ERIKA REINEKE ADVANCES TO MEDAL RACE; LIGHT AIR PLAGUES BAY OF MARSEILLE
Light air plagued the Bay of Marseille once again, postponing racing and causing multiple race abandonments. Wind at 3-7 knots combined with big shifts beginning in the early afternoon meant only the Mixed Multihull (Nacra 17) completed their prescribed races today.
Despite the delays, the Women’s Dinghy (ILCA 6) got off one race, with Erika Reineke (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) finishing in 26th – high enough to stay in 9th overall and qualify for tomorrow’s medal race. Conditions were challenging for all competitors, with many in the top 10 counting it as their drop race.
“It was a really shifty and tricky day, with little rhyme or reason for what was happening,” said Reineke. “Overall, a lot of really good learning lessons, especially with this being my first Games. I’m really stoked to make the medal race. Of course I wish I had a fighting chance for the medal, but I’m going to go out there tomorrow and work my hardest to win that race!”
In the medal race, the top 10 competitors from the regular series racing go head to head in one race worth double the points. The gold and silver medals have already been decided in the Women’s Dinghy class, with The Netherlands’ Marit Bouwmeester securing her second gold in a decisive victory, and Denmark’s Anne Marie Rindom entering the medal race with the silver medal secure.
Only one race of four was completed in the Kite fleets. Daniela Moroz (Lafayette, CA) took advantage of the light winds, coming in second behind Swiss kiter and current event leader, Elena Lengwiler.
“I wish we could have done more racing; I was really enjoying these conditions,” Moroz told the Olympic Channel. “It was a bummer not to get more races in today, but I was able to post another really solid score and I’m hoping to carry the momentum into the next couple of days.”
“Racing has been super close, especially in the top four,” she noted. “It’s been so much fun being on the water and racing super hard – there’s so much action around the course! I’m feeling confident in what I need to do and I’m looking forward to the rest of the event.”
Men’s Kiter Markus Edegran (Ossining, NY) started and ended the day with a sixth place.
“It was a nice light air race. I put up a solid score so I can’t complain,” said Edegran. “Conditions are challenging but I’m hopeful we can complete some more of the series later in the week.”
In the Mixed Multihull (Nacra 17), Sarah Newberry Moore (Miami, FL) and David Liebenberg (Richmond, CA) stayed positive throughout the delays, but struggled to find a groove in the displacement mode sailing. They came away from the day with an 11, UFD, 15, finishing the day in 16th overall.
“Our heads were in a good place, even if we didn’t have the tactical decisions to back it up at times,” said Newberry Moore. “I think the windward mark approach has been alluding us a little bit. Today we lost points by being in lanes that were too tight at the windward mark.
“We saw everything from 4-7 knots. It was pretty choppy, mostly not foiling, and tactically was very challenging,” added Liebenberg.
The Mixed Dinghy (470) left the beach, but were unable to get racing off due to insufficient wind. Stu McNay (Providence, RI) and Lara Dallman Weiss (Shoreview, MN) remain in 12th overall. The pair is only one point out of the top ten needed to qualify for the medal race, with at least one day of racing left to go.
Viewers back home can catch the action on NBC’s Peacock with archived reruns to follow. For more information on the 13 Team USA athletes competing in the sailing events, on the racing schedule, the broadcast coverage and more, see US Sailing’s Olympics Page
