New Zealand’s Mattias Coutts and Oscar Gunn have strengthened their medal hopes at the Olympic Classes Regatta in San Pedro, delivering a standout performance on the future LA 2028 Olympic waters.
The Kiwi 49er pair claimed their second race win of the regatta on day four, backing it up with a second and sixth to move into second overall with just one day of qualifying remaining.
Their latest performance all but secures Coutts and Gunn a place in Saturday’s medal series, with the top 10 boats in each fleet advancing to the finals.
The pair have been the standout performers for New Zealand at the regatta, leading the three-boat Kiwi 49er challenge for much of the week in the shifting and often challenging conditions.
Germany’s Richard Schulteis and Fabian Rieger continue to lead the 49er fleet, having held top spot throughout the regatta, while France’s Erwan Fischer and Clément Péquin are third.
Francesco Kayrouz and Hamish McLaren in action in the 49er competition. Photos / Lexi Pline
For Coutts and Gunn, their focus now turns to converting their strong qualifying performance into a place on the podium.
Behind them, fellow New Zealand crews Francesco Kayrouz and Hamish McLaren remain in 14th, while world and European champions Seb Menzies and George Lee Rush are two places further back in 16th.
Both crews will need a strong final day of qualifying to break into the top 10 and earn a place in Sunday’s finale.
There is also plenty on the line for New Zealand in the Nacra 17, with Micah Wilkinson and Kate Stewart sitting ninth overall and currently inside the all-important medal-series cut.
With only the top 10 advancing, Wilkinson and Stewart will need to maintain their position through the final day as the tightly packed fleet battles for places in the medal showdown.
Micah Wilkinson and Kate Stewart remain inside the top 10 in the Nacra 17 fleet. Photos / Lexi Pline
The San Pedro regatta has produced remarkably close racing across the three Olympic classes, with narrow points margins leaving plenty to play for on the final day of qualifying.
In the Nacra 17, Sweden’s Emil Järudd and Hanna Jonsson moved into the overall lead by a single point, while France’s Tim Mourniac and Aloïse Retornaz sit second and Dutch pair Willemijn Offerman and Scipio Houtman are third.
The San Pedro Olympic Classes Regatta is being held at a future LA 2028 Olympic venue, with 140 competitors from 20 countries competing across the second week of racing, including 27 Olympians and seven Olympic medallists.
Latest results and standings here.
Originally published by Yachting New Zealand.
