| PORTSMOUTH, R.I. USA-(27-8-2003) Sailing’s second and final test event
in preparation for the 2004 Olympic Games has just about concluded in
Athens, as medals were determined today in five of the 11 events. The
Olympic Sailing Committee (OSC) of US SAILING, national governing body for
the sport, sent a full team (one entry per event) to compete in the 2003
Athens Regatta, held August 14-28 at the Aghios Kosmas Sailing Centre in
Glyfadha, Greece.
The USA’s Yngling team made an impressive showing to earn their second
silver medal in as many years. Posting bullets in three races put skipper
Hannah Swett (Jamestown, R.I./New York, N.Y.), with crew Joan Touchette
(Newport, R.I.) and Melissa Purdy (Tiburon, Calif.), in medal-contention
from early on in the regatta. Midway through the series Swett, Touchette
and Purdy added a gold dot to their sails, indicative of their first-place
position in the overall standings. Their 13-boat Yngling fleet boasted some
of the most recognizable women sailors in the world, including 2000 Europe
Gold Medallist Shirley Robertson (GBR) who won the event; two-time (’96, ’
00) 470 Women’s Olympic Bronze Medallist Ruslana Taran (UKR) who finished
fifth; and well-known match racers Monica Azon (ESP) and Paula Lewin (BER)
who finished ninth and 10th, respectively. Facing “tricky conditions and
close racing” the Americans posted 5-10 in the series’ final two races to
finish second overall, five points behind Robertson. “We’re happy with our
finish,” summed up Swett at the press conference. “We were here last year,
and we hope to come back next year.”
Paul Cayard (Kentfield, Calif.) and Phil Trinter (Lorain, Ohio) have claimed
the silver medal in the 18-boat Star fleet. After carrying the red dot on
their mainsail at the regatta’s midpoint indicating their third-place
overall position, finishes of (15)-6-4 in races seven through nine dropped
Cayard and Trinter in the standings. They went into the final day of racing
in fourth place overall facing a fleet that included Olympic veterans Torben
Grael and Marcelo Ferreira (BRA), Peter Bromby and Lee White (BER), Ross
MacDonald and Kai Bjorn (CAN), and Colin Beashel and David Giles (AUS).
Today, posting a 2-7 in the final two races of the series netted Cayard and
Trinter 49 points for the regatta, just one point behind winners Grael and
Ferreira. Cayard, an alternate on the USA’s 1984 Olympic Team-Sailing,
brought down the house at the post-race press conference with his comment
that while many people mark their “midlife crisis” by purchasing motorcycles
and Ferrari’s, he’s using his to try and go to the Olympics.
Both of the USA’s 470 teams -- Paul Foerster (Rockwall, Texas) and Kevin
Burnham (Miami, Fla.) in the men’s event, and Katie McDowell (Barrington,
R.I.) with Isabelle Kinsolving (New York, N.Y.) in the women’s event -- have
claimed fifth-place overall in their respective fleets. Foerster and
Burnham, both Olympic medallists, and McDowell and Kinsolving, who had
competed in the 2002 Athens Regatta finishing 20 out of 31 boats; gained
invaluable experience in the fluky and unpredictable conditions.
Competition also wrapped up in the Finn class with Darrell Peck (Gresham,
Ore.) finishing 22nd out of 24 boats.
Medals will be determined tomorrow after the final race of the series is
held in the Europe, 49er, Laser, Mistral (men and women) and Tornado
classes. US positions in those classes (results online at
www.athens2004.com/) currently place Meg Gaillard (Jamestown, R.I./Pelham,
N.Y.) fifth out of 27 after 10 races in the Europe fleet. 49er sailors Tim
Wadlow (San Diego, Calif.) and Pete Spaulding (Coral Gables, Fla.), who have
slipped from their early lead in the regatta, are fifth in their 22-boat
fleet after 15 races. Tied yesterday on points, Daniel Birgmark (SWE) now
holds a one-point lead over class phenom Robert Sheidt (BRA) in the Laser,
with Ben Richardson (Gloucester, Mass.) holding 20th in that 34-boat fleet.
After seven races in Mistral men’s event, Ben Barger (St. Petersburg, Fla.)
stands 24th out of 26, while Lanee Butler (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) is 14th out
of 21 in the Mistral women’s event, after eight races. Struggling with a
charter boat they nicknamed Humpty Dumpty, Tornado sailors Robbie Daniel
(Clearwater, Fla.) and Eric Jacobsen (Annapolis, Md.) are 10th out of 18
after 10 races.
All of the U.S. athletes competing in Athens are members of the 2003 US
Sailing Team. Membership on the US Sailing Team identifies sailors as strong
contenders for an Olympic berth and provides them with coaching, training
opportunities and financial assistance in addition to national recognition.
The US Sailing Team is sponsored by Lands’ End, Oregon Scientific, Rolex
Watch U.S.A. and Vanguard Sailboats. Extrasport, Gill North America, Nikon,
Sperry Top-Sider, Team McLube and Yale Cordage are suppliers to the team.
The Games of the XXVIII Olympiad will be held August 13-29, 2004, in Athens,
Greece.
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