ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami – Strong performances on Day 2

by Will Ricketson on 29 Jan 2014 On day two of the ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami 2014 light air returned and forced delays of racing in all classes. However, American athletes still delivered strong performances in the tricky conditions, and are in the top five overall in seven of thirteen classes, and are in the top ten in ten classes.

Laser Radial (Women): With three athletes in the top ten overall, the American Radial contingent continues to look strong. Paige Railey (Clearwater, Fla.) maintained her dominance from Day one, and notched another second. Railey remains in first overall. Hanne Weaver (Gig Harbor, Wash.) finished 28th in today's race, but is still lying in sixth overall. 2013 US Junior Singlehanded Women's Champion Dana Rohde (Richmond Hill, Ga.) finished seventh, and now finds herself in eighth overall.

470 (Men): Stu McNay (Providence, R.I.) and Dave Hughes (Miami, Fla.) continued their consistent performance in the men's 470 fleet by scoring yet another top finish, this time a fourth. An impressive scoreline of two-two-four put them in third overall.

Finn (Men) : Luke Lawrence (Palm City, Fla.) didn't ease up pressure on the top end of the Finn fleet, and scored his best finish of the event, a second, which places him in third overall. 'My expectation, honestly, was just to get out here and see how my boat speed compared with the rest of the world,' Lawrence noted. When asked about possible roots of his strong showing so far, Lawrence paid tribute to the camaraderie in the US Finn fleet. 'I Love the Finn class, because the Masters guys who have been in it forever have a strong support group to build and generate the junior sailors coming up.'

Laser (Men): Derick Vranizan (Shoreline, Wash.) had no trouble addressing a difficult tactical situation on the Laser course, and led all Americans with a third place finish in the sole race of the day. 'It was really just a matter of keeping the boat moving, and looking for pressure all day long,' said Vranizan. He now finds himself in 26th, and the battle for a roster spot on the 2014 US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider promises to be intense in this class. Charlie Buckingham (Newport Beach, Calif.) was close behind Vranizan in ninth, and is now lying in 13th overall after his first race score on Day one was wiped out by a U flag penalty.

2.4mR (Mixed): Danny Evans (Miami, Fla.) came out focused after a challenging first day, and scored a fifth place finish in race three. This moved Evans into the top 10, and he now sits in ninth overall.

49er (Men): 'Team Funky Burd,' the personable team of Brad Funk (Miami, Fla.) and Trevor Burd (Marblehead, Mass.) continued their strong showing despite the light and tricky conditions. By scoring another 13th, they stayed in the hunt for the podium and are in sixth overall.

Sonar (Mixed): Rick Doerr (Clifton, N.J.), Tim Angle (Reading, Mass.) and Hugh Freund (Brookline, Mass.) continue to lead the fleet after scoring a fifth in the sole race held today. Despite being called OCS at the start, and with few passing lanes available in the light conditions, the veteran team managed to work their way nearly halfway back up the fleet. 'We actually had a bit too much speed [at the start], getting over the line by about a quarter length,' said Freund. 'We managed to make a pretty good move at the leeward gate, and get back in the hunt.'

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