All Trinidad and Tobago sailors enjoyed a very successful performance recently in Takapuna, New Zealand and we would like to congratulate all of them and thank the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited and the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee for their continued support to the sport of sailing.
The final day of sailing at the Laser Radial Worlds brought conditions sailors experienced all week, fifteen knot north-easterlies with a reasonable swell, making it a very tough regatta. In the first race of the final day James Leighton knew what he had to do to make up for the loss he experienced the previous day, when the winds were to heavy for him; putting all his afford in to gaining some places and getting himself back in the Top 35, he finished 8th in the first race, but gave probably a little too much in the first race, resulting in a 43rd position in the last race of the day.
Both Aaron Barcant and Stuart Leighton were caught on the wrong side of a wind shift on the final day and scored in the late 20’s and early 30s in both races. Competing against the best sailors in the world from big sailing nations such as Great Britain, France, The Netherlands, America, Australia and New-Zealand, the Trinidad sailors did exceptionally well with youth sailors Aaron Barcant finishing in 32nd, Stuart Leighton in 34th, and James Leighton in 36th position overall in the Laser Radial Youth Men’s Gold Fleet.
Olympic hopeful Andrew Lewis, who sailed in the Laser Radial Men’s Worlds, showed an excellent performance, sailing a very good last race of the final day finishing in 12th position, which propelled him three places in the overall ranking, bringing him to an outstanding 30th place at the end of the Men’s Championships.
Report submitted by Esther Van Santeen, Sailing School Administrator
