Sailing News
Jason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin Win Silver
Newport local and Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club member, Jason Waterhouse, sailing with his cousin and team mate, Lisa
Darmanin made history on Wednesday 17 August winning Silver in the newly added Nacra 17 class sailing in their first ever
Olympic Games.
100 plus keen Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club members headed down to their club at the early hours of this morning to support
their fellow member and Australian Sailors in the final Medal Races.
Anticipations were high when Tom Burton claimed Gold in the Men’s Laser in the previous race. The crowd watched nervously as
Jason and Lisa took to the race course. Coming into the Medal Race in 4th position it meant the team had to really lift to clinch
the Gold Medal from the leaders, the Argentinians.
At the start of the race the Argentinians were penalised early which gave Jason and Lisa a good start ahead of the leaders. On the
top mark Jason and Lisa along with the Kiwis took a good lead. On the last leg of the race New Zealand was 20 seconds ahead
of Australia with Austria in third and Argentina in fourth. Coming from almost last place, Argentina pushed their way back in with
the race leaders until they were hit with a set-back when they were given a penalty rounding the last mark.
With the crowd at the club on their feet at the finish it was New Zealand first, Australia second, Austria third, USA fourth, France
fifth and Argentina came in at sixth place. With the lead Argentina had coming into the finals won them the Gold by a single
point, with Australia winning Silver with Austria winning Bronze.
Among the crowd at the RPAYC, was his previous sailing coach and good friend, Traks Gordon who coached Jason out of the
RPAYC for many years. Along with Traks, Jason’s grandfather and aunt came down to the Club. Jason’s grandfather gave a
touching speech about his grandson’s competitive spirit which has gotten him a Silver Medal.
Along side Jason and Lisa, other Medal winners were:
GOLD - Tom Burton, Laser
SILVER- Mat Belcher & Will Ryan, Men’s 470
- Nathan Outteridge & Iain Jensen, Men’s 49er