2014 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship - US Team mid-event report

by Will Ricketson on 17 Jul 2014 2014 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship - With three days in the books at the 2014 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships, the American contingent looks to continue their strong showing over the final two days of racing in Tavira, Portugal. US athletes are currently in close medal contention in three classes (Laser Radial, 29er and SL16), and the possibility remains that Team USA could finish in the top ten in six of eight classes.

This overall consistency has the United States currently sitting in third in the prestigious Nations Trophy standings, ahead of 36 countries and trailing only France and Spain. Challenging conditions each day in the form of light, shifty winds have required a full-team effort to understand and interpret, and a group approach, explained Team Leader and Head Coach Leandro Spina (Miami, Fla.), has been the key to many solid performances so far. 'I’m really pleased with how the team has raced,' said Spina, who also serves as the Youth Development Director for the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider. 'These kids are having fun and staying focused, but they are also trying to help each other every day. They are disciplined on and off the water, even though the days have been very long.'

Ravi Parent (Bradenton, Fla.), who has returned for his second Youth Worlds, said that the team briefings each day have been a significant help. 'We meet each morning as a full team, fully rested, and discuss what happened the day before,' said Parent. 'There has been a pattern to the conditions here, and talking it over with our coaches Mike [Kalin] and Kevin [Hall], and the rest of the team has really helped us. We are starting to figure out the venue. I’m learning a lot from them about how to evaluate a race course.' For Parent, a second chance at the Youth Worlds podium represents a big opportunity, and has necessitated a new game plan. 'I have a more patient approach this time. Last year I was really focused on my equipment, and figuring out the SL16, but this time I’m just focusing on using my overall multihull skills.'

Haddon Hughes (Houston, Texas) jumped out to an early lead in the Laser Radial class, and held the top spot over the first two days before falling to a close second on Day three after three race wins by Spaniard Martina Reino Cacho. Hughes, who finished fifth in 2013, said that last year served as a springboard for an even stronger campaign in 2014. 'It was such a great event last year, I was so excited to come again. It’s great competition, you learn so much.' Her stellar showing in light air so far this week has been especially impressive for the Texan, who normally specializes in heavy conditions.

Another Youth Worlds veteran, Quinn Wilson (Ojai, Calif.), now sailing with Riley Gibbs (Long Beach, Calif.), is truly on a mission at this event. In two previous Youth Worlds campaigns with brother Dane Wilson, younger sibling Quinn has come within just a few points of the podium each time. Currently sitting in second, Wilson and Gibbs will have to rely on their significant combined experience to stay consistent over the final races of the regatta.

Standings: 2014 US Sailing ISAF Youth World Championship Team

• 2nd, Laser Radial (girl’s one person dinghy): Haddon Hughes (Houston, Texas)
• 2nd, 29er (open high performance dinghy): Quinn Wilson (Ojai, Calif.) and Riley Gibbs (Long Beach, Calif.)
• 4th, SL16 (open multihull): Ravi Parent (Bradenton, Fla.) and Nicholas Schultz (Sarasota, Fla.)
• 11th, RS:X (boy’s windsurfer): Pedro Pascual (Cadiz, Spain)
• 10th, International 420 (girl’s two person dinghy): Audrey Giblin (Monmouth Beach, N.J) and Taylor Gavula (Villanova, Pa.)
• 14th, International 420 (boy’s two person dinghy): Jack Parkin (Riverside, Conn.) and Florian Eenkema van Dijk (Darien, Conn.)
• 21st, RS:X (girl’s windsurfer): Charlotte Samson (Clearwater, Fla.)
• 37th, Laser Radial (boy’s one person dinghy): Luke Muller (Ft. Pierce, Fla.)

Nations Trophy: USA stands in third among 39 nations.

The members of the US Sailing 2014 Youth Worlds Team are also members of the the 2014 US Sailing Development Team (USSDT). The USSDT is comprised of the country’s top sailors in the classes selected for the 2014 Youth Worlds and the 10 events selected for the Olympic Games. For full roster, please click here.

