2010 Rolex Miami OCR- Focus on the Finn class medal race

by Robert Deaves on 31 Jan 2010 Fourth place in the medal race was easily enough for Ed Wright (GBR) to win the Rolex Miami OCR in the Finn class for the second year running, this time by a clear margin of 20 points. The 2009 ISAF Sailing World Cup winner, made very few mistakes all week in quite difficult conditions and takes a well deserved win and a great confidence boost at the start of the season.

The only person who could touch Wright was team mate Giles Scott (GBR) and while Scott sailed a sound race, a seventh place was never going to be enough to take gold, though it was enough to keep Gasper Vincec (SLO) and Zach Railey (USA) at bay and secure the silver medal. Scott had not performed particularly well in critical medal races in the 2009 season, but perhaps now has gained enough confidence to handle the situations better.

For the medal race, the winds remained generally light even thought there were forecasts of more. After a good start for both Bryan Boyd (USA) and Zach Railey (USA) at the pin end, Boyd eventually emerged ahead to lead throughout to take his first race win of the week and move up two places to end the week a very creditable fifth overall.

Team mate Railey did not fare so well. Needing to keep fourth placed Vincec in check, while also having a chance at snatching the silver from Scott, Railey came off worst on both accounts, finishing sixth in the race to drop one place to 4th overall and drop of the podium. Railey did himself no favours Friday with a double yellow flag when he lost valuable points on the leaders.
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Meanwhile Vincec was allowed to sail his best and finished second in the race behind Boyd, to snatch the bronze from Railey's clutches by just a single point. Vincec said, 'The racing in Miami is always difficult. but I like it, and we have fun out there. Back at home it's snowing so you can imagine that it's nice to be here.'

'The races have all been about getting good starts and speed because it's more or less one sided sailing, but still difficult even when you are in front'

Vincec has been out of the Finn since Hyeres last year so this really is a return to form. 'I did sail the Gold Cup last year because I missed going sailing, but my preparation for this season was based in Valencia with Rafa. The training went well so I'm fresh and I think I have much better concentration and psychical preparation.'

After his two race wins Friday, third place in the medal race and sixth overall went to rising French star Jonathan Lobert (FRA). Lobert, who has been in the Finn for four year now, trains with fellow Frenchman Thomas Le Breton (FRA), who only started in the Finn last year, and the two have shown a gradual progression through the ranks and can be justifiably content with their performance this week. If their current progress is anything to go by, it won't be long before they are challenging for podium places.

The 2010 Rolex Miami OCR is over and the ISAF Sailing World Cup picks up again in Europe in March for the Princesa Sofia Trophy in Palma.

Top 10 after medal race
1 GBR 11 Edward Wright 1 2 [19] 1 4 1 1 3 5 2 8 28.00
2 GBR 41 Giles Scott 2 7 1 3 3 3 [8] 6 2 7 14 48.00
3 SLO 5 Gasper Vincec 5 12 5 8 [19] 2 7 1 3 5 4 52.00
4 USA 4 Zach Railey 4 5 4 4 1 5 4 5 9 [36/DNS] 12 53.00
5 USA 14 Bryan Boyd 12 4 [18] 2 2 6 10 4 15 9 2 66.00
6 FRA 112 Jonathan Lobert 8 [25] 8 7 15 14 6 2 1 1 6 68.00
7 NOR 1 Peer Moberg 7 8 6 9 6 8 [13] 11 8 3 10 76.00
8 ESP 100 Rafael Trujillo 14 6 3 6 7 7 5 7 [18] 6 18 79.00
9 FRA 115 Thomas Le Breton 11 9 2 5 5 [20] 11 9 4 8 20 84.00
10 RUS 9 Skornyakov Eduard 6 3 [13] 12 13 4 9 10 11 4 16 88.00


Class website: www.finnclass.org
Event videos: www.youtube.com/thefinnchannel
Event website: http://rmocr.ussailing.org