Rolex Miami Olympic Classes Regatta

posted 6 months ago

Racing for the Paralympic classes drew to a close at the Rolex Miami Olympic Classes Regatta on (Friday 1 February) with Helena Lucas and Niki Birrell-Alexandra Rickham gaining the advantage in the chase for British Paralympic selection in the 2.4mR and SKUD classes.

Lucas, who was competing with Megan Pascoe for the single British berth in the 2.4mR event, finished strongly, scoring 3,3 in the final two races of the regatta for the single-handed Paralympic class.
Although her overall fourth place wasn’t enough to see her into the medals in this open fleet, comprising both able-bodied and disabled sailors, Southampton-based Lucas was the third placed sailor eligible to compete at the Paralympic Games, with Pascoe finishing in seventh (fourth Paralympic) and overall victory going to Damien Seguin of France.

In the two-person SKUD class, Skandia Team GBR’s Niki Birrell and Alexandra Rickham consolidated their position as the top British boat in the fleet, with results of 8,5 ensuring a fifth place finish in their very first regatta together in this new Paralympic class. Allan Smith and Jackie Gay finished just behind, in sixth place on the overall leaderboard, while John Robertson, Hannah Stodel and Stephen Thomas couldn’t quite hold on to the third place they took into today in the three-person Sonar class and finished fourth overall.

RYA Olympic Manager Stephen Park, observing the Miami event as part of the British selection trials for the Paralympic Games, commented: “It’s been an interesting few days watching our Paralympic hopefuls in action.
“It’s certainly been a tricky week for the sailors, and the RYA’s Paralympic selectors will now consider the outcomes of this regatta to determine what the next steps will be for all those concerned – whether that be to select, or to continue the trials process at future events.”

Golden end for Team Draper-Hiscocks and Shaw

posted about 1 year ago

British sailors won five medals in five classes on the final day of the French Olympic Sailing Week in Hyeres on Friday (27 April), with gold going to World Champions Chris Draper and Simon Hiscocks in the 49er class, and windsurfer Bryony Shaw.

After predominantly light wind conditions earlier in the week, the French Rivera resort saw its second consecutive day of 12-15 knot conditions for the final and decisive day of racing at this Grade 1 regatta.

Athens bronze medallists Draper and Hiscocks helped ensure a golden end to the week for Skandia Team GBR, clinching the regatta win after a nail-biting final race in which they trailed the rest of the pack heavily, eventually finishing the race in eighth place. It was enough to see them hold on to their overnight lead by four points and broke break their jinx of the Hyeres regatta being the only Grade 1 event they’ve never won a medal at.

“We were pretty slow upwind today – we didn’t quite get our rig tuning right so that didn’t help,” Draper explained.

“We were pretty disappointed with that race, but of course still really pleased to have won. We had a bad first day to our regatta, but kept on believing throughout that we could do it and surpassed our goal for the event which was to finish in the top five.”

John Pink and Simon Wheeler notched up a fourth race win of the week in the medal race today to end their superb run this week in fourth place overall, while European Champions Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes end the regatta in sixth.

In the RS:X women’s windsurfing discipline, Bryony Shaw went into the last day in first place and finished her regatta in the best possible shape. She was second behind nearest rival Blanca Manchon of Spain heading into the first windward mark, but then took control and was leading by the time she hit the first leeward gate. She won the race by a comfortable margin to hand her the regatta win with a 10 point buffer over Manchon.

John Robertson, Hannah Stodel and Stephen Thomas secured silver in the Paralympic Sonar class with a third from their final fleet race, while Helena Lucas sailed a solid last race in the 2.4mR class, only to discover she was judged to have crossed the startline early – she took the bronze, with Megan Pascoe finishing sixth overall.

Yngling crew Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson continued their lucrative run as a crew adding a bronze medal and a fourth straight podium finish to their silver medals at the recent Princes Sofia Trophy in Palma, the Rolex Miami Olympic Classes Regatta in January and a bronze at the Skandia RYA Sail for Gold Regatta last October.

