Greta Pilkington has launched herself back into medal contention at the ILCA 6 Women’s World Championship with one of her finest performances yet on the world stage.
The young Aucklander mounted a spirited fightback on the second day of gold-fleet racing, producing scores of 6, 14 and 4 overnight (NZ time) in a hugely challenging three-race session, climbing from 19th to fifth overall and putting herself just 19 points off a podium position with two races remaining in the Elimination Series.
Pilkington had slipped down the standings after finishing 44th in yesterday’s only completed race, but responded in emphatic fashion as the fleet battled wildly shifting conditions on Dublin Bay.
“It was like doing a full cycle with the pots and pans in the dishwasher — here, there, left, right, this person’s high, that person’s high. I had no idea. It was anyone’s game,” Pilkington said.
“The second race especially was chaotic, so I’m glad to come out of it a little bit unscathed, but yeah, all to play for.”
Racing began in 16–19 knots and a metre swell, but the breeze fluctuated dramatically throughout the afternoon, swinging between 7 and 19 knots. A late change in tide added another layer of difficulty, creating a washing-machine effect across the racecourse.
For Pilkington, the key was simply surviving the chaos while taking advantage of the opportunities that came her way.
“I think you’re just trying to come out of each day unscathed. Today was one of those days where it was better to be lucky than good, and that worked in my favour — a few good ones, and hopefully I can roll that into tomorrow,” she said.
The 6-14-4 was the biggest overall climb of the day, lifting Pilkington to 53 points and putting her firmly in the hunt for a place in the medal series.
It is unfamiliar territory for the Kiwi, who has never previously reached the final day inside the top 10 at a World Championship.
“To be fair, I’ve never actually made it into a final-day top ten before, so this is a first for me,” she said.
“But I think I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing — if I start worrying about the points now, it’s all going to go downhill. So just keep doing the basics, keep it simple, and we’ll see what happens at the end of tomorrow.”
Two races are scheduled tonight (NZ time) to complete the Elimination Series, with the top 10 sailors advancing to the Final Series and the battle for the world title and medals.
Latest results and standings here.
Originally published by Yachting New Zealand.
