There was plenty of action on opening day of US SAILING’s Rolex Miami
OCR, with all 13 Olympic and Paralympic classes completing multiple
races in 12-14 knot breezes.
On seven different courses on Biscayne Bay, 716 sailors from 53
countries worked as if there were no tomorrow to get to the top
of the scoreboard, but tomorrow, as well as the following four days
of racing (through Friday for Paralympic classes and Saturday for
Olympic classes) will determine if early leaders are meant to be
champions in the end.
In the RS:X Men's windsurfing fleet, it was Britain's Nick Dempsey who had the most consistent day. He posted a pair of seconds to lead the 37 board fleet by one point. Ivan Pastor - ESP7 - and Dorian van Rijsselberge - NED8 - are tied on 5 points with Nimrod Mashiah - ISR21 - in 4th.
Over in the RS:X women's fleet, it was Marina Alabau - ESP5 - who grabbed the initiative and the lead by posting 2 bullets in the 31 board fleet. Charline Picon - FRA4 - and Rolex World Sailor of the Year, Blanca Manchon - ESP1 - are tied on 8 points with Bryony Shaw - GBR94 - one point back in 4th
2011 is going to be an interesting and long season which will build to a crescendo in Perth, Australia at the ISAF Sailing World Championships in December. Marina and Blanca, the Spanish Dream Team as they once were, now have their own personal coaches. Blanca is working with her brother Curro and is determined to get the nod from the RFEV to represent her country at the 2012 Olympic Regatta.
It'll be no surprise that Marina is equally determined to deny her that opportunity. This multiple European and World Champion has surely got the potential to go all the way. The battle is now joined. Let the best woman win.
For fleet racing in the Olympic classes, the regatta consists of a five-day opening series (Monday – Friday) and a double-point medal race (Saturday). The top 10 finishers in the opening series of each class will advance to the medal race. For match racing (Elliot 6m), which makes its debut in the 2012 Olympic Games, the regatta consists of an opening series, a knockout series, and a sail-off for boats not advancing to the knockout series. Competitors in the Paralympic classes will have five days of fleet racing (Monday-Friday) and no medal race. Medals will be awarded to the top three boats in each Olympic and Paralympic class on Saturday, January 29.
Rolex Miami OCR RS:X Men's Results
Rolex Miami OCR RS:X Women's Results