Going into the medal race in Miami it is red bull sponsored Alex Maloney and Molly Meech (NZL) who will take the victory. After 12 fleet races they are out in front by 50 points, the largest margin of victory for any World Cup ever in the 49erFX. Alex and Molly are the 2013 World Champions. They struggled at times in 2014 after changing coaches and having so many of the competition improve dramatically with more time in the boat. They rounded back into form by Euros 2014 getting onto the bottom step of the podium but then had a tough worlds finishing out of the top 10.
Here in Miami, they are looking very comfortable in the boat yet a bit uncomfortable with the win. It was a very shifty and difficult week for all here in Miami leaving many teams feeling like the results were defined more by errors than great sailing. “We just keep thinking about all the mistakes we made this week, we know we can still sail better,” said Alex back on shore.
Alex and Molly have impossible standards to live up to with 49er team mates Peter Burling and Blair Tuke dominating 49er sailing unlike any team before them. It’s no wonder they can close our a regatta and still want more with those standards to live up to.
The medal race sets up perfectly for an exciting race for the Silver and Bronze. Brazilians Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze are one point back of Italy’s Giulia Conti and Francesca Clapchich so which ever of them beats the other will be ahead. Keeping them both honest in the race is Denmark’s Jena Hansen and Katja Iversen, who are 12 points back and could leapfrog one or both to grab some hardware.
The final day in Miami was very light winds, dying throughout the morning so that there was no wind left once the 49erFX had completed their races leaving the men without any racing. The shifty conditions persisted in the light stuff often compounding even the best.
The medal race in 49er will be a great one, with 5 teams able to win the regatta and 6 could hit the podium.
