2016 Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games - Provisional schedule released
by ISAF on 30 Oct 2015
2016 Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games Australian Olympic Committee
A provisional racing schedule for the Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition set to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from five – twenty-one August 2016 has been released.
The Pão de Açucar, Ponte and Escola Naval courses inside Guanabara Bay and the Copacabana and Niteroi areas outside the bay are to be utilised. The reserve course areas are Aeroporto, an additional course situated in-between Ponte and Escola Naval in Guanabara Bay, and Pai, outside Guanabara Bay.
Racing is set to start on Monday eight August at 13:00 local time with the Men's and Women's RS:X sailing on the Pão de Açucar race track. The Laser and Laser Radial fleets will also commence their competition on Escola Naval course on the same day.
The Finn sailors will start racing on Tuesday nine August on the Pão de Açucar area with the Men's and Women's 470 as well as the Nacra 17 following on Wednesday 10 August. The 49er and 49erFX are the last fleets to start and get going on Friday 12 August.
The first Medal Races will take place on Sunday 14 August with two per day scheduled until Thursday 18 August where the 49er and 49erFX will bring the regatta to a close.
With the schedule shared with the sailors, the announcement has been met with anticipation, and the feedback given with an emphasis on the diversity and beauty of the courses at the forefront of their minds.
Men's 470 London 2012 gold medallist, Australia's Mat Belcher said, 'It's much anticipated as the teams want to know what they can expect at the Games and there has been a lot of speculation where different classes are going to race. I guess we are all really excited now it has come out.
'The unique thing about Rio, and the great thing about Rio, is the diversity of the conditions and also the diversity of the different race areas, and that makes for the best all-round sailor.”
On the mixture of racing areas, five-time Olympic medallist, and Brazil's very own Robert Scheidt agreed, 'We are going to have many courses which we are going to sail in. I think this is good because it really tests the ability of the sailors in different conditions. It is a place where the sailor has to be very flexible and adapt himself.”
Heading into her third Olympics, Belgium's Evi Van Acker is also excited about what is on the horizon, 'It's a nice mix of everything, sailing inside and outside, and I think it's the most fair for everyone to do a bit of everything. I love the venue. Every course is different so it's good that we sail on them all.”
With the sailors agreeing that Rio 2016 offers a fantastic mix to test the sailors, they also agree that the Rio Games will put sailing into the spotlight by featuring the Medal Races close to the iconic beaches.
'As a Brazilian, it would be amazing to sail in the Medal Race because we know it will be a big crowd out there,' said an expectant Scheidt. 'The Brazilian flags will be flying and there will be support from thousands of people watching the race.”
Belcher said, 'What's great about Rio is the anticipation of racing closer to shore. It's very difficult for the sailors, but for our sport we need to generate more interest from the public and what better way to do it than seeing so many spectators lining Flamengo Beach to watch us race.”
Echoing the thoughts, Van Acker added, 'I expect everyone to be on the beach. It's great as the spectators don't get much chance to see us racing and it will be beautiful in Rio for them to watch.”
The release of the schedule not only gave the three sailors a better picture of what they can expect next year, but it also stirred up some emotions from Scheidt as he reflected on his Olympic Laser career possibly coming to an end in his homeland.
Looking at the schedule, Scheidt concluded, 'For myself, I'm only doing this Olympic cycle because the Olympics is in my home country. That's a big thing and I want to feel that emotion. It's going to be something that will stick with me for a long time.
'Will it be my last one? You can never say never you know, but probably yes. I'm already, let's say, an advanced age for the laser, but my body is still holding up well and I think I can be very competitive in Rio, but after that I probably won't continue in the lasers, but let's see the opportunities after the Games.”
Rio 2016: Provisional Schedule of Races and Course Area Assignments
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Monday 8 August
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Tuesday 9 August
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Wednesday 10 August
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Thursday 11 August
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Friday 12 August
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Saturday 13 August
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Race Area Time
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Race Area Time
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Race Area Time
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Race Area Time
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Race Area Time
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Race Area Time
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Men’s Windsurfer
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Pão de Açucar 1300
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3
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Escola Naval 1310
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3
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Reserve Day
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Niterói 1300
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3
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Escola Naval 1310
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3
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Reserve Day
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Women’s Windsurfer
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Pão de Açucar 1310
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3
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Escola Naval 1300
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3
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Reserve Day
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Niterói 1310
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3
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Escola Naval 1300
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3
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Reserve Day
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Men’s One Person Dinghy
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Escola Naval 1300
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2
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Ponte 1310
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2
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Copacabana 1300
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2
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Reserve Day
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Copacabana 1310
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2
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Pão de Açucar /
Niterói
1300
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2
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Women’s One Person Dinghy
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Escola Naval 1310
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2
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Ponte 1300
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2
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Copacabana
1310
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2
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Reserve Day
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Copacabana 1300
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2
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Pão de Açucar /
Niterói
1310
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2
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Men’s One Person Dinghy (Heavyweight)
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Pão de Açucar 1300
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2
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Niterói
1300
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2
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Escola Naval 1300
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2
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Reserve Day
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Copacabana 1300
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2
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Men’s Two Person Dinghy
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Escola Naval 1300
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2
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Pão de Açucar /
Ponte
1310
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2
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Niterói 1300
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2
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Reserve Day
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Women’s Two Person Dinghy
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Escola Naval 1310
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2
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Pão de Açucar /
Ponte
1300
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2
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Niterói 1310
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2
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Reserve Day
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Men’s Skiff
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Pão de Açucar /
Ponte
1300
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3
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Escola Naval 1310
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3
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Women’s Skiff
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Pão de Açucar /
Ponte
1310
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3
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Escola Naval 1300
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3
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Mixed Multihull
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Pão de Açucar 1300
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3
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Copacabana 1300
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3
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Reserve Day
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Ponte 1300
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3
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Sunday 14 August
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Monday 15 August
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Tuesday 16 August
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Wednesday 17 August
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Thursday 18 August
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Friday 19 August
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Race Area Time
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Race Area Time
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Race Area Time
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Race Area Time
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Race Area Time
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Race Area Time
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#
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Men’s Windsurfer
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Pão de Açucar 1300
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1
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Reserve Day
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Women’s Windsurfer
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Pão de Açucar 1400
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1
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Reserve Day
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Men’s One Person Dinghy
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Reserve Day
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Pão de Açucar 1400
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1
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Reserve Day
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Women’s One Person Dinghy
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Reserve Day
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Pão de Açucar 1300
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1
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Reserve Day
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Men’s One Person Dinghy (Heavyweight)
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Niterói 1300
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2
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Reserve Day
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Pão de Açucar 1300
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1
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Reserve Day
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Men’s Two Person Dinghy
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Copacabana
1310
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2
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Escola Naval 1300
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2
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Reserve Day
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Pão de Açucar 1400
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1
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Reserve Day
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Women’s Two Person Dinghy
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Copacabana 1300
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2
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Escola Naval 1310
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2
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Reserve Day
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Pão de Açucar 1300
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1
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Reserve Day
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Men’s Skiff
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Reserve Day
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Copacabana 1300
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3
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Escola Naval 1300
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3
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Reserve Day
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Pão de Açucar 1300
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1
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Reserve Day
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Women’s Skiff
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Reserve Day
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Niterói 1300
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3
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Escola Naval 1310
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3
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Reserve Day
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Pão de Açucar 1400
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1
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Reserve Day
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Mixed Multihull
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Escola Naval 1300
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3
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Reserve Day
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Pão de Açucar 1400
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1
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Reserve Day
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