Murdoch opens 2015 Finn Gold Cup with a win

Murdoch opens 2015 Finn Gold Cup with a win and a share of the lead

The 2015 Finn Gold Cup, featuring the world’s best Olympic Finn sailors, got underway off Takapuna on Auckland’s North Shore today and NZL Sailing Team’s Andrew Murdoch has an early share of the lead.

New Zealand team-mate Josh Junior is the next best placed of the kiwis lying 13th after two races on the opening day of the world title deciding regatta.

After a one hour postponement racing kicked off and 33 year old Murdoch, (Kerikeri Cruising Club/Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club) got off to a blinder with a win in the very first race.

Adding a seventh in race two he has eight points in total, equal with Great Britain’s Giles Scott, who is the defending Finn World Champion and the man to beat this week.

“I had a good day, and a solid start to the regatta, a first and a seventh. It was good to win the first race in front of the home crowd – that was cool,” says Murdoch.

“And I sailed a reasonably solid second race, a few points went begging here and there, but overall really happy with how it’s going. I think I started well, and sailed head out of the boat.”

The Hauraki Gulf provided sunny skies and 8-12 knot winds.

“It was quite a tough day. We weren’t quite fully hiking a lot of the time, and a reasonable sort of a sea way coming through so it never felt super comfortable going up wind in it but I was going fast enough. It was fun sailing downwind with the free pumping.”

Asked how he will approach day two Murdoch says, “Same as I did today, nothing changes, I’ve just got to keep doing what I’m doing and start worrying about points closer to the end of the regatta.”

With Murdoch and Scott sharing the lead at the end of day one, Ed Wright (GBR) is lying 3rd and nine points behind.

It was a different story for Josh Junior (Worser Bay Boating Club) who started his world champs campaign with a 29th place in race one. A ninth in race two sees him placed 13th overall currently and he’ll be looking to bounce back tomorrow.

The 75 boat fleet is sailing as one fleet with two races planned each day, each around 75 to 90 minutes long. Racing resumes tomorrow starting midday.

See full results here

About the event
The 2015 Finn Gold Cup (the Finn Class World Championship) is being held at Takapuna Boating Club in Auckland, New Zealand from 21 to 29 November.
The event website is: 2015.finngoldcup.org

ENDS

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