With a 9 and 2 on the penultimate day Andrew Murdoch lead into the final days medal race at the Olympic test event in Weymouth, just one point ahead of Australian Tom Slingsby. But the double points format meant a 7th in the medal race dropped Andrew to 4th behind Tom Slingsby,  Rutger van Scaardenburg and Paul Goodison.

A frustrating end for Andrew, but his performance across the regatta looks like it's just where he wants it a year out from the Olympics.

Sara Winther finished 22nd in the radial.

Sailing a Laser on the last day of the Laser 4.7 Worlds was a bit like hitting yourself on the head with a hammer ......it felt so good when you stopped!

Images at sail-world.com

Guten Tag
This Postcard comes by way of Munich as we head for the Splash Worlds in Czech.
 
The last day held lots of promise for the Kiwi Team, everything to sail for ....and everything to let slip away,

The Laser Radail Youth Worlds ran at La Rochelle, France from 24th to 31st July.
No new reports from this regatta, but NZL results were;

• Michael Cate 18th - Gold Fleet (including 2 x 1st's, a 2nd 4th and 6th)
• Alexander Dyet 20th - Gold (incl 2 x 1sts a 3rd and 7th)
• James Roberts 90th - Silver
• Jack Collinson 121st - Silver
• Mathew Kempkers 41st under 17 and 159th overall - Bronze

Regatta site results & reports
Day 6 report at sail-world.com

"Many that are first shall be last, and those that are last shall be first" Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke
 
Kia Ora from San Francisco, enough of the Hippy stuff....
 
The Boys Fleets were divided today, all the Kiwis made the Gold fleet and we had first start after the Girls raced, starting at 2pm.
 
A beautiful day, warm and sunny, lighter winds early, forecast to be stronger at 17 to 22 knots but stayed under that but quite shifty with Max Flood current at 12.30pm.

San Francisco, the city of peace, love and mung beans....
We got some peace this morning, the traffic was way down with the Marathon on and the Race Committee showed us some love by rescheduling the Coaches Meeting to 9.30am, and the beans? ....visit your local taco stand...
 

Hello all
Saturday night in San Francisco, wear flowers in your hair ...maybe not quite, but the St Francis Sailing Club did put on a 'party' for the sailors and supporters to mark the midway point of the regatta.
 
We had some interesting choices of music and food while viewing some great photos taken on the water ...and the latest results scrolling round and round, reminding the sailors of their triumphs or otherwise. The company was good, great to socialize with the other parents and have a drink once off the water.
 

A big hello from San Francisco...and can I have mustard on that?
 
At the 8.30 am Coaches meeting this morning,  the Race Director said he hoped our sailors had got over the first day nerves. Some of our Team did, some didn't.
Keith, Trent, Taylor and Liam were all in the 1st flight, leaving Ryan all alone in the 2nd. Early start 11.am today, grey skies and the famous 'Finger of Fog' still hanging over the Golden Gate Bridge and the race area but lighter winds supposedly, leaving the girls to start at 3pm. The launching ramp was a well oiled machine and all sailors got away with minimum of fuss.

A big hello from 'greater Wellington of the Americas', the fab city of San Francisco. There are parts that look just like Wellington...honest...
So windy, so warm, so cold, I can't remember when I have been fried to a crisp while freezing......Mark Twain was right when he famously said" the coldest Winter I ever had was Summer in San Francisco".
 
After the usual shambles of the 'Practice Race' yesterday, the Opening Ceremony was mercifully short but perfectly formed, the flag bearers marched in from the 28 Nations, we all applauded the quick speeches and went in to enjoy a buffet meal and a chance to chat to our fellow parents, competitors and the Race officials. It was a great pleasure to see, and meet, Doug Elder, the Kiwi Chief of the Jury ....us Kiwis, we are everywere.
....

Rob Burns sent us this report after the NZL boys 4.7 North Americans success

A big hello from 'the Home of the Brave and the Land of the Free'
 
After a few days of visiting family and experiencing American life we have moved from Seattle down to San Francisco and Taylor and his Team mates, Ryan Amlehn of Nelson and Liam MacDonald of Auckland have been on the water working hard trying to get a grip on the San Francisco currents.. Trent and Keith arrived over the weekend so we have yet to see them.
 
The first few days were spent at the VERY flash St Francis Yacht Club, after hearing what their membership costs, I will never complain about paying our pittance. The people there are nice though, there are two major rules, no hats and no cellphones ringing and it was a huge surprise and pleasure to meet our PM at the Club, Taylor and Ryan were stoked that John Key came over and asked for a photo with them.
This weekend we had the North American 4.7 and Masters Laser Champs at the Treasure Island Sailing Centre, about 40 minute down wind sail in a fast Laser in 25 knots ...which is the everyday afternoon wind strength.
We expected all the Internationals to be there but the Laser people wouldn't let the charter boats go down there, it was another US$300 for an extra charter from another supplier ....thank goodness for a favorable exchange rate and first in to get the last couple of boats. The regatta was really good, the organisers from South Beach Yacht Club did a great job , they even feed us really well too, hamburgers and pizza for dinner, Danish and OJ for breakfast ....and beer.
The fleet was nearly 40 on the first day, 31 on the second but tough racing, Ryan and Taylor were first and second both days and Overall.
Ryan pulled out of the last race at the top mark and Taylor won by at least 100 metres. The race before Taylor thought he was OCS and went back.....I was on the Committee boat and sighting the line and the number called wasn't his. He went back and recrossed, started a 100 metres behind everyone but was on Ryan's heels at the finish to come in second. Ryan is 15 kilos heavier than Taylor and every kilo counts in this breeze. Liam is lighter again than Taylor, sailing well to finish 7th overall against the American and Canadian top guns. Some of the competitors from the full rig have turned up here for the 4.7's and they are big boys! Still you have to sail smart and fast not just be big but weight does help in these 25knot conditions!

San Francisco is a great city to be in, easy to bike around (a random person gave me a mountain bike), great guitar shops and we even rode the cable car down hill tonite after running up the 'world's crookedest street'. Food is relatively cheap and most of us are in walking distance of the Club.....it's going to be a great Worlds!
 
A huge thank you to all our supporters that helped to get get Taylor and the Team this far.
 
Happy sailing
Rob