| USA. Olympic dreams thrive in Laser Radial Worlds |
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| Friday, 30 June 2006 | |
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Rich Roberts: America's Paige Railey and Anna Tunnicliffe, rated 1-2, will have their Olympic ambitions tested by 86 other of the world's best women in their class in the Laser Radial World Championships hosted by California Yacht Club July 28-Aug. 4. A fleet of 70 men also will compete for their world Laser Radial title simultaneously, and 180 teenagers will contest the World Youth Championships Aug. 7-12---in all, 338 sailors from 37 countries. They'll compete in a dozen races each on ocean courses set on Santa Monica Bay on the western edge of greater Los Angeles. The focus will be on the women, with the Olympics on their minds. Besides Railey, the defending champion, the fleet will include three-time winner Katarzyna Szotynska of Poland (2001, 2002, 2003), currently ranked No. 15, and 2004 champion Krystal Weir (No. 4) of Australia. They and the others share ambition stated by Railey in an interview on the ISAF Web site: "My goal is to represent my country in the 2008 Olympic Games and to one day win an Olympic gold medal." And: "I also plan to race in the America's Cup." The Laser Radial, with 5.76 square meters of area in its single sail, will join its big brother, the Laser (7.06) when it replaces the Europe as the women's singlehanded dinghy in Olympic competition at Qingdao, China in 2008. The Laser became an Olympic men's class at Savannah in 1996, but the men in this event will sail Radials without Olympic implications. With 19 of the world's top 20 women Radial sailors entered, it's virtually certain that all three 2008 Olympic medalists---gold, silver and bronze---will be lurking somewhere in the fleet. This event may be tougher to win than the Olympics, which allow only one competitor from a country in each class. Here, many will be meeting the same national opponents they'll have to beat later for a ticket to Qingdao, as well as the international adversaries they'll battle there for medals. Railey, 19, of Clearwater, Fla., and Tunnicliffe, 23, of Perrysburg, Ohio, have been major forces in the class for the past year, with Railey usually on top. They are the only Americans currently ranked 1-2 by the International Sailing Federation in any Olympic class. George Szabo and crew Eric Monroe of San Diego are ranked first in the Star class, but the only other Americans ranked as high as fourth in any class are Mark Reynolds and Hal Haenel in Stars. Railey, barely out of the Youth group in 2005, was one of four nominees and the only American, male or female, nominated for ISAF's World Sailor of the Year award. She moved up to the major level last year without missing a beat. She won the second of two World Youth titles in July, then the European adult crown a month later, accumulating victories in six of eight events, including the Worlds in Brazil last December and the World Sailing Games in Austria in May. Any questions about her dedication? "Sailing is my life," she said in the ISAF interview. "I have sacrificed so much for it. I feel that sailing and I are one. To me, it is truly 'my everything.' It takes me places I have never seen, allows me to experience new feelings and conquer new obstacles. Sailing challenges me in ways that most people never have experienced. My boat is the best friend I have ever had. It's never late, doesn't get sick, won't break my heart and it's there through all of my ups and downs. "A dear friend of mine. Olivia Ceraoio, died of a rare cancer at such a young age. Before she became sick I took for granted my time sailing on the water, but when she became sick she yearned to be out training again. I learned how precious everything I do is, and how easily everything can be taken away from you. My whole outlook on sailing changed and I try to enjoy and cherish every experience associated with my sailing." The Laser Radial Worlds are supported by sponsors Nestlé, producer of Arrowhead Water and PowerBar©; Vanguard Boats, Sailing World Magazine and Body Glove. More information: www.calyachtclub.com and www.sailing.org/ |
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