ISAF Sailing World Championships - USA 470's and Lasers battle at top

by US Sailing on 17 Sep 2014 2014 ISAF Sailing World Championships - Santander - 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 sixth. Following a challenging opening series, with finishes of fourteen, seven, 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-five 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 six points shy of the lead.

In the men's Laser class, Charlie Buckingham continued his push for the podium with a nineteen, two on the day, and is now in fourth 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 eighth 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 third top-10 finish in seven races, with a fifth in race seven following a mid-fleet finish in race six. '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 eighth, 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 two 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 fourth overall following a twenty, one, twelve, despite the uneven number of races held in the 49er blue and yellow divisions.

Notable US Results (Overall):

470 Men (73 boats):
• First (lowest points, uneven number of races between divisions), Stuart McNay and David Hughes, US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider.

Laser Men (147 boats):
• Fourth, Charlie Buckingham, US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider
• Eighth, Chris Barnard, US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider
• 22nd, Erik Bowers, US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider

Laser Radial Women (120 boats):
• Eighth, Erika Reineke, US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider

470 Women (54 boats):
• Sixth, Annie Haeger and Briana Provancha, US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider

49er Men (40 boats raced on Day 4, 80 total boats):
• Fourth (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