Olympic class sailors Serbian Dany Stanisic (Laser) and Colombian Nicolas Lozano (RS:X)
are today a step closer to reaching the Olympics, after winning their events at the Inaugural
Perth 2011 Emerging Nations Programme (ENP) Regatta on the weekend. With Western Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS) sailors competing, Stanisic and Lozano secured wins in Fremantle, ahead of some of Perth's best.
WAIS Executive Director Steve Lawrence said: “It's great to see WAIS sailors getting international
competition in their own backyard. WAIS is happy to support initiatives that help sailing in WA keep developing champion athletes like (Olympic Gold Medallists) Belinda Stowell, Elise Rechichi and Tessa
Parkinson.”
Sunday's racing was cancelled and results from Saturday were taken as final, but competitors' spirits were not dampened according to Perth 2011 Event Director John Longley. “The winds were howling at 25-30 knots and at one stage we had more boats upturned than the right way up. For safety reasons the race was abandoned but the athletes were all having a great time.”
Apart from providing the ENP athletes with experience, the regatta was also held to test the courses for the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships.
According to ENP Head Coach Belinda Stowell, Dany Stanisic has made vast improvements in
Perth, after being beaten at a regatta on the first day, by (Australian sailor) Ryan Hannan.
“After speaking to Dany…, he said ‘I am going to learn from this and next time I am going to
win',” Stowell said.
These words rang true for Stanisic, who left Hannan in his wake. The ENP's Andrew Lewis, of Trinidad and Tobago, powered through the waves to third.
Colombian Nicolas Lozano's skills were evident early in the programme. He continues to progress, taking out the RS:X trophy ahead of the ENP's Qasim Abbas, of Pakistan and Bermuda's Alex Jones at the regatta.
ENP Head Coach Arthur Brett is pleased with the ENP participants increasing confidence. For these athletes, who are aiming for Perth 2011 and potentially to qualify their nation for the 2012 London Olympic Games, the Dream Begins in Perth!
The regatta was open to the Laser Full Rig, Laser Radial, Laser 4.7, RS:X, Bic Techno, 420
and 470 classes.
– Samantha Scott
