Wearn Takes Silver at Weymouth World Cup
19 year-old WAIS athlete Matthew Wearn has kept his Olympic selection dream alive after winning silver at the ISAF Sailing World Cup in Weymouth, England.
Wearn is locked in a selection battle with world number one Tom Burton to represent Australia in the men’s laser class at next year’s Rio Olympic Games.
With countries only able to select one boat per class, the Australian duo has been identified by the Australian Sailing Team as the pair from which Olympic selection shall be determined, with duo left to compete for bragging rights and a highly prized ticket to Rio.
Still in his teens, Wearn’s rapid ascent represents a healthy conundrum for the sport, with the Olympic position destined to go to a highly skilled sailor, capable of competing for a medal in Brazil.
Wearn marked his potential with an impressive week of sailing at the same course that represented the 2012 London Olympic sailing venue.
The medal round presented a tense finale, with nearly anything possible and a number of competitors still mathematically in with a chance of taking the medals.
Only one point separated Wearn from leading German, Phillip Buhl. Burton also qualified for the medal race after finishing in eighth place after fleet racing.
It was a nail-bitting medal race with Wearn’s overall position shifting between gold and silver at each turn. In the end it was Germany’s Phillipp Buhl who clinched gold in the nerve-racking race to the line.
He finished the Medal Race in third but had Burton to thank, after he finished in between Buhl and Wearn. Wearn had needed to stay one place behind the German on the final run to the finish but Buhl managed to pass Burton near the end of the leg, meaning that Wearn missed Gold by a single point.
Whilst the Olympic qualification marathon between Burton and Wearn represented a play within a play, and influenced Burton’s tactics within the medal race, there was no disappointment for Wearn, who sailed a strong regatta and was very happy with the silver.
“It was a tight battle all the way around, losing positions and gaining positions everywhere. It was just the race to the bottom gate on the last downwind that really made the difference.”
“Unfortunately Buhl just had a little bit more legs on me on the downwind but at the end of the day I’m pretty stoked to come away with a second, which is a good step.”
Wearn was appreciative of the stakes on offer when asked about his countryman’s tactics during the medal race but expected no favours from Burton.
“I was pretty well aware of what the points situation was, but obviously, TB (Tom Burton) was not going to slow down just for me to win a regatta,” Wearn said. “He’s a good sailor and obviously would always go for the best result in a race.”
“He’s a good bloke, he’s happy for me and I’m happy for him when he does well. Buhl just sailed a good downwind and TB did all he could to do his best, no harm done.”
Burton added: “On the last run, I did have a glance back and saw Matt behind me and Philip obviously past me. Of course I knew the points, but what can I do, I’m not going to stop, it’s not a team game and that would look really bad. It’s bad luck for him but he sailed a good week anyway and second is nothing to shy away from.”
Australian sonar sailors Colin Harrison (WAIS), Russell Boaden (WAIS) and Jonathon Harris won a second regatta on the spin, adding Weymouth gold to a competition win earned in the Netherlands a couple of weeks before.
The trio wrapped up gold with four consecutive race wins over the close of competition, and was never out of the podium positions during a highly consistent campaign that augers well for their Rio prospects in 2016.
“It was very tough out there today with lot of wind shifts and pressure changes with the wind coming around Portland Island. Challenging but satisfying when you get away with a win so we are very happy,” Colin Harrison said after the final race.
It was a return to the London 2012 Paralympic venue for Harrison and Harris and after narrowly missing out on the podium in London they had some unfinished business.
“It was our first time back here since 2012 and it brings back memories, some of which are not great. But it’s been good to complete this regatta with a win and when we come back here next there will be good memories. Since 2012 we’ve reformed the team and have Rusty (Russell Boaden) back on the team, and he has brought a lot of experience to the front of the boat. We’ve been doing very well with our results and have been on the podium at every regatta since the 2012 Paralympics. So we’re really gelling well as a team and getting the results.”
And about the plans ahead he added: “We are all going back home now and the boat goes into a container to Rio. We’ll get to sail on the waters there in September and are looking forward to the experience, which will be our first introduction to Rio.”
Of the other WAIS athletes in action in Weymouth;
David Gilmour and his crew Rhys Mara finished 16th in the men’s 49er (skiff). Luke Elliot was 29th in the laser fleet, whilst Caitlin Elks was forced to withdraw from the women’s 49erFX (skiff) after her skipper Tess Lloyd picked up an injury.
-with YachtingAus