Overall Results:

Rank	Country	HelmName	CrewName	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Total	Nett
1st	POR	Diogo Pereira	Manuel Macedo	6.0	3.0	(21.0)	6.0	1.0	1.0	38.0	17.0
2nd	JPN	Ibuki Koizumi	Kotaro Matsuo	2.0	1.0	6.0	1.0	11.0	(17.0)	38.0	21.0
3rd	MAS	Mohammad Faizal Norizan	Ahmad Syukri Abdul Aziz	5.0	2.0	1.0	(13.0)	3.0	13.0	37.0	24.0
4th	SIN	Yia Jia Loh	Jonathan Yeo	3.0	8.0	4.0	11.0	(33.0 RET)	6.0	65.0	32.0
5th	FRA	Hippolyte Machetti	Sidoine Dantes	4.0	9.0	(20.0)	2.0	10.0	8.0	53.0	33.0
6th	NED	Bart Lambriex	Philip Meijer	7.0	5.0	13.0	(33.0 UFD)	6.0	11.0	75.0	42.0
7th	CHI	Francisco Ducasse	Exequiel Grez	12.0	11.0	9.0	4.0	9.0	(20.0)	65.0	45.0
8th	ISR	Harel Yadid	Itay Lamprecht	14.0	(16.0)	12.0	16.0	2.0	2.0	62.0	46.0
9th	SUI	Maxime Bachelin	Philippe Pittet	1.0	14.0	(22.0)	9.0	8.0	15.0	69.0	47.0
10th	BRA	Tiago Brito	Phillip Essle	9.0	10.0	3.0	20.0	(33.0 UFD)	5.0	80.0	47.0
11th	GBR	Timothy Riley	James Taylor	16.0	4.0	11.0	(21.0)	5.0	12.0	69.0	48.0
12th	GER	Frederick Eichhorst	Julius Erbach	11.0	7.0	8.0	15.0	7.0	(16.0)	64.0	48.0
13th	HKG	Calum Gregor	Hugo Christensson	8.0	12.0	10.0	7.0	12.0	(27.0)	76.0	49.0
14th	USA	Jack Parkin	Florian Eenkema	15.0	(33.0 DSQ)	16.0	5.0	4.0	10.0	83.0	50.0
15th	ARG	Felipe Diniz	Ivan Aranguren	10.0	19.0	18.0	(24.0)	13.0	4.0	88.0	64.0
16th	ITA	Gianmaria Caiconti	Edoardo Portoraro	(27.0)	13.0	2.0	17.0	15.0	19.0	93.0	66.0
17th	TUR	Sazi Kerem Balanli	Ibrahim Balanli	13.0	15.0	17.0	8.0	18.0	(26.0)	97.0	71.0
18th	HUN	Zsombor Gyapjas	Kristof Ziegler	(24.0)	23.0	7.0	18.0	21.0	3.0	96.0	72.0
19th	IRL	Robert Dickson	Sean Waddilove	20.0	17.0	5.0	(33.0 UFD)	22.0	14.0	111.0	78.0
20th	NZL	Sam Barnett	Zak Merton	17.0	6.0	14.0	(33.0 UFD)	20.0	24.0	114.0	81.0
21st	ESP	Andres Alvarez Gil	Sergio Rodriguez Fazanes	21.0	(22.0)	19.0	3.0	17.0	22.0	104.0	82.0
22nd	IND	Upamanyu Gautama Dutt	Arosh Sanjeev Chaudhari	22.0	(29.0)	28.0	10.0	14.0	9.0	112.0	83.0
23rd	AUT	Nikolaus Kampelm?hler	Raphael Hussl	23.0	18.0	15.0	14.0	19.0	(25.0)	114.0	89.0
24th	AUS	Emerson Carlberg	Lachlan Gilmour	(25.0)	21.0	24.0	19.0	23.0	18.0	130.0	105.0
25th	CYP	Haris Papazoglou	Rafail Theocharous	18.0	26.0	(33.0 DSQ)	12.0	27.0	30.0	146.0	113.0
26th	FIN	Anton Eklund	Sam Stenman	29.0	27.0	27.0	27.0	(33.0 UFD)	7.0	150.0	117.0
27th	KOR	Son Woosuk	Choi Beomhae	19.0	20.0	(33.0 DSQ)	23.0	25.0	32.0	152.0	119.0
28th	RSA	Ryan Robinson	Dominic Van Der Walt	26.0	25.0	(30.0)	26.0	16.0	29.0	152.0	122.0
29th	POL	Grzegorz Olko	Stanislaw Rymkiewicz	(30.0)	30.0	25.0	22.0	29.0	21.0	157.0	127.0
30th	RUS	Danil Kosachev	Valeri Adaikin	(28.0)	24.0	26.0	25.0	24.0	28.0	155.0	127.0
31st	LTU	Jonas Kazlauskas	Aivaras Kijauskas	(31.0)	31.0	23.0	28.0	26.0	23.0	162.0	131.0
32nd	MEX	Gabriel Toribio	Jesus Cobos	(32.0)	28.0	29.0	29.0	28.0	31.0	177.0	145.0

Code	Description	Points
DSQ	Disqualification	33
RET	Retired	33
UFD	U Flag disqualification	33