The Skandia Team GBR sailors went into today’s race in the silver medal position, but the USA boat, skippered by Sally Barkow, got the better of them early on in the final showdown to cross the finish line first, with Ayton, Webb and Wilson in second. The two crews were then on equal points in the results table, but Barkow’s superior position in the medal race was the deciding factor.

Victoria Rawlinson, Emma Rawlinson and Sue Monson – 11th hour recruits to the medal race after the disqualification of Shirley Robertson, Annie Lush and Lucy Macgregor last night – finished ninth overall in the Yngling event.

In the Finn class, Ed Wright was unable to pull himself back into the podium spots today – he needed to finish ahead of New Zealander Dan Slater, but after a premature start he had to re-cross the start line and only managed to recover to eighth place, while Slater finished in seventh. Giles Scott had a notable fourth in his first Grade 1 medal race to finish ninth overall.

Two sets of penalty turns for Paul Goodison in the Laser final ended his chances of a podium position – he finished tenth overall, while Nick Dempsey was involved in a battle royal with Brazilian Ricardo Santos in the RS:X men’s medal race with the two sailors evenly matched until Dempsey raced to one of the wrong marks. He finished the final in second, which pulled him up to seventh overall after a disappointing start to the week.

Skandia Team GBR medallists
Gold
Chris Draper-Simon Hiscocks (49er)
Bryony Shaw (RS:X women)

Silver
John Robertson-Hannah Stodel-Stephen Thomas (Sonar)

Bronze
Sarah Ayton-Sarah Webb-Pippa Wilson (Yngling)
Helena Lucas (2.4mR)

For results and information from the regatta, visithttp://www.skandiateamgbr.com/events/hyeresreg/

Nine Miami medals for Great Britain

posted about 1 year ago

British sailors came away with five medals from the final day’s races at the Rolex Miami Olympic Classes Regatta on Saturday (27 January), bringing their regatta total to nine across the 14 Olympic and Paralympic classes.

But although they finished with more silverware than any other nation at the Grade 1 event, Skandia Team GBR rued missed opportunities in a number of the Olympic classes – the chance of gold melted into silver for Leigh McMillan and Will Howden in the Tornado class, and Bryony Shaw was unable to hold on her overnight lead in the RS:X women’s windsurfing event and had to settle for a bronze after an eighth place in the final double points scoring medal race.

Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield in the men’s 470 class were the only Brits to clinch gold on the final day of racing in Biscayne Bay. With an almost unassailable 19 point lead heading into the final day – they just had to avoid any on water incidents which could see them disqualified – the Athens silver medallists produced a final flourish, with a second place from the medal race providing the icing on the cake.

“The whole event has gone really well for us,” explained Rogers, whose eagerly anticipated comeback year to the Olympic sailing scene in 2006 with Glanfield suffered a setback when he broke his wrist at the start of the season. Consequently, the only major events they competed in during 2006 were the Olympic Test Event in Qingdao, which they won, and the 470 World Championships immediately afterwards, where they finished tenth.

“All of the world’s best sailors in the 470 fleet are here – some might not have their best boats with them, but still it’s been really pleasing to win against the top guys, to get racing and to see where there are areas we need to work on.”

In the Tornado class, overnight leaders Leigh McMillan and Will Howden – already assured of a silver – just needed to keep within four boats of the Australian World Champions Darren Bundock and Glenn Ashby to secure a second gold for Great Britain. In spite of an aggressive start, with McMillan and Howden immediately tacking onto the Australians, Bundock and Ashby broke free and made big gains through the fleet. With big wind shifts across the course, the Skandia Team GBR sailors never managed to recover and finished 10th to the Australian’s second in the final race.

"It’s a real shame not to have won today, but we have to look at the positives of this result,” said Howden. “It was only four weeks ago we were coming 19th at the Worlds so this is a huge improvement for us.”

Bryony Shaw and Nick Dempsey also suffered with the 35 degree wind shifts which beset the RS:X course. Shaw could only manage an eighth place in the women’s medal race to see her fall from first to third overall, and Dempsey trailed across the line in tenth in the men’s final to push him out of the medals from his third place overnight.

