470 Europeans: Two American Teams Aiming For Podium

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2016 470 European Championship

Pictured: Stu McNay and Dave Hughes, Men’s 470, US Sailing Team Sperry

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 11, 2016

Palma de Mallorca, Spain – After five days of hard racing, US Sailing Team Sperry athletes will have a chance at the podium in tomorrow’s medal races at the 2016 470 Class European Championship (April 7-12) in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. On Tuesday, the U.S. national sailing team will attempt to earn medals at this prestigious event in both the men’s and women’s divisions for the second consecutive year.

In the men’s division, reigning European and North American Champions Stu McNay (Providence, R.I.) and Dave Hughes (Miami, Fla.) have finished the gold fleet racing series in third place overall, and will work to secure a medal tomorrow in the medal race. “It’s always good to go into a medal race wearing a leader jersey,” said Hughes, who along with McNay scored 1,15 in two races on Day 5. “We were very happy to win the first race, but had to clear ourselves of a penalty early in the second race. It turned into a comeback effort from there.”

The 2015 US Sailing Rolex Yachtsman of the Year finalists are 18 points from Mathew Belcher and Will Ryan (Australia) in gold medal position, and six points from reigning World Champions Sime Fantela and Igor Marenic (Croatia) in second. However, strong teams from France, Argentina and Italy lurk just behind McNay and Hughes in the standings, and the race promises to be as hard-fought as any held so far in this Olympic year. Even for an experienced team like McNay and Hughes, each chance to battle the world’s best teams in a double-points medal race environment is an opportunity of significant value. “Chances are good that this is exactly what the Olympics will feel like,” said Hughes. “Right now, it’s tight along all margins.”

2016 470 European Championship

Pictured: Annie Haeger and Briana Provancha, Women’s 470, US Sailing Team Sperry.

In the women’s 470 fleet, Annie Haeger (East Troy, Wisc.) and Briana Provancha (San Diego, Calif.) will also have a strong chance to take home a medal. Fresh off their Rio 2016 U.S. Olympic Sailing Team selection on Sunday, Haeger and Provancha will look to match or exceed their bronze medal performance at last year’s edition of this event.

“It’s really exciting in an Olympic year to be at an event like this, because the fleet is so strong,” said Provancha. “It’s been  long week for us for sure, especially with our Olympic Selection Series taking place, but we will be looking to finish on the podium tomorrow.” With the Austrian team of Lara Vadlau and Jolanta Ogar clinching gold today, Haeger and Provancha are in 4th place, 17 points from Aphrodite Kyranakou and Anneloes Van Even (The Netherlands) in second and just four points from Fernanda Oliveira and Ana Barbachan (Brazil) in bronze.

SEE ALSO: Haeger and Provancha (Women’s 470) Earn Selection to Rio 2016 U.S. Olympic Sailing Team

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).

Current USA Results:

Men’s 470: 69 boats

Women’s 470: 57 boats

Full Results

Note: 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.

Previous Event Reports:

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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.

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