Sailing: Kiwi duo take 49erFX gold

Molly Meech and Alex Maloney celebrate their win in the Sailing World Cup Miami. Picture / Sailing Energy

The NZL Sailing Team has claimed two medals at 2016 ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami.

The medals came in the 49erFX women's skiff class and the men's single-handed Laser event at this regatta, which is the second in the 2015-16 ISAF Sailing World Cup series.

Former Kerikeri sailor Alex Maloney and Molly Meech were awarded the 49erFX gold which was a certainty for them before starting today's medal race having out-sailed their international rivals over five days of fleet racing.

Meanwhile Sam Meech, brother of gold medal winning Molly, came from behind to snatch bronze in the tough fought Laser class.

Many of sailing's top Olympic campaigners from around the globe have been competing this week in Miami.

Earlier in the regatta, Maloney and Meech retained the overall lead at the 2016 ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami after day four of the regatta which brought heavy rain, cooler temperatures and postponements.

Sailors were made to wait for racing on Thursday as torrential downpours killed off the breeze and produced large quantities of surface water. When the breeze materialised it enabled the sailors to commence racing at 15:20 local time in building conditions that ranged from 12-17 knots from the south east, according to the regatta report.

The 49erFX fleet managed one race in the rugged conditions, the Kiwi crew of Maloney and Meech sailing a solid race to record a 5th and hold onto their leading position.

The Danish pairing of Jena Mai Hansen and Katja Salskov-Iversen closed the gap slightly on the New Zealanders, after they placed 2nd in yesterday's race. They now lie seven points adrift of Maloney and Meech going into day five on which the final rounds of fleet racing are scheduled.

New Zealand's Andy Maloney has stormed up the Laser leader board into 4th overall but was at the top of a very tight bunch in terms of points differential. Maloney won the only race completed in the Laser class yesterday and holds 40 points.

Fellow Kiwi Sam Meech is also in that bunch and now 6th overall, on 41 points, also having an excellent race in today's breeze - he was 3rd across the line.

Thomas Saunders is also within the top 10 on 51 points and lying 10th going into the penultimate day of competition in Miami.

Over in the Nacra 17 multihull racing Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders are in 14th overall after placing 7th and 9th in their two races yesterday.