Canadian Para sailors McRoberts, Lutes win bronze at world championships in Netherlands
Duo reaches podium after finishing each of the 10 races in the top 6, including 4 wins
A Canadian duo took home a medal at the 2023 Sailing World Championships in the Netherlands on Wednesday, with John McRoberts and Scott Lutes claiming bronze in the RS Venture Connect Para sailing class.
They finished each of the 10 races in the top six among a field of 15 teams, including four wins.
France's Ange Margaron and Olivier Ducruix captured gold, while Portugal's Pedro Reis and Guilherme Ribeiro beat the 60-year-old Canadians out for silver.
Congratulations to John McRoberts & Scott Lutes, 🥉 medalists in RS Venture Connect at the 2023 Sailing World Championships<br><br>📸 Steve McBride<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sail?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sail</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sailing?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sailing</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sailforall?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sailforall</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sailforlife?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sailforlife</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sailtowin?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sailtowin</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GetReadyForTheBest?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GetReadyForTheBest</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AllianzSWC23TheHague?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AllianzSWC23TheHague</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/parasailing?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#parasailing</a> <a href="https://t.co/OtAcHesdiz">pic.twitter.com/OtAcHesdiz</a>
—@SailCanadaIt was the first time that Para sailing events were contested at the Sailing World Championships, which have been held every four years since 2003 by World Sailing. More than 70 Para sailors took part across four Paralympic sailing disciplines, with the RS Venture Connect, 2.4 Norlin OD, and the men's and women's Hansa 303 classes
"It's a good result, but I still find it a little disappointing," said McRoberts, a two-time Paralympic medallist from Victoria. "We just couldn't get our groove today. I have no idea why, the boat was fine, Scott did a great job. We just kept getting bounced. It wasn't a great day on the water for us."
The Canadian duo finished fourth in the final race of the day to secure the bronze medal in The Hague, a Dutch city on the North Sea.
WATCH | Para medal races at sailing worlds in Netherlands:
"It took us a little while to get going and keep our groove," said Montreal's Lutes, a bronze medallist at the 2016 Paralympics. "I understand John's feeling; the last thing you remember is the last race. When it's not shining after you've been shining in the previous day, it's a little tougher to take."
"But I think that overall, we sailed some great races and I think John underestimates himself a bit in that regard, and he can hold his head high from the way we sailed overall this week."
Watch live coverage of the Sailing World Championships on CBCSports.ca, the CBC Sports app and CBC Gem. Coverage continues through Sunday.
