Olympic Dreams on the line at Sailing World Cup Miami
by Stuart Streuli, Sailing World Cup Miami 25 Jan 2016 05:48 GMT
25-30 Jaunary 2016
All set at Sailing World Cup Miami © Jesus Renedo / Sailing Energy
With the calendar switched to an Olympic year, the intensity on the water at the 2016 Sailing World Cup Miami presented by Sunbrella is a match for the famously bright South Florida sun. In less than 200 days, many of the nearly 800 sailors gathered in Coconut Grove this week will walk in the Opening Ceremonies of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games. For the sailors with a confirmed spot in the Olympic Regatta, this event is about sharpening their tactical game, refining their equipment and improving their conditioning. Others have a more immediate focus as they are in the midst of a selection series for their respective countries or working to qualify their country for the Olympic regatta.
"There's a lot at stake this year at Sailing World Cup Miami," said Josh Adams, Managing Director of U.S. Olympic Sailing. "For the first time in the event's 27-year history, it's being used as part of the U.S. selection process and part of country qualification process for the 2016 Olympic Games."
For American sailors in eight of the Olympic classes and the 2.4mR, this event is the first of two events that will determine the U.S. Olympic Sailing Team for this summer's Games.
The Sailing World Cup Miami presented by Sunbrella is the second event in the six-regatta 2016 Sailing World Cup. Competition in US Sailing's premiere racing event gets underway this Monday in all 10 Olympic classes and two of three Paralympic classes. Saturday's Medal Races will be carried live on ESPN3 and on the YachtsandYachting.com homepage.
The Olympic classes competing this week will be: Laser Radial (women), Laser (men), Finn (men), Men's RS:X, Women's RS:X, 49er (men), Men's 470, Women's 470, Nacra 17 (mixed) and 49erFX (women). Paralympic classes included are the 2.4mR (open, Para World Sailing) and Sonar (open, Para World Sailing).
Befitting an event of this magnitude, this evening athletes, volunteers and regatta officials participated in an Opening Ceremony on the lawn of the Coral Reef Yacht Club. The 68 national flags ringing the lawn—and the variety of languages heard in the various boat parks—are a stirring reminder of the global popularity of this event. The event record of 855 sailors, which was set last year, is safe; the 2016 edition of the Sailing World Cup will rank third in terms of attendance. The 68 nations attending breaks the record set in 2015.
"Sailing World Cup Miami is a pivotal event for Olympic sailors on the road to Rio. The caliber of the athletes that will be on show in Miami is exceptional and many of the medalists here will be on the Olympic podium in August," said Sailing World Cup Manager, Antonio Gonzalez de la Madrid. "Racing in Miami in January provides a welcome respite for the European sailors looking to escape the European winter. We have World Champions Giulia Conti and Francesca Clapcich (ITA) in the 49erFX, Billy Besson and Marie Riou (FRA) in the Nacra 17 and Danish Laser Radial star Anne Marie Rindom. That's to name but a few in the world class fields we have on show in the ten Olympic and two Paralympic events."
The trickle down of having all these top international athletes training and racing in the United States every January should not be understated.
"The training leading up to this regatta is at a very high level," said Adams. "For the US Sailing Team Sperry and our overall Olympic program, there's great value in this event. Our athletes are able to go out and train against the world's best."
Racing gets underway tomorrow at 10 a.m. (EST), weather providing and will run until the late afternoon each day through Friday. Saturday's double-point medal races—a shorter sprint for glory with just the top 10 sailors in each class competing—will start at 11 a.m., and be broadcast live on ESPN3.
www.sailing.org/worldcup/results/index.php
Sailing World Cup Miami kicks-off 2016 Olympic and Paralympic season with less than 200 days to go to Rio 2016 (from Cora Zillich, Australian Sailing)
Sailors from 64 nations are gearing up for the first big showdown of Olympic and Paralympic sailing in 2016, with the Sailing World Cup Miami starting in Miami, Florida/USA on Monday, 25 January local time/EST (AEST minus 16hrs). Nearly 800 athletes will feature across the ten Olympic and two Paralympic events from Monday 25 to Saturday 30 January.
In the Olympic classes, Australian Sailing will be represented in Miami by 21 Australian Sailing Team (AST) and Squad (ASS) athletes in 12 boats across seven classes (49er/FX, Nacra 17, Laser, Women's 470 and Finn). In the Paralympic classes, Australian Sailing Team's Sonar crew will be at the start line in Miami.
With the calendar in an Olympic year, many of the sailors gathered in Coconut Grove this week will walk in the Opening Ceremonies of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in less than 200 days and the Paralympic Games the following month. For the sailors with a confirmed spot in the Olympic Regatta, this event is about sharpening their tactical game, refining their equipment, and testing the opposition. Others have a more immediate focus as they are in the midst of a selection series.
