Britain’s Bryony Shaw kept cool in the Israeli heat to take bronze at the RS:X European Championships in Tel Aviv on Saturday.
The Olympic bronze medallist was left with some work to do to secure a podium spot after a “bad day” on Thursday – the windiest day of the event – saw her dip outside the top three positions.
The 26-year-old showed trademark resilience to pull herself back into contention in the penultimate two fleet races, with a seventh in Saturday’s medal race enough to clinch her the bronze, behind Marina Alabau and Blanca Manchon who took gold and silver for Spain.
Shaw said: “I’m really pleased, even though I didn’t race very well in the medal race today. My muscles tightened and I let the Italian girl go on the second upwind leg, but I managed to come out of it all right.”
Shaw, who is preparing for a World Championship title bid on home waters in Weymouth in September, can learn from this as she heads into the first year of the new Olympic cycle.
She said: “I’m happy that it’s job done here, but also has shown that I have a lot still to work on for the Worlds. It’s been a lot hotter, a lot wavier and just different conditions to what we will be focussing on for Weymouth.”
Elsewhere in the women’s fleet, youth sailors Izzy Hamilton and Sophie Bailey finished 23rd and 25th respectively, with Kirsten O’Callaghan in 29th.
COVER STAR – Bryony Shaw is Sportsister’s next cover star, with a full interview featured in July’s magazine and online.
Lawrence Dunhill, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine
