FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 7, 2016
Palma de Mallorca, Spain – The opening races have been completed at the 470 Class European Championship (April 7-12), and US Sailing Team Sperry athletes occupy top-ten positions in both the men’s and women’s fleets after a light and shifty day off the coast of Mallorca, Spain. This year’s Europeans serves as the second and final U.S. Olympic Sailing Team selection event in the Men;s and Women’s 470 classes.
Men’s 470:
The US Sailing Team Sperry’s Stu McNay (Providence, R.I.) and Dave Hughes (Miami, Fla.) submitted strong opening scores of 1,7,3 as they seek a repeat victory at the European Championship. The veteran pair is now tied for second overall in the 69-boat fleet, and reported satisfaction with their day of racing.
“Today was definitely a good way to start,” said McNay, a two-time Olympian. “Even though we won last year, we are treating this as just another regatta. We need to stick to our typical routine and processes, and focus on the details.”
Pictured: Annie Haeger (East Troy, Wisc.) and Briana Provancha (San Diego, Calif.) Women’s 470, US Sailing Team Sperry. Gallery.
Women’s 470:
US Sailing Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year Annie Haeger (East Troy, Wisc.) and teammate Briana Provancha (San Diego, Calif.) got off to a quick start, with scores of 2,9 on the day.
“We executed our starts pretty well,” said Haeger. “There were a few mistakes, but we bounced back.” A strong first race set a positive tone for the rest of the day. “We gained a bit on every leg,” said Provancha. “It was a good day overall. We’re excited to get some scores on the board.” Haeger and Provancha sit in 7th overall in the 57-boat fleet.
Sydney Bolger (Long Beach, Calif.) and Carly Shevitz (Santa Barbara, Calif.), entered the event just two points behind Haeger and Provancha in the Olympic selection series, and scored 14,16 on the first day at Europeans. “We are feeling good, and there is a lot of racing left,” said Bolger. On a shifty day like today, analyzing the course effectively is a key factor, explained Shevitz. “We felt like we were seeing things well out there, but were not implementing the best strategies to take advantage of our data,” said Shevitz.
Pictured: Sydney Bolger (Long Beach, Calif.) and Carly Shevitz (Santa Barbara, Calif.), Women’s 470, US Sailing Team Sperry. Gallery.
SEE ALSO: Current Standings, U.S. Olympic Sailing Team Selection Series
The 470 Class European Championship will run from April 7-12 in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. All athletes selected by US Sailing for the Rio 2016 U.S. Olympic Sailing Team are subject to approval by the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC).
Previous Event Reports:
- Women’s 470 Preview: Women’s 470 Rio 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Selection Series To Be Decided in Palma
- Men’s 470 Preview: McNay and Hughes (Men’s 470) Look to Defend European Title in Palma
Quick Links:
- 2016 470 Europeans Event Website & Results
- Current Standings, U.S. Olympic Sailing Team Selection Series
- Photos: USA 470 Europeans Gallery
- US Sailing Team Sperry Social Media:
About the US Sailing Team Sperry
The US Sailing Team Sperry is managed by the United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for the sport of sailing and sailboat racing. The top boats in each Olympic and Paralympic class are selected annually to be members of the US Sailing Team Sperry. US Sailing helps these elite athletes with financial, logistical, coaching, technical, fitness, marketing and communications support. The title sponsor of the team is Sperry; other sponsors include Gold-Level partner Sunbrella and Silver-Level partners Harken, Team McLube and Groupe Beneteau. Yale Cordage is a team supplier. The US Sailing Center Miami is an Olympic training site. Oakcliff Sailing and Clearwater Community Sailing Center are US Sailing Team Sperry Training Centers. Chubb Personal Insurance and the Gowrie Group sponsors US Sailing’s National Team Tour, a nationwide presentation program for US Sailing Team Sperry athletes. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org/olympics
The United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and growth for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US Sailing is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. 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 US Sailing Team Sperry. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org
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Press Contact: Will Ricketson, Olympic Communications Manager, US Sailing. willricketson@ussailing.org, +1 (978) 697-2384.