In the Yngling women’s keelboat event, Athens gold medallists Sarah Ayton and Sarah Webb along with Pippa Wilson secured their first Grade 1 podium position as a new crew. The trio were poised in second place heading into the final race, two points behind the USA team of Sally Barkow, Carrie Howe and Debbie Capozzi. Ayton’s team need to beat the Americans to clinch gold, but were unable stay in front of the former match racing World Champion and had to settle for silver in their first major event together as a crew.

“It’s been a great event for us, and a great result for Pippa,” commented Sarah Webb.

“We’re really happy with a silver in our first Grade 1 together, but mostly we’ve learnt a lot as a new team from this regatta. Our training so far has been focussed on speed – we haven’t really done any racing practice yet, so our performance on the race course this week has been encouraging.”

Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes put on a solid display in the 49er final, finishing fourth to boost them up onto the podium in silver medal position after heading into the medal race in fifth place. Spanish Olympic Champions Iker Martinez and Xavier Fernandez saw gold slip from their grasp when they were called early over the start line.

Skandia Team GBR’s five medals from the final day’s races in the Olympic classes is added to the four won on Friday in the Paralympic disciplines, where British sailors Dan Parsons, Tom Pygall and Guy Draper won gold and John Roberson, Hannah Stodel and Stephen Thomas took bronze in the three person Sonar class, and also took silver and bronze in the single-handed 2.4mR category through Megan Pascoe and Helena Lucas.

“Miami provided us with a good opportunity to see how the winter training programmes are paying off for the sailors,” concluded Olympic Manager Stephen Park. “While we didn’t set any specific performance targets for the team at this regatta, it’s pleasing that Great Britain has come away with nine medals across the 14 classes.

“That said, I’m slightly disappointed that in some classes we were unable to capitalise on some real opportunities that were out there – opportunities to convert leading positions in the Tornado and RS:X women’s events, and chances to convert podium placings into gold medals!

“It’s been a learning regatta for many of the sailors, and I’m sure that everyone will leave here having learnt a great deal and with plenty to think about ahead of the next Grade 1 event in April in Palma.”

British medallists in Miami:
Gold:
Nick Rogers-Joe Glanfield (470 Men);
Dan Parsons-Tom Pygall-Guy Draper (Sonar)
SIlver:
Sarah Ayton-Sarah Webb-Pippa Wilson (Yngling)
Leigh McMillan-Will Howden (Tornado)
Stevie Morrison-Ben Rhodes (49er)
Megan Pascoe (2.4mR)
Bronze:
Bryony Shaw (RS:X women)
John Robertson-Hannah Stodel-Stephen Thomas (Sonar)
Helena Lucas (2.4mR)

Seventeen British boats through to Miami medal races

posted about 1 year ago

The penultimate day of racing at the Rolex Miami Olympic Classes Regatta (22-27 January) saw seventeen British boats across ten classes qualify for Saturday’s final medal races. Eight Skandia Team GBR crews are in medal-winning positions heading into the final day of this Grade 1 regatta, with Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield and Bryony Shaw consolidating their leads in the 470 men’s and women’s RS:X categories, and Leigh McMillan and Will Howden moving to the top of the Tornado leaderboard ahead of Australian World Champions Darren Bundock and Glenn Ashby after Friday’s racing.

Athens silver medalists Rogers and Glanfield take a 19 point lead into the final medal race on Saturday, recording 7,20,7 from their three races of the day, and will be joined in the medal race, featuring the top ten boats in a double-points scoring final showdown, by teammates and World Champions Nic Asher and Elliot Willis, currently in eighth place.

Bryony Shaw picked up her first race win of the regatta to see her extend her lead to four points in the women’s RS:X class, while Tornado sailors McMillan and Howden posted two solid seconds in Biscayne Bay’s 12 knot conditions to put them into first place and assured of at least a silver providing they sail a clean race tomorrow. "It feels great to be in this position,” said Howden. “We have really struggled over the last few regattas for no apparent reason, and it’s easy to get your head down. We came here with no real expectations, just wanting to feel like our program was moving forward again. “We haven’t changed a thing since the Worlds,” he continued. “I think this just shows how tight and hard this fleet is to compete in consistently at the top which is our short-term goal. Bundy [Darren Bundock] is really good in the medal races so we will have to be on top of our game tomorrow.”

Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson will also have to be on the top of their game if they’re to come out on top in the Yngling event. ‘Team Mirabaud’ sailed a solid 4,2,1 from today’s three races, but their closest rivals, the American team skippered by Sally Barkow, had an even better 2,1,2 to see them take the lead by two points over the British boat so the Yngling medal race will see an nail-biting showdown between the two crews.

The 49er leaderboard remains delicately balanced, with Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes still within reach of some silverware. Currently in fifth place, they’re just five points off the second placed boat of USA’s Tim Wadlow and Christopher Rast, while in the men’s RS:X class, third placed Nick Dempsey is on equal points with the Joao Rodrigues heading into tomorrow’s medal race.

In the single-handed events, Paul Goodison is currently fifth in the Laser class, Ed Wright and Ed Greig have made in through to the Finn medal race in seventh and ninth places respectively, and Charlotte Dobson and Lizzie Vickers will fly the Skandia Team GBR flag in the Laser Radial class. Christina Bassadone and Saskia Clark head into the women’s 470 medal race in sixth place, while the Star class will be the only one without British interest as the new crew of Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson were unable to make the cut.

While there’s still everything to play for in the Olympic disciplines, there was a dramatic conclusion to the regatta for Sonar sailors John Robertson, Hannah Stodel and Stephen Thomas. With no medal races scheduled for the three Paralympic classes, Friday’s final fleet races determined the overall regatta winners. Robertson, Stodel and Thomas were overnight leaders in the Sonar class, but were left under pressure from their teammates and training partners Dan Parsons, Tom Pygall and Guy Draper heading into the final race. In an attempt to aggressively match race Parsons’ team out of contention in the last race, the two-time IFDS World Champions Robertson, Stodel and Thomas inadvertently broke Rule 22, which prohibits a boat from altering its course to interfere with another boat sailing a different leg. On learning of their mistake, Robertson’s team confessed to the jury and were subsequently disqualified from the two races of the final day. They finished the regatta with bronze, after starting the day in the gold medal position. “The guys have never been in the situation before where they’ve had to win a race through any other means than just sailing as fast as they can,” said Skandia Team GBR Sonar coach Mark Rushall. “It was a training regatta for them here, so learning was the most important thing for the team – they’ve certainly learnt a lot!”

Megan Pascoe and Helena Lucas secured silver and bronze medals respectively in the 2.4mR Paralympic class, behind able-bodied sailor and five time 2.4mR Open World Champion Stellan Berlin of Sweden. For 20-year-old Pascoe, it was her best result to date, and “a brilliant way to start the year”. Allan Smith and Jackie Gay finished in fifth place in only their second event in the new SKUD-18 class.

Skandia Team GBR medal race contenders:

470 men – Nick Rogers-Joe Glanfield; Nic Asher-Elliot Willis
470 women – Christina Bassadone-Saskia Clark
49er – Stevie Morrison-Ben Rhodes; Paul Campbell James-Mark Asquith Finn – Ed Wright; Ed Greig
Laser – Paul Goodison Laser Radial – Charlotte Dobson; Lizzie Vickers
RS:X women – Bryony Shaw; Lucy Horwood
RS:X men – Nick Dempsey Tornado – Leigh McMillan-Will Howden; Rob Wilson-Mark Bulkeley
Yngling – Sarah Ayton-Sarah Webb-Pippa Wilson; Victoria Rawlinson-Emma Rawlinson-Sue Monson

For the full results and information, visithttp://www.skandiateamgbr.com

Contrasting conditions challenge Miami sailors

posted about 1 year ago

Tuesday’s second day of the Rolex Miami Olympic Classes Regatta saw a marked change of conditions, and mixed fortunes for the British sailors in the hunt for medals.

The steady 12-15 knot breezes which greeted competitors on Monday’s first day of racing were replaced with shifty and light conditions on Tuesday (23 January), with winds hovering around the 6 knot mark following a postponement to the start of racing until the early afternoon.

British sailors currently occupy nine top three spots across the 14 Olympic and Paralympic classes competing at Biscayne Bay, with four days of racing still to go.

