NSWIS sailors take gold at first World Cup of 2019

Nacra 17 Olympic silver medallists Jason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin have successfully defended their Miami World Cup Series title, with an emphatic win in the medal race this morning.

The NSW Institute of Sport duo spent most of the week chasing the leading Brazilian team of Samuel Albrecht and Gabriela Nicolino de Sá in light winds, but came in to the medal race just four points ahead of the Brazilians in what was effectively a match race for gold.

“Last year we won before going in to the medal race, but this year we came in pretty much even” Waterhouse commented on the water after the race.

“So we had to manage the Brazilians today, who really sailed a phenomenal event so congratulations to them.”

Their Miami win is the second World Cup Series event win in a row, after the team took out the Enoshima leg on the 2020 Olympic course in Japan last August.
Olympic gold medallist Tom Burton (NSWIS) added a bronze medal to Australia’s tally of medals at the first World Cup event of 2019 in Miami, Florida this morning.

“I had a pretty nice plan today. I followed it closely and had a nice race.” Burton commented after the final medal race.

It was a testing week for Burton, who also won the Miami event last year. This year’s regatta was marked by light winds meaning some long days on the water for the 101-strong Laser fleet.

After mixed results earlier in the week, Burton was able to use his experience to steady and rounded out the week with a third in the medal race to secure the bronze medal. The race was again run in light winds which made things tricky for competitors.

“The winds were very light today, but much more solid and consistent than the rest of the week so it was nice to have a solid last race to finish a very tricky week.” Burton said.

There was more good news for the Aussies with rising 49erFX team Natasha Bryant (NSWIS) and Annie Wilmot (NSWIS) ending their time in Miami on a high by moving up to finish fifth overall, their best result in an international event to date.