Brits charge into medal races at World Cup Series Miami
by Will Carson, RYA 27 Jan 2018 11:32 GMT
21-28 January 2018
John Gimson and Anna Burnet on day 2 at World Cup Series Miami © Jesus Renedo / Sailing Energy / World Sailing
The first medals will be decided at the Miami round of the World Cup Series today (Saturday 27 January) – and British Sailing Team athletes are in with a shot at victory.
Only the top ten sailors in each fleet go through to the medal races where double points are on offer and podium positions are decided.
Coveted places in the first round of medal races, for the 49er, 49er FX, RS:X and Nacra 17 fleets, were decided when the fourth day of action in Biscayne Bay was called off due to high winds.
With gusts of up to 35 knots blowing across the race courses on Friday, race officials opted for safety over sailing and decided not to send the fleets out.
When the 49er fleet hit the water today, world champions Dylan Fletcher and Stuart Bithell will go out in pole position with a narrow three-point lead.
Sophie Weguelin and Sophie Ainsworth will represent the British Sailing Team in the 49er FX class, going into racing in sixth place.
John Gimson and Anna Burnet go into the Nacra 17 final in third, with compatriots Chris Rashley and Laura Marimon in sixth, Ben Saxton and Katie Dabson in seventh and Rupert White and Katie Urwin in eighth.
Tom Squires leads the British charge in the men's RS:X in sixth, and will be joined in the medal race by Sam Sills in eighth and Kieran Holmes Martin in ninth.
Emma Wilson is the sole British sailor to make it to the women's RS:X medal race, sneaking in in tenth place.
The Laser, Laser Radial, Finn and 470 classes will complete their fleet races to determine places in the medal races on Sunday.
The medal races will be streamed live on Facebook and Youtube. Follow @britishsailing on Twitter for updates throughout the regatta.