Press Releases
CONTACT: Barby MacGowan, Media Pro Int’l for Rolex, +1 401-225-0249, barby.macgowan@mediapronewport.com;
Marlieke de Lange Eaton, US SAILING, 401-683-0800, MarliekeEaton@ussailing.org
US SAILING's 2008 Rolex Miami OCR
Medal Races Determine Champions in Four Olympic Classes
Miami, Fla. (February 2, 2008) – After today's short 30-minute "Medal Race" in each of four Olympic classes (Laser, Laser Radial, Star and Yngling), US SAILING's Rolex Miami OCR officially concluded. The regatta, an ISAF Grade 1 world ranking event that attracts elite sailors as well as up-and-comers, hosted 369 sailors from 34 countries and yesterday crowned champions in three Paralympic classes (SKUD-18, Sonar and 2.4mR). The awarding of gold, silver and bronze medals in those classes were based on scores from fleet racing that began last Monday for everyone; however, because of a new sailing format that will debut at the 2008 Olympic Games in Qingdao, China, the Olympic-class sailors stayed on for an extra day. Fleet racing scores determined these classes' top-ten sailors, who then advanced to the medal-racing round, which counted double in the scoring and acutely effected strategy plays for medals.
"All I could think was 'I have to catch up, I have to catch up!,'" said the overall winner in the Laser Radial class Paige Railey (Clearwater, Fla.), who started prematurely today, and after re-starting behind the fleet found herself in last around the top mark of a twice-around course. Her closest competitor in overall scoring, Anna Tunnicliffe (Plantation, Fla.), also had jumped the gun and was working her way up from sixth at that top mark to eventually win the race. "I knew that if Anna got a first, I had to get at least an eighth to still win overall," said Railey, who began picking off boats by playing a lane that was clear of wind-shadowing boats. In the end, she finished seventh, a score good enough to put her three points ahead of Tunnicliffe in the final standings.
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Regatta Press Releases
» 2/1/08 - Paralympic Champions Named; Medal Races for Olympic Classes Tomorrow
» 1/31/08 - Happiness and Heartbreak on the Line
» 1/30/08 - At Mid-Way Point, Champions Rising
» 1/29/08 - Perfect Score by Scandone/McKinnon-Tucker
» 1/28/08 - Tunnicliffe Rules in Laser Radials