After nine races sailed in the Laser Radial class of the Miami Sailing World Cup, the National Yacht Club's Annalise Murphy has put a further 28 points between herself and her rival for the Rio berth, Aoife Hopkins of Howth. The plucky Howth Yacht Club teen was neck and neck in the silver fleet with Murphy (25) until the final races yesterday. Murphy finished 48th overall and Hopkins 64th in the 81–boat fleet.
Most sailors here are full time atheletes but I'm not so have to try and keep up with the schoolwork whenever I can.
Posted by Aoife Hopkins Sailing on Friday, 29 January 2016
Murphy has now won two of three Irish trials, the first being December's Copa Brazil regatta with some unexpected implications. The third trial is at the World Championships in Mexico in April.
At the top of the Radial fleet Marit Bouwmeester's string of firsts was broken. But the Dutch champion still sailed well enough to assure herself of at least a silver medal in the regatta in today's Medal race for the top ten. She will start the medal race with a 6-point lead over Evi van Acker (BEL), who has also locked up at least a silver medal. To claim the championship van Acker will need to put two boats between herself and Bouwmeester in tomorrow's medal race. A tough ask, but certainly not impossible, especially considering the caliber of the fleet. Sarah Gunni Toftedal (DEN) is currently third, with an eight-point advantage over Tuula Tenkanen (FIN) in fourth. Alison Young (GBR) and Emma Plasschaert (BEL) both have an outside chance at the bronze medal. In 10th place is Paige Railey (USA), who moved into the medal race after her best day of the regatta. This gives Railey at least 7-place advantage over Erika Reineke (USA), her primary rival for the U.S. Olympic Team. She has the enviable position of entering the medal race with nothing to lose. Any places she gains will add to her advantage in the selection series. But she cannot finish any worse than 10th.
Belfast's Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern were 37th from 61 in the 49er.
Seven medal races will be broadcast live from the northern racing area on Biscayne Bay in Miami, Florida, USA today. You can view them on Afloat.ie above on this story. The schedule in EST (add five hours for Ireland) is:
NORTH COURSE - LIVE
11:10 - Nacra 17
11:45 - Laser Radial (4.45pm Irish Time)
12:30 - Finn
13:10 - 470 Men
13:50 - Laser
14:30 - 49er
15:05 - 49erFX
SOUTH COURSE
11:40 - 470 Women
12:20 - RS:X Women
12:55 - RS:X Men