Racing

ISAF Worlds Round Up

Ten Olympic classes competed for berths in the 2016 Olympics in Rio

By Lisa Gabrielson

Updated: September 16, 2014

More than 1,200 sailors from 81 countries competed in all 10 Olympic classes in Santander, Spain, last week for the ISAF World Championships. Up for grabs were half of the berths awarded to countries for the Rio 2016 Olympic sailing competition. The United States has now qualified for the Olympics in the Laser, Laser Radial, Men’s 470, Women’s 470, and Finn. American sailors in the remaining classes will have other opportunities to qualify for Rio at World and Continental Championship events in 2015 and 2016. “We are encouraged by the top US performances in Santander. US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider athletes demonstrated that they are Olympic contenders in their respective classes and on track to perform well in Rio 2016,” said Josh Adams, Managing Director of US Olympic Sailing.

For full results, visit the ISAF World Championship Website

2014 ISAF Sailing World Championships – Day 9

Stuart McNay (Providence, R.I.) and David Hughes (San Diego, Calif.) secured the best overall finish by an American men’s 470 team at the World Championship since 2000 by finishing 5th overall. “Traditionally we’ve been slow starters in events, and we made a concerted effort to come out of the blocks hot,” says McNay. “We accomplished that goal, and it’s a great building block for us for events in the future.” Mick Anderson/US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider

The course of the final Laser Radial race was most challenging, with backwash from the spectator breakwater causing collisons and complications in the first half of the race. Marit Bouwmeester (NED) took home the gold, sealing a Dutch victory across both Laser events-Nicholas Heiner took first in the men’s fleet. Mick Anderson/US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider

2014 ISAF Sailing World Championships – Day 10

Top-ranked American Finn sailor Caleb Paine (San Diego, Calif.) snagged his best-ever performance at a Finn World Championship (also known as the Finn Gold Cup) with an impressive 5th place finish in a very light and difficult medal race. This boosted Paine to 7th overall in the 78-boat fleet. Mick Anderson/US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider

2014 ISAF Sailing World Championships – Day 9

Not only Did Mat Belcher and Will Ryan (AUS) decisively take home gold in the 470 class, but the day of the medal race was also Belcher’s 32nd birthday. In what will certainly be an unforgettable birthday gift to himself, Belcher became the only sailor in 470 history to win five successive World Championship titles. Mick Anderson/US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider

Charline Picon (FRA) took an significant lead in the Women’s RS:X Class early on, and secured a gold medal before the final day of racing, finishing with an impressive 40 point cushion. The fight for silver between Maayan Davidovich (ISR) and Marina Alabau (ESP) played out to the very end, with Alabau just beating the Israeli sailor at the finish to take silver. Vincenzo Baglione

The final race in 49erFX was close, with Ida Neilsen and Marie Olsen (DEN) just four points ahead of Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze (BRA) going into the final race. The Brazilians took first and broke the Danish team’s streak after winning both the Junior World Championship and European Championships back to back this summer. Courtesy of Team Brazil

US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider athletes Annie Haeger (East Troy, Wisc.) and Briana Provancha (San Diego, Calif.) saw their career-best results at the ISAF World Championships. By finishing 7th overall, it was the icing on the cake of a remarkably consistent 2014 campaign, which saw them finish near the top of each event they entered. “Even though we just finished here, I just can’t wait to get back on the water,” said Haeger. “We are going to do whatever it takes, and put in however much work we need to in order to reach the podium.” Mick Anderson/US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider

American Erika Reineke finished 14th overall in the women’s Laser Radial fleet, securing a spot for the US in the class’ event in Rio. Mick Anderson/US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider

Charlie Buckingham (Newport Beach, Calif.) finished 7th overall in the Laser World Championship, the best result for an American Athlete since Mark Mendelblatt took silver in 2004. “I have a lot of work to do, but I’ve made a lot of progress in a year, and I’m happy with the path that my coach and I are on,” said Buckingham. Teammate Chris Barnard finished 15th. Mick Anderson/US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider

The New Zealanders, Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, dominated the 49er class through the entire regatta, and the medal race was no exception. In the final race, sitting in the middle of the class after first beat, the Kiwis made their move with a gybeset at the top of the course. By the bottom mark, they took the lead and maintained it through the rest of the race, taking gold. Santander 2014 ISAF SWC

Billy Besson and Marie Riou (FRA) dominated in the Nacra 17 class, finishing 38 points ahead of silver medal team Santiago Lange & Cecilla Carranza Saroli (ARG) who climbed from 5th to 2nd overall in the final race. “For us it is really a very special day,” said Lange, the Argentinian skipper. “It was difficult sailing in the Medal Race in the harbor area. Tricky race and you have to stay very sharp all time.”

Giles Scott (GBR) took Finn gold after a final race in which all he had to do was cross the finish line. “It’s a been a great season for me and I can’t really think of a better way to round it off that with the world title,” says Scott, “am really pleased with the way I have sailed, and there’s always a lot to learn from it, but I’m over the moon about it.” Santander 2014 ISAF SWC

France took both gold and bronze, with Polish sailor Przemyslaw Miarczynski sitting comfortably in the middle. Julien Bontemps (FRA) sailed an impressive regatta all around, beating Miarczynski by 21 points to take gold. But it was Bontemps’ teammate Thomas Goyard who showed impressive speed in the final race, climbing through the fleet to a first place finish in the race, and securing the bronze medal. It was a triumph for the Frenchman who’s highest overall finish in advance of ISAF World’s was sixth place at the RS:X European Championship in Alcati, Turkey earlier this summer. Santander 2014 ISAF SWC