Wearn Takes Silver at 2019 Laser World Championships in Tokyo
Matt Wearn has claimed a silver medal at the 2019 Laser Sailing World Championships in Tokyo after an eventful final day of racing.
Australian Tom Burton claimed the world title and was rewarded for his consistent form over the 12 race series to earn a narrow victory over his Australian Sailing Team counterpart Wearn, by a mere four net points.
Burton held an important 20 point buffer over Wearn heading into the final two races of the series, which was further bolstered by the Olympic champion having a valuable low drop up his sleeve.
As the final day unfolded, he required that margin, as Wearn came out fighting in the penultimate race of the series to record a sixth place finish, which Burton countered with a measured 14th.
With that result banked, Burton moved to 59 net points, knowing that he could afford to drop the final race score and remain on that total.
With Wearn heading into the final race on 58 points, anything other than a race victory was not going to keep him in the hunt.
The 53 boat gold fleet headed out for the final race, with Wearn taking fifth place to secure the silver medal, whilst Burton dropped his score of 51st to finish top of the board on 59 net points, ahead of Wearn on 63 and New Zealand’s George Gautrey on 69 in third.
Having started the final day in third, Wearn said he was pleased to have moved himself up the leadersboard in the final two races.
“At the start of the day, Tom had a pretty handy lead on the rest of us. It was close from second to 13th places. I was in third coming in, so second was a plausible goal, but it was a pretty hard order to win in the conditions today.”
“Conditions were like they were all week; puffy, lots of gains and losses to make and lose. You feel you’re in the hunt and then you’re down the pack,” he said.
“You go out there and sail like you usually do and try and win the race; you don’t think about the others. This Worlds was more cut throat than usual though. People were willing to push the limits more because of Olympic selection, and the pressure is higher, so it does feel like a bit of a battle field. It was good to be consistent again though,” Wearn said.
“For sure you know you have to win the regatta to beat the other guy in the overall scheme of things for Olympic selection. You know if you do get selected, you have a good shot at Gold when you consistently finish at the top. There were 10 or 15 guys capable of winning a world championship here and that makes it harder.”
The result gives Burton a narrow advantage in the race for the single available spot on offer for Australia in the men’s laser class at next year’s Tokyo Olympic Games.
However, with little separating the pair, it’s likely to go down to the wire, with further head to head racing to come at the Test and World Cup events, which will both be raced in Tokyo in August.
WA’s Luke Elliott finished 38th on 201 net points.