FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Barby MacGowan, Media Pro Int’l for Rolex, 401-849-0220,
barby.macgowan@mediapronewport.com;
Marlieke de Lange Eaton, US SAILING, 401-683-0800,
MarliekeEaton@ussailing.org
US SAILING's
2008 Rolex Miami OCR
The World at its Door
Miami, Fla. (January 3, 2008) – As a January 21 "early deadline" draws
near, US SAILING's Rolex Miami OCR, scheduled for January 27 to February 2,
2008, is shaping up nicely as an international primer for the Olympic and
Paralympic Games in Qingdao, China this August. Over 100 teams have signed
up, and many of the 25 represented nations -- including the USA, Canada and
Great Britain, which have the largest contingents at 24, 15 and 11 teams,
respectively -- either have sent their final teams or will be selecting who
moves on to the Olympic or Paralympic Games based on results at this popular
International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Grade One ranking event.
"The ISAF World Rankings have recently been updated and will be updated
again once the Rolex Miami OCR and a flurry of World Championships in the
first quarter are completed," said US SAILING’s High Performance Director
Gary Bodie. "We are happy that our event continues to figure so highly in
the planning for elite sailors across the globe."
Bodie explained that for the regatta's 19th edition in its traditional
late-January time slot, racing in seven of 11 Olympic classes had to be
eliminated due to Olympic-year scheduling conflicts with World Championships
held overseas. However, the remaining four Olympic classes (Laser, Laser
Radial, Star, Yngling -- the latter two of which are hosting their own World
Championships in Miami) are joining a full run-up of Paralympic classes
(2.4mR, SKUD-18, Sonar), so the Rolex Miami OCR has quite an intriguing show
left to stage.
"The U.S. has perhaps the best Paralympic team in the world, and we will be
at the Rolex Miami OCR in full force," said Betsy Alison, Coach of the US
Disabled Sailing Team. "In the SKUD-18 class at the IFDS Worlds, we just
missed sweeping the podium with finishes of first, second and fourth. We
ordered the first batch of boats available in this first-ever Paralympic
class, and it has proven valuable to get an early start."
USA's SKUD-18 representatives to the Paralympic Games, Nick Scandone
(Fountain Valley, Calif.) and Maureen McKinnon-Tucker (Marblehead Mass.),
who were silver medalists at the Worlds, will face top teams from the UK,
Canada, Sweden and Australia.
With Scandone having moved to the SKUD and Tom Brown (sailing with Paul
Callahan and Roger Cleworth) to the Sonar from the 2.4mR class, where they
dominated for so long, it has opened the way for USA's John Ruf (Pewaukee,
Wis.) to prove his worthiness as the USA's Paralympic representative in the
2.4mR class. "John is making great headway with some tough training," said
Alison, adding that Great Britain, France, Denmark and Canada all have
multiple entries in the class. For Canada, says Alison, this is the final
event for 2.4mR team selection -- entered are Paul Tingley and Danny McCoy
with Bruce Millar also expected -- and the first half of their SKUD Trials.
Great Britain, as well, has still to determine its 2.4mR team and has signed
up Helena Lucas and Megan Pascoe. Other noteworthy entrants are 2000
Paralympic Gold Medalist and World Champion Heiko Kroger (GER) and 2007 IFDS
World Champion Damien Seguin (FRA).
Sonars reflect the most veteran experience for the USA, with Paralympic
representatives and reigning World Champions Rick Doerr /Tim Angle/Bill
Donohue (Clifton, N.J./Boston, Mass./Brick, N.J.) leading the rock stars in
that class. "The good thing about Sonars," said Alison, "is that our teams
regularly sail in strong open competition for this class on a spring and
summer circuit." She noted that Ireland will know its Paralympic team in
Sonars after this event and has sent two formidable trios --one led by John
Twomey and another led by Paul McCarthy.
China is sending two Yngling teams -- a first for this regatta -- while
Russia and Japan are each sending one Yngling and one Star team. The Star
class is likely to be the largest with 39 current entries that will most
likely remain in Miami for their Worlds in April. The Laser Radial is the
second-largest class with 24 entrants.
