering Thursday's competition, Samoa's Luana MILROY was holding onto a two-point advantage over New Caledonia's Paiscillia POANIEWA in the battle for silver in the Laser Radial fleet. Meanwhile New Caledonia's FREI and Michael BORDE battled with each other to grab the gold in the Laser.
The Laser Radials began the first of three laps in the morning and immediately the drama matched the gravity of situation for POANIEWA and MILROY. As MILROY turned the windward mark she found herself at a disadvantage as she capsized, but eventually fought her way back to fourth place. Unfortunately for MILROY, POANIEWA's team mate Cawle DABIN beat her out for third place in the Medal Race by inches.
In the Lasers, FREI and BORDE of New Caledonia held on to the gold and silver as Jesse BESSON of Tahiti took the bronze. Samoa's Blake MILROY battled to keep his position in fourth but finished behind Tahiti's Guillaume COMBESCURE in the Medal Race and dropped to fifth overall.
New Caledonia took gold in the overall team results with Tahiti taking the silver. Samoa took bronze in both the Radial and Laser classes. At the end of the days events, Samoa walked away with not only its first medal but three bronze medals.