Issue # 181

 Today's Sailing News 

Congressional Cup:  Pace, Barker move on

Thursday saw consistent 15 knot breezes for the match racing fleet.  All but one flight of races was completed.  

With the regatta now almost through the round robins, 2 teams are qualified for the 4 boat semi finals.

France's Bertrand pace has a 13 and 4 record and sits 1st.  2nd is NZL's Dean Barker at 12-5.  They race each other in the final flight for 1st place.  In the first round robin Pace topped Barker.

Next on the scoreboard is Sebastian Destremeau at 10-7.  A win in his final race vs. Scott Dickson and Destremeau advances.  In the first round Destremeau defeated Dickson.

Fourth place is a 4 way tie.  Markus Weiser, Sten Mohr, Peter Holmberg and James Spithill are all at 9-8.

Holmber and Weiser face each other meaning the loser will be eliminated.  Mohr races Luc Pillot who he beat in round 1.  Spithill faces last place Damien Iehl whom he owns a victory over.

Of the four Spithill faces the opponent with the least record perhaps enhancing his chances of a final 4 spot.

In any event plans are for the last round robin race, the semi finals and finals to be sailed today.  Sailing Daily will report on the outcome Saturday morning.

Olympic Trials:  Myrdal takes Laser lead

Hawaiian sailor John Myrdal has taken the lead after Day 5 of the Laser class Olympic trials.  Myrdal scored a 6th and a 1st Thursday.  Previous leader Mark Mendenblatt placed 5th twice and went from a 1 point lead to a 2 point deficit.  The days first race was won by John Torgeson.

Myrdal and Mendenblatt should have 6 races in which to settle the issue of regatta winner.

Olympic Sailing:  Dey stays ahead in Europes

Courtenay Becker Dey won one of the days 2 races and discarded her 5th place finish in the second race.  This gives Dey a 6 point lead over Meg Galliard who was 2nd and 1st on the day.

Galliard has closed  to within 6 points.  Galliard has won 3 of the last 5 races, indicating that Dey's 6 point lead is not safe.

Olympic Sailing: Star Class

Mark Reynolds and Magnus Liljerdahl were the winners of race 9 and 10 boosting their lead to a commanding 14 points.

The 2nd place team of Brun and Dorgan kept only a 3rd, discarding a 7th.

Olympic Sailing:  Finn 

Leader Russ Silvestri had his poorest day of the regatta.  He placed 5th and 4th.  Currently these are the two scored discarded from his leading point score of 12 points.

2nd place Darrel Peck was 6th and 2nd.   This puts him 10 points back.  3rd place Mark Herrman was strong all day finishing 2nd and 1st.  4th place Mike Deyett opened the day with a win to make it two bullets in a row and then finished a racy day with a 3rd.  He is 10 points back of 3rd.

If Silvestri posts a couple of more non podium finishes Peck maybe able to close in on him.