Zoe Thomson finishes top ten at ILCA Euros

WAIS sailor Zoe Thomson has finished eighth overall at the 2022 ICLA European Championships regatta in Hyeres, France.

The Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club rounded out a consistent week and maintained her form across challenging conditions in a six day physical and mental rollercoaster of a regatta.

“It was a really tough event, consistency turned out to be a winner but it was an event where you were fighting for every point on each leg,” said Thomson.

Thomson and her fellow Australian ILCA sailors relished being back on the international stage after two years of restricted travel, with today’s lone race brining their long season to a close.

“It’s been great having our two peak regattas in a row at the end of a solid season,” continued Thomson. “I was disappointed after the Worlds but took the lessons into this regatta, so it was nice to have another opportunity to show what I can do.”

Australian ILCA 6 coach Carolijn Brouwer said, “Zoe had a great regatta. She’s a real fighter and has matured a lot as a sailor this season.”

In the ILCA 7, fellow WAIS sailors Luke Elliott and Zac Littlewood finished strongly to claim 11th and 14th place.

The squad have a full-on program for the Australian summer said ILCA 7 Coach Rafa Trujillo.

“We have Matt Wearn back in action and the full team back together after the Christmas break. It will be a busy summer with the British, Singaporean and New Zealand teams heading our way to do some racing.”

WAIS Sailors Results
ILCA 6
8th – Zoe Thomson (ASS) – (12), 3, 4, 7, 9, 23, 10, (27), 15, 15 (86 points)
29th – Elyse Ainsworth (ASS) – 7, 8, 11, (16), 8, (44), 14, 35, 19, 41 (143 points)

ILCA 7
11th – Luke Elliott (AST) – 11, 1, 6, 21, 2, (28), 21, 2, 16, (30), 20 (106 points)
14th – Zac Littlewood (AST) – 14, 10, 1, (28), 17, 9. (50), 17, 7, 33, 7 (115 points)
42nd – Ethan McAullay (ASS) – 6, 15, 4, 7, (16), 44, 30, 40, 48, 14. (DNF) (207 points)