Rough lessons

It hasn’t all been plain sailing for Rio silver medalists who have a point to prove at 49erFX world champs in Auckland. Duncan Johnstone reports.

Arare dip in form has New Zealand sailors Molly Meech and Alex Maloney refocused for another tilt at Olympics stardom. The silver medallists in the demanding 49erFX class at Rio have rarely been off the podium at major championships but an eighth placing at last year’s world championships in Aarhus, Denmark was a wake-up call.

Now they have the chance to make amends on home waters. The Oceania championships start in Auckland tomorrow and are quickly followed by the world championships that will be run in conjunction with the 49ers, featuring Kiwi stars Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, and the Nacra 17s, a foiling catamaran with a two-person mixed crew.

The Aarhus result was good enough to qualify for their class for next year’s Tokyo Games but Meech and Maloney still have to make sure they are the sailors on board in the cut-throat Olympic selection system.

‘‘We came away pretty disappointed, we felt like we under-performed,’’ Meech admitted of that world championship effort. However, he said it was a timely motivator for them in a long partnership that stretches back to late 2012. ‘‘We went away and had a hard look at our weaknesses and our strengths but making sure that we just didn’t let the weaknesses stay a weakness in our campaign.’’

In 2019 they have regularly featured in the top mix and gained encouragement with their efforts in two crucial regattas on Japanese waters, where they finished fourth and second.

‘‘This year we have been pretty critical about how we go ahead and make progress and I think up in Japan we felt like we really made a big step forward and hopefully that is going to help going into these world championships,’’ Meech said.

Maloney said the process from here is pretty clear in terms of Tokyo.

‘‘We have to show we are podium potential,’’ he said.

‘‘We have to stay process-focussed and if we go out and get good starts, going fast and doing the simple things right you do see the results come.

‘‘We want to win the worlds and if we do that we make it pretty clear.’’

They come into these two regattas being hosted by the Royal Akarana Yacht Club off a refreshing week’s break after an intensive training period that has also included them doing fitness work in sauna-like conditions to help prepare them for what Tokyo will bring.

‘‘You get into really nice routines without the travel,’’ Maloney said of a rare extended stay at home in a lifestyle that is usually spent going from one harbour to the next on a non-stop world circuit.

Meech and Maloney are ranked No 2 going into the worlds behind

Brazil’s Olympic champions Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze. The top talent is in Auckland in an exciting class that is eyeing its second Olympics and has increasing competitiveness.

‘‘There is a lot of depth at the top but the fleet itself has got a lot more consistent and the top group has got a lot closer and a lot more challenging,’’ Meech said. ‘‘If you make a mistake you pay for it. The aim is to not make mistakes and be on top at the end.

‘‘The physical aspect of the class is pretty cool. You have to be fit and strong, not only to do your role but also to stay injury-free. That has stepped up in the fleet over the last Olympic cycle as well . . . people are getting fitter and stronger and that is making the racing a lot tighter.’’

Meech and Maloney have aspirations in sailing that could include round the world racing or professional circuits.

However, for now their focus is firmly on getting to Tokyo and the next couple of weeks, followed by the 2020 world championships that come around quickly in Victoria, Australia next February, will be crucial. Coming from two formidable sailing families – brothers Andy Maloney is an America’s Cup winner with Team New Zealand and Sam Meech is an Olympic bronze medalist in the Laser class – they have proven a classy combination, basing a lot of their success on finding a balance in a pressure-cooker environment.

‘‘It’s different to a friendship you have with high school friends or university friends because there is definitely a goal there,’’ Maloney said. ‘‘It’s not all about just fun and enjoying each other’s company, there is a bit of pressure on achieving things. So there is definitely a different dynamic but I think we have done it well because we have kept a few things as important values, like enjoying the journey.

‘‘We both sail best when we are having fun so we try to keep it a fun but professional relationship.’’