Windsurfer Bryony Shaw, Athens 470 silver medallists Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield, and 2.4mR Paralympic sailor Megan Pascoe currently top their respective results tables, while British Sonar crew Dan Parsons, Tom Pygall and Guy Draper – tuning partners to Skandia Team GBR’s Paralympic campaigners John Robertson, Hannah Stodel and Stephen Thomas – lead their teammates by one point at the top of the Sonar leaderboard.

Pascoe and her 2.4mR compatriot and world silver medallist Helena Lucas occupy the top two positions in the 2.4mR results table, with Lucas describing Tuesday as “tricky – a real head out of the boat day”.

Bryony Shaw took at step toward the defence of the RS:X women’s crown from the 2006 event thanks to a fourth from the windsurfing fleet’s only race of the day, while an 11th in the sole 470 men’s race was enough for Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield to hold on to the top spot, ahead of Spaniards Gustavo Martinez and Dimas Wood.

After a strong start in the breeze on Monday, Skandia Team GBR's 49er European Champions Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes got to grips with the lighter conditions today, posting a first from the only race once the eager fleet had finally been released from the shore.

“We’re really happy with today’s race,” said the 28-year-old Morrison afterwards. “It was a bit on the light side after yesterday’s champagne racing, but we’re pleased with how we adjusted out techniques to cope with the change in conditions.

“But my legs didn’t enjoy all the crouching, that’s for sure!”

Morrison and Rhodes are now in second place overall, just one point behind the series leaders Tim Wadlow and Christopher Rast and with Italy’s Sibello brothers and Spanish Olympic Champions Iker Martinez and Xavier Fernandez right behind them.

The world number two Yngling trio of Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson are currently in third, following a 6,5 from their two races of the day, while windsurfer Nick Dempsey is in fourth place, on equal points with the third ranked Przeymslaw Miarczynski of Poland, after crossing 13th in the men’s RS:X fleet’s only race of the day. SKUD-18 Paralympic sailors Allan Smith and Jackie Gay are poised in third place – they were adjudged to have had a premature start to their first of three races, before going on to post a 7,4.

Development squad sailor Ed Greig, in 13th place, is still the top Brit in the Finn class, although European Champion Ed Wright had a better second day with results of 8,3 moving him inside the top 20 after suffering gear failure yesterday.

Paul Goodison struggled with the shifts in the Laser fleet, while Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson got off to a strong start in the Star class and showed good speed upwind before being caught by a wind shift and left with no opportunity to pass back – they finished ninth.

Lizzie Vickers in the Laser Radial and 470 women Christina Bassadone and Saskia Clark sit in seventh position in their respective classes, while the Tornado leaderboard remains unchanged from Monday as the catamaran sailors saw no racing today due to the light winds. Leigh McMillan and Will Howden are the top British crew, in fifth place after two races.

Racing at the Rolex Miami Olympic Classes Regatta runs through until Saturday 27 January.

For the latest news and information, visit www.skandiateamgbr.com

Skandia Team GBR celebrates success

posted about 1 year ago

Skandia Team GBR’s most successful year to date in medal terms was capped off this weekend with the team’s inaugural Awards Dinner and Presentations at the Hayling Island Sailing Club on Friday (24 November).

Sailors and support staff alike were honoured during the black tie event, which reflected on the British sailing team’s performance during 2006 and their bumper haul of 48 medals this year from World and European Championships and major Olympic Classes Regattas.

A champagne reception, courtesy of Champagne Mumm, started the evening’s proceedings, with Peter Thomas and Trevor Hatton from Accenture then announcing the winners of their ‘Rewards and Recognition Programme’.

As part of this new incentive programme from Accenture, Skandia Team GBR sailors and support staff voted to decide which of them had best displayed one of three of the team’s core values of “Passion”, “Committed to Excellence” and “Collaboration”. Cash awards of £1,500 were up for grabs for the each of the three winners, and £500 for each of the runners-up.

2.4mR Paralympic sailor Helena Lucas was the winner of the award for “Passion”, Pete Cunningham, head of the Sports Science team, was deemed the person most “Committed to Excellence”, while Skandia Team GBR’s Olympic Operations Officer Wendy Maxwell was awarded the top prize for “Collaboration”.

