Silver for GBR Youth Sailor at Laser Radial Youth Worlds

by Matt Carter, RYA 2 Aug 2011 17:22 BST

RYA Volvo National Youth Squad sailor Elliot Hanson secured a World and European silver medal at the Laser Radial World and European Youth Championships on the final day of racing in La Rochelle (Sunday 28th July).

The seventeen-year-old sailor from Macclesfield sealed the world bronze and under-21 European Laser Radial title two weeks ago at the same venue, and once again mirrored his performance with an impressive world and under-19 European silver medal.

Hanson produced impressive performances across the six days of racing including a bullet in race seven and numerous top three finishes across the 12 races which were completed.

The World Championships welcomed 370 competitors from 44 countries, including 2011 ISAF Youth Worlds Laser Radial Girls silver medallist Erika Reineke (USA) and Laser Radial Boys bronze medallist Giovanni Coccoluto (ITA) who both took event victory in their respective fleets.

The teenager from Redesmere Sailing Club narrowly missed out on the prestigious RYA Volvo Team GBR spot after finishing one point behind Cameron Douglas at the RYA Volvo Youth National Championships (April), which would have seen him compete at the 2011 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships last month. The disappointment from Hayling Island Sailing Club is clearly in the past as his racing has gone from strength to strength ever since, proving he is a force to be reckoned with on the international stage.

Hanson commented: “I am extremely pleased to finish the event with a silver medal. It was a tough regatta with light, shifty and unstable winds all week which made it extremely hard to maintain a lead due to a lot of the fleet being much lighter than me.

“The competition was of a very high standard and the French and Italian boats made it extremely competitive all week. I was one of the heaviest in the fleet which made it very challenging with the light winds.”

Hanson added: “The week before I was competing in the men’s fleet which was a different story all together. The wind was a lot stronger last week – ranging from 20-25 knots so was physically very demanding. The racing was a lot more competitive in the top half of the fleet due to everyone being heavier and making the most of the strong breeze.”

With Hanson competing at La Rochelle two weeks running, the youngster got to know the venue very well, although felt there was advantages as well as disadvantages: “Yes I got to know the venue very well and became familiar with certain aspects - so I guess that was a slight advantage, but I had been racing for an entire week before the competition had started, in extremely strong winds in a men’s fleet – so I was completely shattered,” explained Hanson.

“I guess I would say the main advantage from the first week’s event was the boost in confidence I had from winning the bronze and the under-21 European title – as well as performing so well in such a competitive fleet.

This was Hanson’s final Youth event and last time racing in the Laser Radial class: “Yes it was a great way to bow of the Laser Radial class – I was aiming for a top three finish and on the final day I was sitting just outside in fourth – so to walk away with silver is fantastic.”

“Next up for me is the Laser Standard – my main focus now is too put on more weight and then move straight into the Standard and start training for my first event which is the Nationals in a few months’ time. The Laser Radial class has been fantastic and I’m now looking forward to the new challenges that lie ahead,” concluded Hanson.

Cameron Douglas, RYA Volvo National Youth Squad sailor, finished the event tenth in the world standings and seventh in the European fleet. Fellow RYA Volvo National Youth Squad members Lorenzo Chiavarini finished 17th in the worlds fleet/ 11th European, while in the girls fleet Hannah Tilley finished 7th in the Worlds/5th European.

Meanwhile, the 420 European Championships also came to a close in Tavira, Portugal, on Sunday (31st July) with RYA Volvo National Youth squad sailors Jess Lavery and Georgie Mothersele finishing fifth in the Youth fleet, eighth overall.

In the 420 boy’s fleet, Craig Dibb and Charlie Cox who have recently returned back from the 2011 ISAF Youth World Sailing Championships, along with Lavery and Mothersele, finished seventh in the Youth fleet, 11th overall.

For more information about the Laser Radial Youth World Championships and for full results visit www.srr-sailing.com/2011-laser-world-championships/

For more information about the 420 European Championships and for full results visit tavirasailing.org/uk/

For details regarding the RYA Volvo Youth Racing programme or for further details on future regattas, please visit the RYA Website.