US Sailing team at the Ready Steady Tokyo test event - Day 1

Nikole Barnes and Lara Dallman-Weis - Ready Steady Tokyo-Sailing, Day 1 © Pedro Martinez / Sailing Energy / World Sailing

Racing at the Ready Steady Tokyo Olympic Test Event for Sailing has officially begun. In fifteen knots of breeze accompanied by a high sea-state, the athletes and their equipment were put to the test.

U.S. Results

• Men's 470 - Stu McNay (Providence, R.I.) and Dave Hughes (Miami, Fla.), 10th
• Women's 470 - Nikole Barnes (Miami, Fla.) and Lara Dallman-Weis (Shoreview, Minn.), 17th
• Men's Laser - Charlie Buckingham (Newport Beach, Calif.), 15th
• Men's Laser - Chris Barnard (Newport Beach, Calif.), 11th
• Women's Laser Radial - Paige Railey (Clearwater, Fla.), 20th
• Women's Laser Radial - Erika Reineke (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 5th
• Men's 49er - Andrew Mollerus (Larchmont, N.Y.) and Ian MacDiarmid (Delray Beach, Fla.), 17th
• Women's 49erFX - Stephanie Roble (East Troy, Wisc.) and Maggie Shea (Wilmette, Ill.), 19th
• Men's RS:X - Pedro Pascual (West Palm Beach, Fla.), 21st
• Women's RS:X - Farrah Hall (Annapolis, Md.), 17th
• Men's Finn - Luke Muller (Fort Pierce, Fla.), 8th
• Mixed Nacra 17 - Riley Gibbs (Long Beach, Calif.) and Anna Weis (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 18th

Thanks to a couple of breakdowns, some of the US Sailing Team athletes were forced to sit out for a few races. Nacra 17 athletes, Riley Gibbs (Long Beach, Calif.) and Anna Weis (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), and 49er athletes, Andrew Mollerus (Larchmont, N.Y.) and Ian MacDiarmid (Delray Beach, Fla.) both suffered through issues with their spinnaker poles.

In their third and final race of the day, Mollerus and MacDiarmid collided with another boat at the leeward mark, which resulted in the breakdown that forced the pair to retire from the race.

Luke Muller - Ready Steady Tokyo-Sailing, Day 1 - photo © Jesus Renedo / Sailing Energy / World Sailing

"Today was a mixed day of racing in some rowdy conditions," said Mollerus, "At one point, Ireland collided with us at a leeward mark and broke our spin pole." Despite the collision, the team is in good spirits and looking forward to the rest of the event, "Though we were forced to retire, we, fortunately, received redress from the jury and are ready for tomorrow's races," Mollerus continued.

While the high wave state delivered trouble for the fast boats, other members of the US Sailing Team fared relatively well in today's conditions. Erika Reineke (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) even enjoyed surfing on the downwind legs of the Laser Radial races. Reineke finished today in fifth overall and is currently the highest-placed American athlete.

Finn athlete, Luke Muller (Fort Pierce, Fla.) will also start his day tomorrow in the top-ten, as he is currently in eighth place in the Finn fleet. Stu McNay (Providence, R.I.) and Dave Hughes are 10th among the Men's 470 competitors. After two consistent races, Chris Barnard (Newport Beach, Calif.) is ranked eleventh in the Men's Laser fleet.

Racing is scheduled to resume tomorrow at 12:00 local time.