While Australian Sailing has already qualified all of the three Paralympic classes as well as the nine Olympic classes it aimed to qualify for Rio 2016, final selection is still open in all but the 49er, Men's 470 and Nacra 17.
Of those already selected by the Australian Olympic Committee in December to represent Australia at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (see AOC media release here), 2012 Olympic gold medallists Nathan Outteridge (NSW) and Iain Jensen (NSW) as well Nacra 17 World #1 Jason Waterhouse (NSW) and Lisa Darmanin (NSW) will be racing at Miami. Miami will be a welcome test event with the 49er/49erFX and Nacra 17 World Championships following in Clearwater, Florida in February (7-14 February 2016).
World Champions and World #1 Mat Belcher (QLD) and Will Ryan (QLD), who also have been already selected on to the Olympic Team, will not be in Miami, but will start their 2016 international season at the 470 World Championships in Argentina in February (20-27 February 2016).
Whilst the Paralympic racing wraps up on 29 January, the Olympic competitors will be fighting it out to appear in Saturday's live television broadcast of the Medal Races.
Set to be shown in front of a live audience on the World Sailing TV YouTube channel and on more than ten global broadcasters, Sailing World Cup Miami will provide sailing fans with a window of opportunity to see who is looking strong on the Road to Rio.
Nacra 17
At the head of the fleet Jason Waterhouse (NSW) and Lisa Darmanin (AUS) will spearhead a pack of 49 that includes high profile Nacra 17 contenders World #2 Vittorio Bissaro and Silvia Sicouri (ITA) will all be on the start line at Miami.
While the selection pressure is off for the two cousins, Miami will be a welcome benchmark opportunity ahead of the Nacra 17 Worlds in February.
"We just got selected, which has taken off a bit of the pressure off this event but we'll use it as a benchmark, test our sailing, test our gear. Basically, we'll make every day count as we prepare towards Rio. With over 50 Nacras it's going to be pretty interesting racing out there. It's a qualification event for a lot of teams so I think it will be pretty intense and a good benchmark for us leading into our World Champs in Clearwater in a few weeks time," Lisa Darmanin said.
"The days are going by pretty fast and we've got less than 200 days to Rio, so we're trying to get all the equipment and our settings as good as we can. Miami is a good way to test that and then we have the World Champs before we head to Europe for more World Cup events. There's not a lot of time to Rio."
Australian Sailing's Euan McNicol (NSW) and Lucinda Whitty (NSW) are also contesting the event.
49er
London 2012 Olympic gold medallists Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen spearhead the Australian contingent of three boats in the 66-boat 49er fleet. The fleet features a strong and seasoned contingent of skiff racers, including defending champions Nico Delle-Karth and Nikolaus Resch (AUT) and Beijing 2008 gold medallist Jonas Warrer and crew Anders Thomsen (DEN).
"This is the first event of the season and we've just passed 200 days to go to the Olympics so it's time to get serious, it's time to train hard and it's time to make the most of our time on the water," Nathan Outteridge said.
"The last time I sailed here was back in 2007 in the lead up to the China Olympics. Normally we avoid this regatta as it's summer in Australia, but come Olympic year you've got to get as many events in as you can so it's a worthwhile trip for us."
"The main reason we're doing this event is that it is a good lead up event to the World Championships in Clearwater (Florida) in a couple of weeks and we've come a couple of weeks earlier to get some training in. Unfortunately we've had a few issues and our boat didn't make it in time from Rio, so our race boat has been sent to Clearwater and we have chartered a boat here and had to fly in a few rigs and sails. So we've spent one week just getting the second-hand boat ready and only had one day on the water and it will be interesting how we go. But we were pretty happy how it went today and we'll be ready to go tomorrow."
New combination of David Gilmour (WA) and Lewis Brake (QLD), who most recently won the 49er nationals, as well as Joel Turner (QLD) and Tom Siganto (QLD) complete the Australian skiff contingent in Miami.
"Coming to Miami is a perfect practice regatta in the lead up to our World Champs in Clearwater and that's why we have so many Australian teams here. We've three boys teams here at this regatta. There have been a few crew changes in the other teams with Dave (Gilmour) now sailing with Lewis (Brake) and Joel (Turner) now sailing with Tom (Siganto). Unfortunately Will (Phillips) injured himself in training at the start of this month so he won't be able to do this event or the worlds," Nathan Outteridge explained.
49erFX
Three Australian Sailing Squad 49erFX crews have entered the 49erFX class in Miami, which will make for an exciting Australian battle in the 36-boat fleet in the lead up to the World Championships in February.
