Miami Olympic Classes Regatta - Day 1

World Class Performance sailors Ian Walker and Mark Covell lead the British Star class contingent at the Miami Olympic Classes Regatta, the second event in the British Star class selection trials, which started yesterday.

On a very cold and shifty day with 15-20 knots of breeze, Walker (from Hamble in Hampshire) and Covell (Emsworth in Hampshire), sailing United Airlines, got a good start in the first race but after getting caught on the wrong side of first beat finished ninth. Showing the heavy air speed that powered them to seventh place overall in the last World Championships, they recovered from a difficult start in race two to finish thirteenth across the line and ninth overall.

Walker explained: "We had a good start in the first race but got caught on the right which put us back in the twenties. We sailed well to pick up to ninth at the finish, gaining on every leg. In race two we had the worst start on earth and were plum last halfway up the beat. We again recovered well, but made a few errors on the second beat and only got up to thirteenth".

Going into today's racing Walker and Covell are tied on twenty two points with World Champions Eric Doyle and Tom Olson (USA), while 1992 Olympic Gold Medallist Mark Reynolds and crew Magnus Liljedahl (USA) lead the fifty boat fleet having won the first race and finished third in the second.

Stuart Hudson (Southampton in Hampshire) and Chris Gowers (Wales) hold seventeenth position after two mid fleet results, although they recovered well in the second race after a second row start.

There are no British entries in the Europe, Finn, Tornado or Mistral classes. Andy Beadsworth, Richard Sydenham and Barry Parkin are expected to start the Soling class contest today.

FLORIDA: Miami Olympic Classes Regatta (after day one):

 1, Mark Reynolds and Magnus Liljedahl     (USA) 1,3 -  4pts
 2, Marc Pickel and Thomas Auracher        (Ger) 2,2 -  4pts
 3, Jose Van Der Ploeg and Rafael Trujillo (Esp) 5,1 -  6pts
British Placings:
 9, Ian Walker and Mark Covell               -  9,13 - 22pts
17, Stuart Hudson and Chris Gowers           - 17,16 - 33pts
32, Michael Hicks and David Munge            - 34,28 - 62pts

For further press information please contact Nigel Cherrie on:
Email: nigel.cherrie@rya.org.uk
Miami Olympic Classes Regatta website: www.ussailing.org/News/mocr00

RYA Team GBR sponsors:
World Class Performance: www.uksport.gov.uk
Sail for Gold: www.sailforgold.co.uk
Chernikeeff: www.chernikeeff.co.uk
Douglas Gill: www.douglasgill.com