The evening also saw Olympic Manager Stephen Park present performance bonuses for sailors who have medalled at World and European Championships and the Olympic Test Event in Qingdao since April this year (full list below), while Adam May was presented with the inaugural “Golden Funnel” award for coaching for his work with both the 2.4mR and Yngling classes during the year. The award was introduced by its creator, Finn coach Jez Fanstone, via video message from Fremantle, Australia.

In the final award of the evening, 49er World Champions Chris Draper and Simon Hiscocks were handed the British Olympic Association Athlete of the Year by BOA Chief Executive Simon Clegg.

“This first ever Skandia Team GBR Awards Dinner and Presentations was a fitting way of not only celebrating the team’s on the water achievements, but also the efforts of all those who’ve contributed in some way to our success during the course of 2006,” said Olympic Manager Stephen Park.

“2006 has been a fantastic year in medal terms thanks to our collective efforts, and we must continue to pull together as team if we’re to achieve our Olympic goals in Qingdao, and again of course in 2012.”

For more information on the Awards and their winners, and photos from the presentations, visit www.skandiateamgbr.com

Full list of winners:

Accenture Rewards and Recognition Programme:
“Passion”
Winner – Helena Lucas (2.4mR sailor)
Runner-up – Peter Bentley (Technical Projects Manager)

“Committed to Excellence”
Winner – Pete Cunningham (Senior Sports Science Officer)
Runner-up – Adam May (2.4mR coach)

“Collaboration”
Winner – Wendy Maxwell (Olympic Operations Officer)
Runner-up – Olivia Hankey (Olympic Administrator)

Performance bonuses awarded to:
Chris Draper-Simon Hiscocks (49er)
Gold – 49er World Championships; Gold – Olympic Test Event

Nic Asher-Elliot Willis (470 Men)
Gold – 470 World Championships; Bronze – Olympic Test Event

Stevie Morrison-Ben Rhodes (49er)
Gold – 49er European Championships; Bronze – 49er Worlds

Paul Goodison (Laser)
Gold – Laser European Championships; Gold – Olympic Test Event

Ed Wright (Finn)
Gold – Finn European Championships; Bronze – Finn Gold Cup

Penny Clark (Laser Radial)
Bronze – Laser Radial European Championships; Bronze – Olympic Test Event

Ben Ainslie (Finn)
Gold – Olympic Test Event

Nick Rogers-Joe Glanfield (470 Men)
Gold – Olympic Test Event

Nick Dempsey (RS:X Men)
Gold – RS:X European Championships

Helena Lucas-Annie Lush-Lucy Macgregor
Silver – Olympic Test Event

Iain Percy-Steve Mitchell (Star)
Silver – Olympic Test Event

Bryony Shaw (RS:X Women)
Silver – RS:X European Championships

British Olympic Association Athlete of the Year:
Chris Draper and Simon Hiscocks (49er)

World-Class Regatta Prepares for Olympic and Paralympic Hopefuls

posted about 1 year ago

From January 21 to 27, 2007, the world's top Olympic and Paralympic class sailors will be sailing on the waters of Biscayne Bay at US SAILING's Rolex Miami OCR. For Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, the 18th annual event is one of the world's top competitions that will help the sailors prepare for the competition in China in 2008. The event is ranked by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) as a Grade 1 event and features competition in all 14 Olympic and Paralympic classes. In 2006, more than 610 sailors representing 40 countries competed. Online registration and the Notice of Race for the world-class event are now available at www.RolexMiamiOCR.org.

*One Additional Race Day*
The 2007 US SAILING Rolex Miami OCR marks five days of fleet racing and one day of medal racing, which is one extra day compared to previous years. Saturday's medal races follow the new Olympic and Paralympic format lining up the top 10 teams in each class on the starting line on the final day of racing.

The competition will be raced in all events selected for the next Olympic Games: 49er, 470 (Men & Women), Finn, Laser, Laser Radial, Neil Pryde RS:X (Men & Women), Star, Tornado, and Yngling. In addition, racing will be held for all the classes selected for the 2008 Paralympic Games: 2.4mR, SKUD-18, and Sonar.

