Dear Friends,

We have accomplished our objectives for this regatta, and we still have one more day of racing left.  Yesterday, Thursday, we sailed two races in 20-25 knots with puffs measured at 30!  We crossed the line in 18th and 11th and moved into 10th overall, just qualifying for the medal race (only the top 10 teams compete on the last day of racing today with the points counting double in the race).  By finishing in the top 13 countries at the World Championships, we have guaranteed the United States a spot at the 2008 Summer Olympics for the women’s 470!  The remaining 6 country slots will be determined in January at the World Championships in Melbourne, Australia.  Only 19 countries are allowed to compete in the women’s 470 in the Olympics.  Stu McNay and Graham Biehl, competing in the men’s 470 are also in 10th place right now, guaranteeing a spot for the US at the Olympics in the men’s 470.  Very exciting!  The US Teams that will get to represent the US at the Olympics will be determined by the Olympic Trials in October.

What ended up being a solid day on the score-board could have been a much more impressive day.  We were blazing fast upwind, again, and rounded the first marks in 3rd and 2nd in the 2 races.  We held those positions until capsizing in both races.  Ouch and double ouch.  We told you it was windy!

Many teams capsized, broke masts, ripped spinnakers, and were unable to finish both races.  Because we held it together and fought for every point, we were able to move up despite two disappointing races.

We have the medal race today, where only the top ten teams race, points count double, and the race can not be discarded.  We are two points out of 9th and 13 points out of 8th, so we’re looking to move up!

For racing details from yesterday, please read on!

We were on the outer course today sailing two outer loop trapezoids off-shore where it was even windier.  Our game plan was to start at the pin, left, end of the line, go really fast, and stay upright downwind.  In the first race we executed the plan perfectly upwind. We were in 3rd at the windward mark, just behind the French Petitjean/ Douroux.  We passed them on the top reach and were even with them downwind on the outside.  We completed our gybe in a huge puff and were settled in going towards the mark when we lost control and death- rolled, capsizing with the mast to windward.  We righted the boat quickly and then did not set the spinnaker again before the mark, wrongly evaluating the situation.  We got passed by five more boats before rounding the leeward mark.  After that we started passing boats again, but we were back in the traffic, crossing the line 18th.

In the second race, we went right for the first time on that course. We had a huge left shift and were virtually pointing at the mark in no wind, while the boats on the left side had lots of wind and no angle.  We were patient on the right, and a right shift with some pressure filled in just in time to bring us to the windward mark in 2nd!  On the first run we were dueling with the 3rd and 4th place teams behind us.  We were on port and had to crash gybe in 25 knots to avoid a starboard tacker, and capsized.  We again righted the boat quickly and passed boats more effectively to cross the line 11th.

While extremely frustrated with capsizing downwind, we are thrilled with our upwind speed.  We have surprised even ourselves, and feel that we had the speed to finish top 5 in the event.

Wish us luck today in the medal race!

Best,

Erin and Isabelle

www.470TeamUSA.com
erin@470TeamUSA.com
isabelle@470TeamUSA.com