New Zealand has produced a new world champion crew and been crowned the world\u2019s top 29er nation after a landmark performance at the 29er World Championships in Kiel, Germany, overnight.<\/p>\n
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Bella Jenkins and Jess Handley claimed the Female Under-19 World Championship title, while also securing silver in the overall female division, to spearhead New Zealand\u2019s triumph in the coveted Nations Cup.<\/p>\n
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Awarded to the highest-performing nation across the championship, the Nations Cup capped a remarkable week for the five-strong Kiwi team, which achieved the rare feat of qualifying all five crews for the gold fleet \u2014 reserved for the top 50 boats after qualifying \u2014 from a fleet of nearly 300 entries representing dozens of countries.<\/p>\n
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Three New Zealand crews also finished inside the overall top 10, with Nelsen Meacham and Oli Stone placing fourth, Matteo Barker and Leo Brown seventh, and Blake Batten and Hugo Smith 10th.<\/p>\n
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The 29er is one of the world\u2019s most competitive youth skiff classes and the recognised pathway into the Olympic 49er and 49erFX classes. It has produced many of New Zealand\u2019s top Olympic sailors, including Blair Tuke and Alex Maloney.<\/p>\n
Bella Jenkins and Jess Handley on their way to winning the female under-19 title. Photo \/ Sascha Klahn, International 29er Class\u00a0<\/p>\n
For Jenkins and Handley, the title marked the culmination of months of hard work and an extraordinary rise on the international stage.<\/p>\n
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After finishing 13th at last year\u2019s Youth Sailing World Championships in Vilamoura, Portugal, the pair returned to Europe this season determined to take another step forward \u2014 and delivered a consistently outstanding regatta.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt\u2019s an incredible feeling to help the team win the Nations Cup, but being second female overall and winning the Under-19 title makes it even more special,\u201d Jenkins said.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe don\u2019t have big fleets back home, so being able to race against 50 boats in the gold fleet and perform like we did shows we can compete at the highest level.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe had really shifty conditions throughout the regatta, but we managed to stay consistent and had a really strong qualifying series, which set us up well for the finals.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Handley said a medal had seemed unlikely at the beginning of the championship.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe didn\u2019t think we\u2019d be on the podium until the start of the gold fleet series, when we realised we were one of only three female teams to qualify,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWhat makes this even more special is that Bella and I were in the bronze fleet at our last major international regatta. To come here, make gold fleet and then win a medal is an incredible feeling.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt reflects all the hard training we\u2019ve done this year and the incredible support we\u2019ve had from our friends, family, teammates, coaches and Yachting New Zealand.\u201d<\/p>\n
The five Kiwi 29er crews and coach Campbell Stanton after claiming the Nations Cup. Photo \/ Sander van der Borch, International 29er Class\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elsewhere in the championship, Meacham and Stone finished just 18 points shy of overall third place after recording seven top-four results during qualifying and backing that up with a strong gold fleet campaign. They traded the honour of leading Kiwi crew throughout the regatta with Barker and Brown, who also delivered a consistent championship to finish seventh overall.<\/p>\n
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Batten and Smith rounded out New Zealand\u2019s outstanding week, securing 10th overall and giving the country three crews inside the top 10.<\/p>\n
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Meanwhile, Ewan Brazle and Toby Clark narrowly missed out on another medal, finishing fourth in the Under-17 division \u2014 just six points behind Hong Kong\u2019s Ethan Kiu and Louis Polson \u2014 while placing 29th overall.<\/p>\n
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Geoff Woolley, Yachting New Zealand\u2019s Talent Development Manager, said Jenkins and Handley\u2019s success reflected months of dedication from both the sailors and the wider squad.<\/p>\n
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\u201cBella and Jess becoming Under-19 world champions is a significant achievement and we\u2019re incredibly proud of them,\u201d Woolley said.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThey\u2019ve shown remarkable consistency and dedication, working incredibly hard over the past 18 months. This result is a well-deserved reward for that commitment.<\/p>\n
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\u201cCongratulations also to the New Zealand squad for winning the Nations Cup. The way this group has trained together and pushed each other is really paying off, and everyone involved should be extremely proud of what they\u2019ve achieved.<\/p>\n
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\u201cA special congratulations also goes to coach Campbell Stanton, who has worked with the squad throughout the season and at these events, and to the sailors\u2019 parents and support network, without whom this would not be possible.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe\u2019re excited to see this group build on the momentum they\u2019ve created.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Nelsen Meacham and Oli Stone finished just outside the overall podium places. Photo \/ Sander van der Borch, International 29er Class\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Jenkins and Handley will now turn their attention to September\u2019s New Zealand Youth Team Trials, where they hope to gain selection for the Youth Sailing World Championships in Vilamoura, Portugal, in December.<\/p>\n
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\u201cOur big goal this year is to perform even better at the Youth Worlds,\u201d Handley said.<\/p>\n
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\u201cAfter that we want to transition into an Olympic class. It\u2019s our dream to represent New Zealand at the Olympic Games one day and, hopefully, win an Olympic medal.\u201d<\/p>\n