Olympic silver medallist Olivia Price (NSW) and crew Eliza Solly (VIC) recently won the Australian Nationals. The pair only returned to the water in November after a knee injury at the Sailing World Cup in Weymouth in July last year sidelined Eliza Solly for a few months.
"We've been working hard at home on some skills and boat handling after competing in Rio in December. We raced at the nationals in Sydney over New Years, which enabled us to put this under pressure during racing and it was great to have so many FX's at the regatta this year," Olivia Price said.
"Whilst being here in Miami, we've done a lot of sailing and feel comfortable with our progress since Eliza returned to sailing in November. The World Cup gives us a chance to compete in a large fleet again, and so looking to consolidate on everything we've been doing since then. We'll be heading straight to Clearwater after the World Cup for the 49erFX worlds, which is going to be another good test for us to compete against the rest of the fleet."
Tess Lloyd (VIC) and Caitlin Elks (WA) as well as Haylee Outteridge (NSW) and Olympic silver medallist Nina Curtis (NSW) will join Price and Solly both at the World Cup as well as the World Championships.
Nina Curtis reunited in the 49erFX with her former sailing partner Haylee Outteridge after she missed out on selection to the Australian team in the Nacra 17 with skipper and dual Olympic silver medallist Darren Bundock at the end of last year.
It has been two years since the women paired up first in the 49erFX – women's skiff class, which will feature on the Olympic program for the first time in Rio. They are aware that they have left their run late, but will race in Miami after some promising racing at Sail Sydney in December and the nationals in January.
"We are just trying to learn together as fast as possible," Haylee Outteridge said. "We feel no pressure because we've come together so late. We are going to enjoy the process and see how far we can take it."
And Nina Curtis added: "Our main goal is a good result at the world championship in February. I've learnt a lot sailing with Darren [Bundock] and I feel really lucky that while I'm behind on a lot of the FX aspects, being quite raw in the boat, maybe I can bring some new knowledge. I feel like I've learnt so much and am excited to transfer this to the new boat."
Laser
The international Australian selection battle between World #1 Tom Burton (NSW) and #2 Matt Wearn (NSW) will continue in Miami with the two Australian Sailing Team sailors spearheading a fleet that includes key players on the road to Rio. Five-time Olympic medallist Robert Scheidt (BRA) and 2014 world champion Nicholas Heiner (NED) will be amongst the front-runners looking to capture top honours alongside the Aussies.
"It's the first World Cup of the year and we haven't been selected so every regatta counts and you want to put in a good performance," Tom Burton said.
"Last year this regatta went pretty badly for me after I was ill and the year before I came fourth, so I have never been on the podium here in Miami, which pretty much makes it the worst World Cup for me on the circuit and I will try to turn it around this week."
Teammate Matt Wearn (WA) had a better run in Miami in 2015 when in finished with the bronze medal and is also looking forward to kick-start the Olympic season.
"Miami is a nice place to test out how you're going, heading into the last months before the Games. It's the first event of the season and it will be important to kick-start that flow throughout the new year. If you have a good regatta here, you can continue that throughout the events ahead. You always want to win the regatta and finish on top of the podium but it's just a matter of building up the things we've learnt over the last 12 months and solidify all that. We've had some good preparation for the regatta with our strong squad at home and it's all looking pretty good," Matt Wearn said.
Women's 470
18 crews will sail on Biscayne Bay across the week with Carrie Smith (NSW) and Jaime Ryan (NSW) representing the Australian Sailing Team. The pair recently qualified for the Team after finishing ninth at the 470 World Champs in Israel at the end of October last year. They also qualified the boat class for Rio at the World Champs and are aiming for selection over the next few months and with the 470 World Champs on the agenda next (20-27 February 2016).
Finn
Forty-nine sailors will compete in the Finn class. Australian Sailing Squad's Jake Lilley (QLD) will be running for the medals in a strong fleet including London 2012 Olympic silver medallist Jonas Hogh Christensen (DEN), and national favourites Zach Railey (USA) and Caleb Paine (USA).
Sonar
Paralympic sailors had a fast paced finish to 2015 with back-to-back regattas in Melbourne. The Para World Sailing Championship was quickly followed by Sailing World Cup Melbourne in December with Australian Sailing Team's Sonar crew of Colin Harrison (WA), Jonathan Harris (NSW) and Russell Boaden (WA) finishing the year strongly by winning World Championship silver and World Cup gold.
In Miami, they will line up against the 2015 Sonar Para World Sailing Champions from Great Britain as well as the bronze medallists from Norway in the nine boat fleet.