Perth 2011 ENP Duo Score Wins At Fremantle

Olympic hopefuls Serbian Dany Stanisic and Colombian Nicolas Lozano moved a step closer to realizing their London 2012 dream, after winning their events at the inaugural Perth 2011 Emerging Nations Programme Regatta on the weekend.

Laser sailor Dany Stanisic (SRB) and RS:X windsurfer Nicolas Lozano (COL) secured wins at the Perth 2011 ENP Regatta in Fremantle, ahead of some of the city’s top sailors.

With Western Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS) sailors competing, WAIS Executive Director Steve Lawrence said: “It’s great to see WAIS sailors getting international competition in their own backyard through Perth 2011’s Emerging Nations Programme. WAIS is happy to support initiatives that help sailing in WA keep developing champion athletes like [Olympic gold medallists] Belinda Stowell, Elise Rechichi and Tessa Parkinson.”

Despite today’s racing being cancelled and results from yesterday being taken as final, competitors’ spirits were not dampened, said Perth 2011 Event Director John Longley.

“The winds were howling at 25-30 knots and at one stage we had more boats [Lasers] upturned than the right way up. For safety reasons the race was abandoned but the athletes were all having a great time,” Longley explained.

Apart from providing the ENP athletes with experience, the regatta was also held to test the courses for the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships.

“It was good for Perth 2011 to test the courses and discover how best to operate the racing, two years out from the main event.”

According to ENP Head Coach Belinda Stowell, Stanisic has made vast improvements in Perth, after being beaten at a regatta on the first day, by Australian sailor Ryan Hannan.

“After speaking to Dany…, he said ‘I am going to learn from this and next time I am going to win’,” Stowell said.

These words rang true for Stanisic, who left Hannan in his wake to settle for second. The ENP’s Andrew Lewis, of Trinidad and Tobago, powered through the waves to third in the Lasers.

Colombian Lozano’s skills were evident early in the programme. He continues to progress, taking out the RS:X trophy ahead of the ENP’s Qasim Abbas, of Pakistan and Bermuda’s Alex Jones at the regatta.

ENP Head Coach Arthur Brett is pleased with the ENP participants increasing confidence. For these athletes, who are aiming for Perth 2011 and potentially to qualify their nation for the 2012 London Olympic Games, the Dream Begins in Perth!

The regatta was open to the Laser, Laser Radial, Laser 4.7, RS:X, Bic Techno, 420 and 470 classes.

Results – click here

About The Emerging Nations Programme

The Emerging Nations Programme (ENP) is designed to encourage and assist developing and emerging sailing nations to participate in the Olympic Sailing Competition, increase the number of participating ISAF Member National Authorities (MNAs) and subsequently the number of competitors at the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships. From this World Championship, it is hoped ‘emerging’ talent identified during the ENP will qualify to represent their country in sailing at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Seven ENP intensive training camps to be held in WA between July 2009 and the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships in December 2011. Acclaimed Australian Olympic sailing coach Arthur Brett and 2000 Sydney Olympic Games gold medallist in the women’s 470 class Belinda Stowell are guiding the athletes, sharing the knowledge and skill that has seen the pair help spearhead modern Australian Olympic sailing success.

Over the course of the seven ENP intensive training camps, up to 40 athletes from as many nations (not represented in any sailing discipline at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games), will be invited to Perth to improve their chances of earning a place in the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships through their involvement with the ENP.

The Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships Emerging Nations Programme is proudly supported by the Australian Federal Government and the Western Australian State Government. 

Click here for further information on the Emerging Nations Programme. 

The athletes taking part in the second ENP intensive training camp are:

Find out more about the ISAF Sailing World Championships at www.sailing.org/isafworlds.