Pictured: Stuart McNay and David Hughes, Men’s 470.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 16, 2014
Santander, Spain – Day 5 of the 2014 ISAF Sailing World Championships saw US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider 470 athletes shine on the final day of the qualifying series, while American Lasers continued to battle in the top-10 in gold fleet. Race officials managed to complete the bulk of an aggressive 40-race schedule for Tuesday, helping to get the event nearly back on track following Monday’s shortage of breeze. Opening races were also held for the Finn, 49erFX, and Nacra 17 classes. The ISAF Worlds, which combines the world championship events of all 10 Olympic classes into a single regatta, is considered the most important event at this level before the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Men’s 470 sailors Stu McNay (Providence, R.I.) and David Hughes (San Diego, Calif.) continue to overcome every challenge placed before them, and have won both races in their division. “We feel fast,” said helmsman McNay. “You always have to improvise a little bit out there, but our pre-race plans have been coming together well.” McNay and Hughes did not have another chance to race following their win, as the breeze did not cooperate. “We probably had enough wind out there, but stability was an issue. The direction moved frequently today, making more races impossible,” explained two-time Olympian McNay.
In the Women’s 470 fleet, the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider’s Annie Haeger (East Troy, Wisc.) and Briana Provancha (San Diego, Calif.) came out prepared and notched scores of 2,3 on what was effectively the second day of racing for 470’s in Santander. In doing so, the team jumped from 19th overall to 6th. Following a challenging opening series, with finishes of 14,7, the pair was determined to bounce back. “On the first day we struggled to make the boat feel good,” said Haeger. “We [also] had much better communication today.” With a year of strong results behind them, Haeger noted that she and Provancha have high expectations for themselves on the water. “We feel comfortable [at the top of the fleet], and we really want to learn how to win. I think it’s one thing to be in the top-5 group, and another thing to actually come away with a regatta win. That’s where our head is at, that’s where our goals are, and that’s where we’re going to get eventually.” Haeger and Provancha are currently 6 points shy of the lead.
Pictured: Annie Haeger and Briana Provancha, Women’s 470.
In the men’s Laser class, Charlie Buckingham continued his push for the podium with a 19,2 on the day, and is now in 4th overall in the 147-boat fleet. “I’m sailing well at the front of the fleet when I’m up there,” said Buckingham. “I just need to keep it up.” Buckingham’s US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider teammate Chris Barnard moved up to 8th overall with a 32,11, with the 32 counting as his discardable drop race. “It’s great to be in the game,” said Barnard. US Sailing Development Team athlete Erik Bowers (Excelsior, Minn.) showed his speed once again by recording his 3rd top-10 finish in 7 races, with a 5th in race 7 following a mid-fleet finish in race 6. “I keep bringing a butter knife to the knife fight in the first race each day,” said Bowers with a smile. “Need to fix that.” Bowers stands in 22nd overall.
In the Laser Radial, Erika Reineke (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) stayed in the top ten overall despite a tough race that saw her finish 28th. Now in 8th, Reineke will have opportunities to move up again in the closely contested Radial gold fleet. “It was actually windy in our only race, but super shifty,” said Reineke. “Hope we get more breeze tomorrow, but I’m just going to go out there and do what I can to win races.”
The highlight of the day in the men’s 49er fleet was the race 2 victory of US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider athletes Brad Funk (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) and Trevor Burd (Marblehead, Mass.). Competing in their second World Championship together, Funk and Burd say that have made significant progress in the past year. “We are now confident with our speed,” said Burd. “We were happy to win, but are focused on our main goal right now, which is qualifying for gold fleet.” Funk added that while they found themselves back in the pack a few times today, there were major gains to be made nonetheless. “In a fleet of this size, going against the grain and away from where the main group is going gives you some opportunities. We were able to successfully do that today.” Funk and Burd are now technically in 4th overall following a 20,1,12, despite the uneven number of races held in the 49er blue and yellow divisions.
Pictured: Brad Funk and Trevor Burd, 49er.
Notable US Results (Overall):
470 Men (73 boats):
- 1st (lowest points, uneven number of races between divisions), Stuart McNay and David Hughes, US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider
Laser Men (147 boats):
- 4th, Charlie Buckingham, US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider
- 8th, Chris Barnard, US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider
- 22nd, Erik Bowers, US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider
Laser Radial Women (120 boats):
- 8th, Erika Reineke, US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider
470 Women (54 boats):
- 6th, Annie Haeger and Briana Provancha, US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider
49er Men (40 boats raced on Day 4, 80 total boats):
- 4th (uneven number of races between divisions), Brad Funk and Trevor Burd, US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider
Nacra 17 (67 boats):
- 13th, Sarah Newberry and John Casey, US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider
Finn (78 boats):
- 35th, Caleb Paine, US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider
Santander 2014 Media Guide:
Results: http://bit.ly/1s3FKhN
Event Website: http://www.santander2014.com
US Sailing Team Live Updates: www.Twitter.com/USSailingTeam
US Sailing Team Daily Reports: www.ussailing.org/olympics
Social Media (Facebook): www.Facebook.com.USSailingTeam
Social Media (Instagram): www.Instagram.com.USSailingTeam
Photos (Daily): www.usst.photoshelter.com
The Medalist Newsletter: September Issue
The Medalist is out! We are in championship season, and the biggest Olympic sailing event of the year is taking place at the ISAF World Championships in Santander, Spain. The Medalist, September Issue: http://bit.ly/1qHG82Q Subscribe: http://eepurl.com/EZH6D
Featured In This Issue:
– SANTANDER WORLDS: The Biggest Event Before Rio 2016
– VIEW FROM RIO, by Charlie McKee
– SNAPSHOTS: Images from Training and Racing
– QUOTABLES: Social Media Roundup
– DISABLED SAILING WORLDS, by Betsy Alison
– RISING TIDE, Episode 3: “A Technical Direction.”
– THE GOLDEN SPINNAKER REGATTA & GALA: Support your team! Event details inside.
– FAN & MEDIA GUIDE
About the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider
The US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider is managed by the United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for the sport of sailing and sailboat racing. The top boats in each Olympic and Paralympic class are selected annually to be members of the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider. US Sailing helps these elite athletes with with financial, logistical, coaching, technical, fitness, marketing and communications support. The title sponsor of the team is Sperry Top-Sider; other sponsors include Harken and Team McLube. Yale Cordage is a team supplier. The US Sailing Center Miami is an Olympic training site. Oakcliff Sailing and Clearwater Community Sailing Center are US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider training centers. Chubb Personal Insurance sponsors US Sailing’s National Team Tour, a nationwide presentation program for US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider athletes.
The United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and growth for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US Sailing is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. US Sailing offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org
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Press contact: Will Ricketson, Olympic Communications Manager, US Sailing. willricketson@ussailing.org, +1 978 697 2384