Michael Beckett Enjoys Winning Weekend In Palma . . . And Could Have Taken Saturday Off

By Hannah Blackwell

Welsh sailor Michael Beckett successfully defended his ILCA 7 title at the Trofeo Princesa Sofia regatta.

The 27-year-old from Pembrokeshire secured an insurmountable lead after the final series race on Friday, making his participation in Saturday’s medal race a mere formality en route to claiming gold in Palma, Mallorca.

Team GB demonstrated their proficiency in the 10 Olympic classes scheduled for the Paris 2024 Olympics by winning four golds and two silvers.

https://twitter.com/TeamGB/status/1644673888490516481?s=20

Sam Sills and Emma Wilson were victorious in the IQfoil events, while John Gimson and Anna Burnet won Nacra 17 gold.

The Tokyo 2020 silver medallists, John Gimson and Anna Burnet, snatched the gold medal from their Italian training partners, Vittorio Bissaro and Maelle Frascari, by securing second place in the medal race.

In the men’s Formula Kite class, Connor Bainbridge claimed the silver medal, finishing behind 16-year-old Singaporean Maximilian Maeder, the 2022 World Championship runner-up.

British team-mate Ellie Aldridge secured the second position in the women’s event, with Lauriane Nolot of France emerging as the winner.

Jon Emmett video interview with the two ILCA Gold medal winners at the 52 Trofeo Princesa Sofia regatta, Marit Bouwmeester and Micky Beckett @IntLaserClass @RCNPalma @cnarenal @UKLA_ILCA_UK @EurILCA @LaserSouthCoast @Assolaser @irishlaserassoc https://t.co/nxVBWBIAGM pic.twitter.com/eMEk54YWJT

— YachtsandYachting.com (@yandyfeed) April 10, 2023