*On-Line Registration*
On-line registration is now open for competitors. Early registration is recommended and encouraged by discounted fees for entries received by January 15, 2007. Registrations received after January 15, 2007 will be subject to late fees. Online registration and regatta information, including the Notice of Race, can be found at www.RolexMiamiOCR.org.

*Expanded Winter Circuit*
After last year's success of a new winter circuit, US SAILING has teamed up once again with several U.S. and North American Class Associations to organize a winter circuit for Olympic and Paralympic class sailors in the Biscayne Bay area. Thus far, 20 regattas and training camps in various classes complementing US SAILING's Rolex Miami OCR have been scheduled, with more to come. An overview of all the winter circuit events currently scheduled is available at www.RolexMiamiOCR.org.

Established in 1990 by US SAILING, the Rolex Miami OCR annually draws elite sailors, Olympic and Paralympic medalists and hopefuls from around the world. The regatta is especially important as a ranking regatta for sailors hoping to qualify for the US Sailing Team and the US Disabled Sailing Team, which annually distinguish the top three sailors in each Olympic or Paralympic class.

Qingdao - Final Results

posted about 1 year ago

All eleven Medal Races were completed at the Olympic Test Event in Qingdao today, with a fresh south easterly breeze blowing across Fushan Bay and plenty of excitement for the mass of locals gathered out on the breakwater
overlooking the action. Great Britain picked up four gold medals, whilst the hosts China won four medals led by Zhennan FANG’s (CHN) victory in the Men’s RS:X.

The 49ers got the Medal Race action underway on a Course Area A positioned right in front of the harbour wall. Chris Draper and Simon Hiscocks (GBR) gave Great Britain the perfect start to the day with a controlled performance in the 49er Medal Race giving them the gold medal.

In the opening race out on Course Area B, Ben Ainslie (GBR) added a final flourish to a remarkable comeback performance in the Finn, winning his first Medal Race in typically emphatic fashion. With the strong breeze giving hiking conditions for the second day running, AINSLIE again proved that - despite a year virtually without even stepping into the Finn - he is still the man to beat in the class.

Athens gold medallist Faustine Merret (FRA) went into today’s Women’s RS:X Medal Race only needing to keep tabs on Limei Sun (CHN) to secure victory, but instead she marched to overall victory with a start to finish win..

For a competitor with such limited experience of international competition, China's Zhennan Fang was certainly playing it cool in the Men's RS:X, keeping an eye on his closest challengers before making his move on the final downwind to slip in sixth to take the gold medal.

Olivier Backes and Paul Ambroise Sevestre (FRA) won the all French battle for top honours in the Tornado, providing a fitting finale for the spectators watching the action on Course Area A.

After a slightly off day by their standards in yesterday’s penultimate day of racing in the Yngling, Mandy Mulder , Brechtje Van Derwerf and Janneke Hin (NED) wrapped up their event by taking the finish gun and with it the gold medal.

Olympic bronze medallists Therese Torgersson and Vendela Zachrisson (SWE) won a downwind race to the finish to knock Ingrid Petitjean And Nadege Douroux (FRA) off the top of the Women’s 470 leaderboard and take the gold medal.

Athens silver medallists Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield (GBR) completed a terrific return to the Men's 470 fleet today, posting a fourth place in the Medal Race to take overall victory.

Paul Goodison (GBR) proved why he is number one in the ISAF World Sailing Rankings, cruising to an impressive Medal Race win to secure victory in Qingdao in the Laser Class.

Assured of the gold medal going into today’s Medal Race final in the Laser Radial, Paige Railey (USA) was still keen to get off the line and show her form. But, she was just a bit too keen and it wasn’t until Railey was some way up the opening windward leg that she realised her error of being on course side (OCS) at the gun and returned to re-cross the line. Even by Railey’s demanding standards, she found herself in a position from which it was impossible to recover and went onto finish the race in last position and with it added 20 points to her scoreline.

Victory in today’s Medal Race went to Anna Tunnicliffe (USA). Tunnicliffe put in some excellent results and claimed the most bullets in the series, but these were interspersed with double-digit results which held her back from the podium places.

