Sailing: Duo secure gold medal place

Alexandra Maloney and crew Molly Meech are on top of the world after winning the 49erFX event at the 2014 ISAF Sailing World Cup Abu Dhabi Regatta. Photo / File

Tauranga sailor Molly Meech and her 49erFX teammate Alexandra Maloney are looking forward to a well-earned Christmas break after finishing off the year in perfect fashion.

Their fourth place in the final race of the year at the ISAF Sailing World Cup in Abu Dhabi was enough to secure the gold medal - but the Kiwis did not have it all their own way on a challenging final day.

"It was a little bit hectic, we thought we were pushing the start line for so it wasn't really what we planned," Meech said.

"The whole race turned hectic and we weren't really in a groove but we did what we needed to do so we're really happy."

"The aim was to go out and try to win that race, but also to stay in front of the Swedish who were in second.

"We managed to do that so that was a win/win."

The result was good enough for a 23 point buffer for the former world champion skiff pair over closest rivals Lisa Ericson and Hanna Klinga of Sweden.

Italy's Giulia Conti and Francesca Clapcich rounded out the podium with the bronze medal.

"It's been pretty amazing sailing conditions here," Meech said.

The pair have planned a training block in New Zealand in the lead-up to Christmas.

"We'll take a nice break over Christmas and New Year and then we'll be in Miami for the ISAF Sailing World Cup regatta there for the first time."

The Abu Dhabi event is new to the ISAF Sailing World Cup programme (and billed as the finals to the series) with 2014 acting as the forerunner to the invitation-only event format which allows for only 20 boats in each event.

Marcus Hansen and Josh Porebski missed out on a podium finish in the men's skiff class by the narrowest of margins, finishing fourth overall on count back.

Going into the final medal race the Kiwis were lying second but points around them were tight and a sixth in the medal race saw them edged out of the top three.

Other Kiwis to feature in the medal racing at this regatta were Sam Meech in the Laser class, who finished second in the medal race and sixth overall. Josh Junior came eighth in the Finn medal race and ends the regatta in ninth overall.