Dear Friends,

Today was less than optimal, but we’re not out of it yet. We finished 8th in the first race and 3rd in the second race. The lead women, Amanda Clark and Sarah Mergenthaler, finished 1st and 6th. Overall, they moved 4 points further ahead of us. We are 11 points back with 4 races left to sail. We did not make our lives any easier today, but winning the Olympic Trials is still very possible. We are still 3rd overall.

For complete scores, please visit the regatta website:
http://www.ussailing.org/olympics/OlympicTrials/race_results.html

The first race was sailed in a light sea breeze, 6-7 knots. We had a great start. We controlled Amanda and Sarah through the first cross, but were in the thick of the fleet. We got bounced to the right of the racecourse, Amanda and Sarah were looking good going towards the left. Instead of conceding their initial lead and following them left, we kept going right hoping for the right to fill in. The right shift came about 10 minutes too late. Amanda and Sarah were leading at the first mark, and we were approximately 10th. We sailed fast and ground back about as far as we could, but that was not very far.

In the second race we engaged Amanda and Sarah early before the start. We again had a good start . Amanda and Sarah again split left, and we loose covered them and then broke for the right side of the upwind. They were 5th at the first mark and we rounded right behind them in 6th. We rolled them immediately, and continued to move forward in the race. The first place boat had gotten pulled out at the windward mark because they were over early.

We have four more races to sail in the regatta, and they all have to be great ones.

Best,

Erin and Isabelle

www.470TeamUSA.com

erin@470TeamUSA.com

isabelle@470TeamUSA.com