Sailing: Tauranga sailors off to good start in Miami World Cup regatta

Sam Meech has made a good start at the World Cup regatta in Miami. Photo / File

Damage limitation was the order of the day at the World Cup regatta in Miami after sailors spent many hours on the water waiting for the breeze to fill in.

Sam Meech (Tauranga) was the best placed of the three New Zealand boats sitting in 10th in the Laser after a 12th and 16th in the two races but only six points off third.

Tom Saunders (Tauranga) was 35th overall in the 70-strong fleet after a 14th and a 57th, but he wasn't the only one to struggle in the fickle winds, and big changes are expected today when the discard comes into play after the third race.

Looking to make a move are Olympic champion Tom Burton (Australia) in 14th and world champion Pavlos Kontides (Cyprus) in 28th.

New Zealand's Paul Snow-Hansen and Dan Willcox were 12th in the only race possible in the men's 470.

"There wasn't much wind, and we sat out on the water for about six hours before we eventually got two races in," Meech said.

"We knew this was going to be a tricky event and we are going to have to keep chipping away and hopefully get some good results later in the week when the wind comes in a little more. In the first race I got a really good start and thought I was going the right way, but the wind clocked around towards the right at the top. I was lucky to gain a few places back in one of the runs but, apart from that, it was pretty frustrating.

"In the second race, I got another good start but didn't tack straight away and found myself in a pretty tough spot. I managed to pick up a few places on the course, so I was happy with that, but it was really, really tough racing out there. Hopefully (today) is a little easier."

Nearly 550 sailors from 50 countries are competing in Miami this week, the first World Cup regatta of the year.
Results and standings after the first day of the World Cup regatta in Miami:
Laser (70 boats)
1st: Philipp Buhl (GER) 6 3 — 9 points
2nd: Loic Queyroux (FRA) 8 9 — 17 pts
3rd: Elliot Hansen (GBR) 9 13 — 22 pts
10th: Sam Meech (NZL) 12 16 — 28 pts
35th: Tom Saunders (NZL) 14 57 — 71 pts