Scots competing in World Cup Miami 2019

A number of Scottish sailors put in solid performances in the first World Cup Series event in Miami, 27th January to the 3rd February, in an event dominated by light airs.

Rhu’s Charlotte Dobson, sailing with Saskia Tidey in 49er FX gained a bronze in a tense light-wind 49er FX battle in the double point’s medal race.

©JESUS RENEDO/SAILING ENERGY/WORLD SAILING

Charlotte Dobson, 32, said. “We had nothing to lose and everything to gain going into today’s race, so the strategy was to try to win the start and assess the point’s situation at the top mark. We were second round the first mark with everything going to plan but the race got quite affected by some massive wake from pleasure boaters and stray yachts which cut the fleet up quite badly. We were really pleased that we just kept chipping away but it wasn’t quite enough to pip the kiwis who were struggling. All in all, it was another good light wind performance is really encouraging.”

In the foiling Nacra 17 class, Anna Burnet sailing with John Gimson had a race win during the week and, despite finishing third in the medal race, missed podium by just seven points, finishing 4^th overall.

©JESUS RENEDO/SAILING ENERGY/WORLD SAILING

Anna Burnet, 25, said: “It’s been a real light winds week and we’re happy to have put together a consistent series in some unpredictable conditions. We’ve had a lot of training in stronger winds over the winter and we’re feeling strong in those conditions. It’s actually been great for us to have a regatta in light winds as it’s the perfect training at this stage of the season.”

Lorenzo Chiavarini, sailing in the Laser class, led the live streamed medal race round the first lap, eventually falling back to fourth and finishing the week 8^th overall in the 102 strong fleet.

©JESUS RENEDO/SAILING ENERGY/WORLD SAILING

In the men’s 49er Fleet, competition between James Peters and Fynn Sterrit and WCS Miami title holders Dylan Fletcher and Stuart Bithell, with five points between them going into the medal race in 2^nd and 3^rd respectively. However an OCS in the medal races dropped Peters / Sterrit back to 5^th overall and the duo of Fletcher / Bithell stayed on the podium taking home a silver for the British Sailing Team.

In was a hard week for Luke Patience, 32 from Rhu, sailing with Chris Grube in the men’s 470 class as the pair struggled to break into the top ten and finished 13th overall.

In the Women’s 470 Class it was also a hard week for Hannah Mills and Eilidh McIntyre after victory was snatched from them at the 11^th hour. They had began the 470 class double-points medal race three points off the lead, but with just eight points splitting the top four teams it was always going to be a tight race which ended up leaving them off the podium in 4^th place.

The next big event for the British Sailing Team will be the Princess Sofia Trophy in Palma, Mallorca, in early April.

Keep up to date with all the latest news from the British Sailing Team at www.britishsailingteam.com.