After a week of racing, RYA Team GBR has won six medals at Hyeres Grade one Olympic sailing week in France and shown potential in many other classes.

Helena Lucas won gold in the 2.4mR Paralympic class. Dominating the fleet she had no need to sail the final race in the event and won by fifteen points from team mate Allan Smith who took the silver. The bronze medal went to fellow Brit Michael Cogswell.

It was silver in the women’s Yngling fleet for the new trio of Sarah Ayton, Lisa McDonald and Annie Lush. Despite a disqualification in the final day’s race they had sailed well enough during the week to finish in silver medal position behind the American team of Sally Barkow, Carrie Howe and Debbie Capozzie.

Silver also went to Rob Wilson and Mark Bulkeley in the Tornado class. Due to the light and fickle winds on the final day, racing could not get underway, but this relatively new pairing will be pleased with this result. Xavier Revil and Christophe Espagnon of France took gold in the fleet by a slim two point margin.

The final medal for Team GBR went to Ed Wright in the Finn class. The class only managed six races in total over the week, but proving that it is not over until the final race, an eighth place for Wright saw him move up into the bronze medal position. Emilios Papathanasiou of Greece won the event by a comfortable nineteen point lead.

Other Team GBR sailors that showed real potential at the event included Lizzie Vickers in the Laser Radial fleet who managed a third place in the final race of the week to move up one place into fourth. The 470s were another class that didn’t manage to get racing on the final day which left Christina Bassadone and Saskia Clark fifth overall and also placed fifth were the young 49er pairing of John Pink and Alex Hopson.