Rio Olympic Games - Strong early winds bring solid result for Team USA

by Will Ricketson on 9 Aug 2016 2016 Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games - The sailing competition at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games began in earnest on Monday, with strong winds and sunshine providing a worthy test for athletes in the Men’s Laser, Women’s Laser Radial, Men’s RS:X and Women’s RS:X classes. U.S. Olympic Team sailors Charlie Buckingham (Newport Beach, Calif., Laser), Paige Railey (Clearwater, Fla., Laser Radial) Pedro Pascual (West Palm Beach, Fla., Men’s RS:X) and Marion Lepert (Belmont, Calif., Women’s RS:X) were the only Americans to compete on the first day of racing.

In the Laser Radial, two-time Olympian Paige Railey recorded a strong average across her two races, finishing with a fifteen, two. “The first race was just ok, I lost boats on the final leg going to the finish,” said Railey. “On the next race I came back to get a second. The average of the day is good, and it’s what I wanted to do.”

Railey said that after three years of practicing out of the U.S. Sailing Team’s Rio training base, including participating in two full-scale Olympic Test Events, she felt confident in her ability to interpret the Rio 2016 race courses. “I think I read the wind pretty well today, and if I can keep doing that I know it will pay off throughout the event,” said Railey. “I’ve been waiting for this moment, and I’m very happy for the Olympics to start. There are just eight more races before the final, and I have to just keep plugging away.”

The other three American sailors in action on Monday were all experiencing Olympic competition for the first time. Women’s RS:X athlete Marion Lepert recorded a strong first day, with scores of ten, three, ten. Lepert was in second overall midway through her third race, but slipped to 10th at the finish. Nevertheless, scoring all top-ten finishes was an impressive debut for the current Stanford University mechanical engineering student.

“It was really fun, and I was happy to be able to start racing, which is what the Olympics is all about,” said Lepert. “We had awesome breeze, great conditions, and it was a perfect way to start off the regatta. We were racing on (the) ‘Pao’ (course) today, the medal race course, and so had lots of shifty winds because of the giant mountain in the middle of the racecourse.” Lepert has repeatedly proven to be among the world’s fastest in strong breeze, and today was no exception. “The biggest strategy today was staying in the wind,” recalled the 2015 Pan American Games bronze medalist. “There were some really sharp wind lines (visible). I solidly stayed in the top ten, and I’m happy. Consistency is my goal.”

Men’s Laser athlete Charlie Buckingham rose as high as 10th during his opening race, but eventually finished 21st before bouncing back with a seventh in the second race. “I’m definitely sailing well, and I’m fast,” said the two-time U.S. College Sailing of the Year, who is coached by two-time Olympic Champion and three-time medalist Mark Reynolds (San Diego, Calif.). “I just have to go back out and do it again tomorrow. I survived the day and am feeling good.”

Pedro Pascual, the U.S. Men’s RS:X representative, finished mid-fleet in his three races on Monday. “At first it felt a little bit overwhelming, just seeing all these people and all these cameras,” said the first-time Olympian and Florida Atlantic University student. “As the day went by, you just get used to it. It’s been a tough day for me, and it hasn’t gone my way. But it’s the first day of the Olympic Games, and tomorrow will be my day.” Pascual said his comfort level with the Games atmosphere would only increase as the event went on. “I was just trying to focus on my technique and tactics, and trying to leave everything (else) on the side, all the cameras, and everything that goes into Olympic racing. I was just trying to do my best.”

Sailing at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games will continue on Tuesday, August 9, which will be the first day of competition for the Men’s heavyweight Finn class dinghy and American Caleb Paine (San Diego, Calif.)