The Star fleet wrapped up their series today with the leading three crews assured of a podium finish, but just the medal colour undetermined. The remaining teams in the fleet chose not to take to the water, but watch the colour of the medals unfurl.

The order of the boats across the line was the order of the medals claimed, with Andrew Horton and Brad Nichol (USA) taking the gun and the gold medal, Iain Percy and Steve Mitchell (GBR) coming in second place for the silver and George Szabo and Eric Monroe (USA) third and the bronze.

Final podium positions:

RS: X Women
1. Faustine Merret, FRA, 19 points
2. Limei Sun, CHN, 44
3. Jian Yin, CHN, 48

RS: X Men
1. Zhennan Fang, CHN, 57
2. Feng He, CHN, 62
3. King Yin Chan, HKG, 63

Laser
1. Paul Goodison, GBR, 81
2. Steven Le Fevre, NED, 92
3. Andrew Murdoch, NZL, 97

Laser Radial
1. Paige Railey, USA, 54
2. Jo Aleh, NZL, 71
3. Penny Clark, GBR, 73

Finn
1. Ben Ainslie, GBR, 12
2. Emilios Papathanasiou, GRE, 40
3. Jonas Hogh-Christensen, DEN, 49

470 Men
1. Nick Rogers / Joe Glanfield, GBR, 64.3
2. Daeyoung Kim / Sungahn Jung, KOR, 89
3. Nic Asher / Elliot Willis, GBR, 93

470 Women
1. Therese Torgersson / Vendela Zachrisson, SWE, 79
2. Ingrid Petitjean / Nadege Douroux, FRA, 84
3. Stefanie Rothweiler / Vivien Kussatz, GER, 86

Star
1. Andrew Horton / J. Brad Nichol, USA, 21
2. Iain Percy / Steve Mitchell, GBR, 22
3. George Szabo / Eric Monroe, USA, 28

Tornado
1. Olivier Backes / Paul Ambroise Sevestre, FRA, 4
2. Xavier Revil / Christophe Espagnon, FRA, 48.0
3. Roman Hagara / Hans Peter Steinacher, AUT, 52.0

49er
1. Chris Draper / Simon Hiscocks, GBR, 45
2. Emmanuel Dyen / Yann Rocherieux, FRA, 54
3. Rodion Luka / Georgiy Leonchuk, UKR, 67

Yngling
1. Mandy Mulder / Brechtje Van Derwerf / Janneke Hin, NED, 25.0
2. Helena Lucas / Annie Lush / Lucy Macgregor, GBR, 32.0
3. Xiaqun Song / Xiaoni Li / Chuanshuang Zhang, CHN, 43.0

Complete results athttp://www.2006qdregatta.com

2.4mr World Championships

posted over 2 years ago

The 2.4 Metre World Championships got underway on 21 September 2005 in Elba, Italy. Over 80 sailors representing 13 nations are competing at the Worlds. While the 2.4 Metre, a single-handed keelboat, is generally known as a Paralympic class boat, this event has been classed as an open event allowing both able bodied and disabled sailors to enter. The Worlds will see men and women of all ages and ability racing together in the pursuit of the World Championships title.

Danny McCoy, disabled sailor and president of the International 2.4mR Class Association will compete in the event and the fleet include many other sailors such as the 2004 World Champion the Swedish Stellan Berling and the winner of 2004 Queen Silvia Cup (best disabled sailor), the British Helena Lucas and the Finnish Marko Dahlberg, twice World Champion in the past years.

The event continues through to 24 September.

Top ten after the first day of racing (three races sailed)
1. Thierry Schmitter, NED, 13 points
2. Helena Lucas, GBR, 24
3. Stellan Berlin, SWE, 26
4. Marko Dahlberg, FIN, 27
5. Nick Scandone, USA, 27
6. Magnus Lidholm, SWE, 31
7. Jo Bo Hedens, SWE, 34
8. Hans Asklund, SWE, 44
9. Rikard Bjurstrom, FIN, 47
10. Ingmar Bjorndahl, FIN, 50

Reports above from the RYA and Laura Jelmini

Full results athttp://www.cvmm.it/24mr.html