Sailing: Brits ready to start medal quest at 49er and 49erFX worlds

Around 100 crews are aiming to win world titles in Buenos Aires this week with just nine months to go until Rio 2016.

At the recent South American Championships, all three British Sailing Team 49er pairs – James Peters and Fynn Sterritt, John Pink and Portland-based Stuart Bithell, and Dylan Fletcher and Alain Sign – finished inside the top eight.

In the 49erFX, Weymouth-based duo Charlotte Dobson and Sophie Ainsworth ended their championships in eighth.

Peters and Sterritt led the British contingent and the fleet for the majority of the week, almost dethroning unbeaten Kiwis Peter Burling and Blair Tuke.

However, a disappointing final medal race left them just outside the silverware in fourth.

Pink and Bithell finished sixth at the South Americans and now want to be that team securing a medal this week.

“We are aiming for a medal here and know we have the necessary kit and set-up to do that, we just need to put together a week we know we are capable of and get the best from our team,” said Pink.

So far this season Pink and Bithell have tasted medal success twice, at the 49er European Championships in Porto and the ISAF Sailing World Cup Weymouth and Portland.

Bithell added: “The World Championships is important on our road to Rio, it’s within nine months of the Olympic Games itself, so you need to be looking at putting in consistent medal-winning performances.

“That being said, although fairly close to Rio, the racing conditions are very different.”

World number one-ranked pair Fletcher and Sign finished seventh at the South Americans and will also be in the hunt for a 49er World Championship medal.

In the women’s 49erFX, Dobson and Ainsworth are the top-ranked British boat in attendance, while Kate Macgregor and Steph Orton are teaming up for the first time.

For news and British Sailing Team updates visit britishsailingteam.com, Facebook or Twitter @BritishSailing.