Among the "stars of the Star class" are USA's representatives to the Games
John Dane and Austin Sperry (Gulfport, Miss.); ISAF #1 ranked sailors
Mateusz Kusznierewicz/Dominik Zycki (POL); Rolex Miami OCR defending
champions Fredrik Loof/Anders Ekstrom (SWE); Great Britain's Iain
Percy/Andrew Simpson (GBR); and Xavier Rohart/Pascal Rambeau (FRA).
The Rolex Miami OCR Yngling defending champions and 2005 World title holders
Sally Barkow/Carrie Howe/Debbie Capozzi (Nashotah, Wis./Grosse Pointe,
Mich./Bayport, N.Y.) are the brightest stars in that class and hope to be
the leading challengers in Qingdao this year. New Zealand's Sharon Ferris
must make the top five at the Rolex Miami OCR before her team can book its
tickets for Beijing, so the stakes are high. The 2008 Yngling Worlds, which
immediately follow the Rolex Miami OCR, will decide the final four nations
to qualify for the Olympic Yngling event in China. Greece is one of the
countries trying for a berth (the USA has already secured its spot) and that
country will be represented at the Rolex Miami OCR and the Worlds by skipper
Sofia Bekatorou, 2002 and 2004 ISAF Rolex Sailor of the Year (with Emilia
Tsoulfa) and 2004 Olympic Gold medalist in the 470 class.
The Laser Radial class will see two long-time Florida rivals, Paige Railey
(Clearwater) and U.S. Olympic Laser Radial representative Anna Tunnicliffe
(Plantation), pitted against each other and a strong contingent from Great
Britain: Andrea Brewster, Lizzie Vickers, Charlotte Dobson and Penny Clark.
Great Britain's selection trials for the women’s single-hander will commence
at the Rolex Miami OCR.
About the Rolex Miami OCR
Established in 1990 by US SAILING, the Rolex Miami OCR annually draws elite
sailors Olympic and Paralympic medalists and hopefuls from around the world.
In non-Olympic years, the regatta is especially important as a ranking
regatta for sailors hoping to qualify for the US Sailing Team and the US
Disabled Sailing Team, which annually distinguish the top three sailors in
each Olympic or Paralympic class. The 2008 Rolex Miami OCR consists of five
days of fleet racing from Monday January 28 through Friday, February 1, and
one day of top-ten medal racing (for Olympic classes only) on Saturday,
February 2, replicating the new Olympic format that will debut in Qingdao.
Regatta Headquarters are at the US Sailing Center, where the Laser classes
also will be located. The Stars will be hosted at Coral Reef Yacht Club, the
Ynglings at Key Biscayne Yacht Club, and all Paralympic classes at
Shake-A-Leg Miami’s facilities. The City of Miami has also joined to support
the event.
In addition to title sponsor Rolex Watch U.S.A., the 2008 Rolex Miami OCR is
also sponsored by all the partners that support the US Sailing Team: Nautica,
Vanguard Sailboats, Gill, Sperry Top-Sider, Ribcraft, Harken, New England
Ropes, Extrasport, Nikon, and Team McLube. Rolex is also a sponsor of the US
Sailing Team.
For complete and up-to-the-minute regatta information and resources,
including the Notice of Race, entry list, on-line registration, schedule,
hosts and area information, please visit:
www.RolexMiamiOCR.org.
About Rolex Watch U.S.A., Inc.
Since Rolex Watch U.S.A. first presented timepieces to America's Cup
defenders in 1958, the company has consistently recognized and encouraged
excellence in every important arena of competitive sailing, including
supporting the US Sailing Team, US SAILING championships, disabled sailing,
and offshore, one-design and women's events. In 2008, Rolex will sponsor
over 20 prestigious yachting events globally, including New York Yacht Club
Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex and the US-IRC Rolex National
Championship, Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, Rolex Big Boat Series, Rolex Capri
Sailing Week, Rolex Farr 40 World Championship, Rolex Fastnet Race, and the
Rolex Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race.
About US SAILING
The Rolex Miami OCR is organized by US SAILING, national governing body of
the sport. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island,
the organization provides leadership for the sport of sailing in the United
States. US SAILING offers training and education programs for instructors
and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and
communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides
administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country,
including National Championships and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Sailing
Teams. For more information, please visit
www.ussailing.org.
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