1 Feb 2016

Gold and Bronze for NZ sailors in Miami

12:42 pm on 1 February 2016

The New Zealand sailing team has claimed two medals at a World Cup event in Florida.

Alexandra Maloney and Molly Meech on Guanabara Bay, 2015.

Alexandra Maloney and Molly Meech on Guanabara Bay, 2015. Photo: Yachting NZ

The medals came in the 49erFX women's skiff class and the men's single-handed laser at the Miami event, which is the second in the 2015-16 ISAF Sailing World Cup series.

Alex Maloney and Molly Meech were awarded the 49erFX gold which was a certainty for them before starting the medal race, having out-sailed their international rivals over five days of fleet racing.

Meanwhile, Sam Meech, brother of gold medal-winning Molly, came from behind to snatch bronze in the hard-fought Laser class.

Maloney and Meech were the only crew across the ten Olympic fleets assured of gold and they sailed a safe and solid medal race to place fourth, leaving the Danish and Swedish crews to duke it out for the silver and bronze respectively.

The 49erFX fleet now prepares for their 2016 World Championships which are set to take place in Clearwater, Florida (February 9-14) at the same time and venue as the 49er and Nacra 17 World Championships.

A podium result looked like a tough ask for Sam Meech, who was lying 12 points behind Rutger van Schaardenburg from the Netherlands going into today's medal race, however Meech crossed in 3rd, and the Dutch sailor crossed in ninth drawing them equal on 69 points.

Laser sailor Sam Meech competing at the Sailing World Championships in Santander, September 2014.

Laser sailor Sam Meech competing at the Sailing World Championships in Santander, September 2014. Photo: Pedro Martinez / Sailing Energy

Meech was awarded the bronze medal on countback.

New Zealand was the only nation to have more than one sailor in the top 10 of the Laser.

Thomas Saunders finished the regatta in seventh, Andy Maloney was ninth, while Michael Bullot was 10th.