USA takes two medals at ISAF Sailing World Cup Final in Abu Dhabi
by US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider on 4 Dec 2014
Caleb Paine (San Diego, Calif.) races in the Finn Class in Abu Dhabi - ISAF Sailing World Cup Final Abu Dhabi 2014. Barbara Sanchez/Sailing Energy
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ISAF Sailing World Cup Final Abu Dhabi 2014 - Abu Dhabi, UAE – Racing concluded at the inaugural ISAF Sailing World Cup Final in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and saw US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider athletes make medal races in five Olympic classes while earning bronze medals in the Men’s 470 and Finn. The first-ever event of its kind, the Sailing World Cup Final brought together the top performers from the ISAF Sailing World Cup international racing series for Olympic classes, as well as standout performers from the 2014 ISAF Sailing World Championships held in September.
'Our team’s goal at the ISAF Sailing World Cup Final was to gain small-fleet and Medal Race experience, which we accomplished in the excellent conditions served up in Abu Dhabi,' said Josh Adams, Managing Director of US Olympic Sailing. 'Congratulations to Stu McNay, Dave Hughes, and Caleb Paine for their podium finishes, and to ISAF for pulling off its first Sailing World Cup Final.'
The Men’s 470 team of Stuart McNay (Providence, R.I.) and David Hughes (San Diego, Calif.) continued their string of top results in the venerable double handed Olympic dinghy by earning a bronze medal in Abu Dhabi. Along with event winners and World Champions Mat Belcher and Will Ryan of Australia, McNay and Hughes are the only men’s team to make the medal race at every major 470 regatta this year. The American team was also coming off a career-best fifth overall at the Worlds leading into this event.
'Here in Abu Dhabi, we had a thinking man’s race course,' said Hughes. 'We had tricky racing, coupled with the intensity of our fleet’s top players. All in all, every race has been thrilling, with lead changes, disasters, and massive opportunities.' Hughes also noted that the sea state and breeze conditions found in Abu Dhabi are reminiscent of the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider’s training grounds in Miami, Florida. The US Olympic Sailing program has been made a concerted effort in the past two years of conducting more quality training inside the US, and that strategy continues to bear fruit.
2012 ISAF Sailing World Cup series champion Caleb Paine (San Diego, Calif.) added to his list of World Cup successes with a bronze medal in the Finn class. Paine finished second in the London 2012 Olympic Trails and since then has been a consistent top performer in the men’s heavyweight dinghy. 'I would just say my equipment and time in the boat is the key to my current success,' said Paine. 'I was happy with how it went here in Abu Dhabi, since the first day of the event was my first time back since [the ISAF Sailing World Championships in] Santander, Spain. I’m just here trying to put together some good races.'
The Women’s 470 team of Annie Heager (East Troy, Wisc.) and Briana Provancha (San Diego, Calif.) came into the event with a hard-earned number two ISAF World Ranking, but finished tantalizingly close to the podium in Abu Dhabi, ending up in fourth overall. 'The racing was really tight in a small fleet, which left little room for error,' said Provancha. 'The venue is spectacular, and the entire city got into the event, which was cool to see.' Haeger noted that the unfamiliar venue kept all competitors on their toes. 'With the tricky conditions, we had to rely on our downwind boatspeed for most of our gains.'
The event marked the return of 2012 Olympian and ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Paige Railey (Clearwater, Fla.) to action after recuperating from a training injury suffered in September. Railey finished in sixth, and noted her enthusiasm for getting back in the saddle. 'I am very happy and grateful to be here. It’s been tough on my body, but all the hard work I have put in to getting here has been worth it. I’m thankful for my wonderful family, my coach Mark Littlejohn and the US Sailing Team for doing all that was possible to help get me back. I am happy with my results given my lack of sailing in the past few weeks. I went out and gave everything I had to represent all those who have supported me.'
US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider athletes will next be in action at ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami, which will be held from January 25-31 in Miami, Florida. The premier Olympic and Paralympic class event in North America, ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami will bring together over 700 of the best sailors in the world.
US Results, ISAF Sailing World Cup Final, Abu Dhabi, UAE
470 Men
– Third, Stu Mcnay and Dave Hughes
Finn
– Third, Caleb Paine
470 Women
– Fourth, Annie Haeger and Briana Provancha
Laser Radial
– Sixth, Paige Railey
Laser
– 10th, Charlie Buckingham
Nacra 17
– 15th, Robbie Daniel and Sarah Streater
49er
– 16th, Brad Funk and Trevor Burd
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