Day 2 of Rolex Miami OCR delivered an 8-11 knot breeze on Biscayne Bay which allowed three of the Rolex Miami OCR’s 10 Olympic classes to catch up on the races they lost due to dying winds yesterday afternoon. The 470 Men’s and Women’s classes started racing earlier in the morning, to ensure they would be able to fit in three races.

Belcher /Page © Victor Kovalenko

Consequently, it allowed Mat Belcher and Malcolm Page (AUS) to knock brothers Sven and Kalle Coster (NED) out of first place. “It’s too early in the regatta to tell, and a lot can happen, so we’re just focusing on ourselves, but it was nice to come away with three good races today,” said Belcher, explaining that he and Page, who posted finish positions of 1-2-6 today, also will be representing their country at the London 2012 Olympic Games. “Our stronger wind performance is certainly much better than our lighter wind, so these conditions are perfect for us, and exactly why we’re here: to enjoy the challenge.”

470 Men - Top 10 Overall

Following on from their race win on Monday’s opening day, Hannah Mills/Saskia Clark (GBR) added two more race wins to their scoreline on day 2 along with a fourth place to sit very tidily at #1.

The duo, whose rapid rise to success after teaming up just last February earned them their Olympic call-up, picked up two out of three race wins to keep them in pole position.

“It was a pretty long day – we did three races today and had to get up pretty early for a 1015 start, which is not ideal for me and Sas to be honest!” Mills explained.

“But we got through it and got two bullets in the first two races and unfortunately got a bit stuck in the middle on the last race.”

In second are Kathrin Kadelbach/Friedrike Belcher who won the only race which the British didn’t. The two Sophies – Sophie Weguelin/Sophie Ainsworth – ended day 2 in third overall.

A great performance from Austria’s Lara Vadlau/Eva-Maria Schimak who have posted a 5,9,3,8 to position themselves in fourth overall. The team have recently moved up to the 470 from the 420, and contested their first major elite 470 competition at the Perth ISAF Worlds in December 2011, where they finished #32 in a highly competitive fleet. Lara has an impressive launch platform to her senior career, having won the gold medal at the 2011 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships in the 420, won with crew Tanja Frank, and placing third overall at the 2010 ISAF Youth Worlds in Istanbul.

470 Women - Top 10 Overall

Racing continues through until Sunday 28 January 2012.

More Information:
Event Website
Rolex Miami OCR News

Source: Barby MacGowan

Image: Panagiotis Mantis/Pavlos Kagialis © ROLEX/Daniel Forster