Clearwater Worlds: USA 49er and 49erFX Jump Upwards, Henken Siblings & Teammates Shine

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Pictured: Paris Henken (Coronado, Calif.) and Helena Scutt (Kirkland, Wash.), 49erFX, US Sailing Team Sperry

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 11, 2016

Clearwater, Fla. – Day three of the 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 World Championships in Clearwater, Florida marked the first day that all three fleets complete multiple races, radically altering the standings and ushering in what the US Sailing Team Sperry’s Joe Morris (Annapolis, Md.) called “the real start of the regatta.” A principle storyline of the day from an American standpoint was the strong results of siblings Hans and Paris Henken in the 49er and 49erFX classes.

SEE ALSO: Team Tracker – Current Standings of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Sailing Teams Selection Series

A light and variable breeze filled in mid-morning, and did not exceed ten knots at any stage of the day. Nevertheless, race organizers worked hard to complete as many races as possible, and get a regatta previously plagued by extreme conditions back on track.

FRIDAY: LIVE Video Coverage from Clearwater

49er and 49erFX racing will be brought to a worldwide sailing audience on Friday, February 12 (Day 4) at the Worlds in Clearwater. Coverage will include onboard cameras, aerial footage, 3D graphics and expert commentary as the best skiff sailors in the world battle off Clearwater Beach. The broadcast will begin at 12:00 noon EST.

49erFX (Women’s Two-Person High Performance Skiff)

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In the women’s skiff, Paris Henken (Coronado, Calif.) and Helena Scutt (Kirkland, Wash.) dramatically improved their overall position by recording three top-five scores over four races, and now sit in 12th overall.

“We’re really happy with how the day went,” said Scutt. “During one race we were pretty worried about a possible black flag penalty, but it worked out. Our speed was good, and our tactical moves were strong. We’re happy with our execution, and are looking forward to continuing.”

See Also: 49erFX Class U.S. Olympic Team Selection Tracker

Nacra 17 (Mixed Two-Person Multihull)

Michael Easton (Bedford, Mass.) and Katie Pettibone (Port Huron, Mich.) remained the top American team, with their best races on Day Three being an 11th and a 6th, their second top-ten finish in as many days.

“It was quite a change from yesterday, conditions-wise,” said Pettibone, an America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race veteran. “Today we had to focus on current and big shifts. There were no definitive tactical trends. It stayed pretty cold, however.”

In terms of Olympic selection, Easton and Pettibone are now locked in a close battle with Mark and Carolina Mendelblatt (Miami, Fla.), along with Bora Gulari (Detroit, Mich.) and Louisa Chafee (Warwick, R.I.).

See Also: Nacra 17 Class U.S. Olympic Team Selection Tracker

 49er (Men’s Two-Person High Performance Skiff)

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Pictured: Judge Ryan (San Diego, Calif.) and Hans Henken (Coronado, Calif.), 49er

In the 49er, the relatively new team of Judge Ryan (San Diego, Calif.) and Hans Henken (Coronado, Calif.) had an impressive day on the water, recording three scores in the top six over four races and jumping over thirty spots in the standings.

“Today was about not being forced to tack early,” said Henken. “It was hard holding a lane because there was a lot of current. For us, it was a day of focusing on sailing well and keeping our heads out of the boat.”

This may be a U.S. Olympic Team selection event, but despite their strong showing, Ryan and Henken said they’re not getting ahead of themselves. “You can’t get too high or too low based on one day’s racing,” said Ryan. The pair has been notably successful in youth classes such as the 29er, and have logged just over one year of racing in the Olympic 49er class.

See Also: 49er Class U.S. Olympic Team Selection Tracker

Racing will continue on Day Four of the 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 World Championship in Clearwater, Florida, with medal races being held on Sunday, February 14, 2016.

Watch: Profile of Clearwater Native Brad Funk, 49er, US Sailing Team Sperry

USA Results: 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 World Championship

Full Results

49er (Men’s Two-Person High Performance Skiff):
 54 boats

  • 14th overall, Judge Ryan (San Diego, Calif.) and Hans Henken (Coronado, Calif.)
  • 18th overall, Brad Funk (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and Trevor Burd (Marblehead, Mass.), US Sailing Team Sperry
  • 21st overall, Fred Strammer (Nakomis, Fla.) and Mike Kuschner (Gloucester Point, Va.)
  • 25th overall, Thomas Barrows (St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.) and Joe Morris (Annapolis, Md.), US Sailing Team Sperry
  • 37th overall, Andrew and Matthew Mollerus (Rye, N.Y.)
  • 52nd overall, David Liebenberg (Livermore, Calif.) and Dan Morris (San Francisco, Calif.)
  • 55th overall, Jonny Goldsberry & Chad Freitas
  • 62nd overall, Wade Waddell and Ian MacDiarmid
  • 64th overall, David Ames & P.J. Buhler

See Also: 49er Class U.S. Olympic Team Selection Tracker

49erFX (Women’s Two-Person High Performance Skiff): 43 boats

  • 12th overall, Paris Henken (Coronado, Calif.) and Helena Scutt (Kirkland, Wash.), US Sailing Team Sperry
  • 35th overall, Genny Tulloch (San Francisco, Calif.) and Maggie Shea (Chicago, Ill.)
  • 40th overall, Emily Dellenbaugh (Easton, Conn.) and Elizabeth Barry (Riverside, Conn.), US Sailing Team Sperry

See Also: 49erFX Class U.S. Olympic Team Selection Tracker

Nacra 17 (Mixed Two-Person Multihull): 33 boats

  • 15th overall, Michael Easton (Bedford, Mass.) and Katie Pettibone (Port Huron, Mich.)
  • 25th overall, Mark Mendelblatt and Carolina Mendelblatt (Miami, Fla.)
  • 28th (tied) overall, Steph Hudson (Winnetka, Ill.) and Dalton Tebo (Sarasota, Fla.)
  • 30th overall, Bora Gulari (Detroit, Mich.) and Louisa Chafee (Warwick, R.I.), US Sailing Team Sperry
  • 34th overall, Sarah Newberry (Miami, Fla.) and Matthew Whitehead (Panama City, Fla.), US Sailing Team Sperry
  • 39th (tied) overall, Jeremy Wilmot and Mayumi Roller
  • 41st (tied) overall, Sandra Tartaglino and Charles MacBain

See Also: Nacra 17 Class U.S. Olympic Team Selection Tracker

Previous Event Reports:

Event Information:

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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.