Light Wind Finale to World Cup Enoshima

Enoshima, Japan (September 1, 2019) – Thanks to light winds at speeds too low for racing, the Finn, Laser, and Laser Radial Medal Races were canceled. In those three classes, the standings from the Qualifying Series dictated the final results.

Belcher and Ryan won the 2019 470 World Championship title on August 9 and followed up with Ready Steady Tokyo, the Olympic test event, success on August 22.

After five weeks of hard racing in Enoshima, they will head home, take stock of their success during a period of rest and move into 2020, the Olympic year, full of confidence.

The Men’s 470 Medal Race was one of two that was completed on a light wind final day on Sagami Bay. The Women’s 470 sailed the second and Spain’s Silvia Mas and Patricia Cantero came from behind to grab gold.

Nicholas Heiner (NED) and Pavlos Kontides (CYP) had already confirmed gold before the Medal Race in the Finn and Laser.

Emma Plasschaert (BEL) was prepared to fight Anne-Marie Rindom (DEN) and Alison Young (GBR) for gold in the Laser Radial. The cancellation confirmed Plasschaert as victor in Enoshima for the second time in ten days after she won Ready Steady Tokyo.

Belcher and Ryan started the day 16 points clear of Jordi Xammar and Nicolas Rodriguez (ESP) and kept themselves out of trouble in the Medal Race to record a fifth place which confirmed gold.

On the week, Belcher commented, “It was a great experience and today was a nice way to finish off five weeks in Japan. It’s been great. We’ve been ticking off a few things to prepare the best we can on the Olympic waters.

“It took us a while to get everything organized. Obviously we got into good shape so we have to thank our coach and support staff but it gives us a bit of confidence for next year. There’s a lot of work to do and I have no doubt all the teams will train extremely hard through to next year.”

As for what’s next, Belcher continued, “We’re going to have a break. We’re privileged to be working with the Japanese teams and we hope we can continue that coming into next year.

“Hopefully we’ll be in Miami for the World Cup. It’s not much of a break. Our World Championships follow in March and before you know it we’re counting down to the Games. The next time we’ll come back here will be next year. We’ll be working on different parts of our campaign.

“It’s been a privilege to spend two months here. It’s put us in a nice position but that’s the same for all the 470 sailors so hopefully we can remember what we’ve learnt and put it into action in nine months’ time at Tokyo 2020.”

Xammar and Rodriguez finished second in the Medal Race and picked up silver, their third podium finish after successes at the World Championships and Ready Steady Tokyo.

Japan’s Kazuto Doi and Naoya Kimura fended off a charge from Sweden’s Anton Dahlberg and Fredrik Bergström to complete the podium.

Spain’s Silvia Mas and Patricia Cantero waited until the final downwind before they pounced to claim gold in the Women’s 470.

Nia Jerwood and Monique de Vries (AUS) held the overnight lead on 33 points and were followed by Mas and Cantero on 36 with Elena Berta and Bianca Caruso (ITA) in third on 41.

The Australians had gold in their hands throughout the entire race but on the last downwind, before the final mark and the reach to the finish, Mas and Cantero edged in front of Atlantic and Nora Brugman (USA). This put one boat in-between themselves and the Australians which was enough for them to overhaul them to clinch gold by a single point.

“I was nervous on the last downwind,” commented Cantero, “and then on the run to the finish I was calm because I knew it was done.”

Mas added, “We tried to have a clear start and go with as much speed to mark one as possible. We then tried to be near our rivals, the Italians and Australians, and then put a boat between them.”

The Australians were made to settle for silver. Meanwhile., Frederike Loewe and Anna Makrfort (GER) won the Medal Race and as Berta and Caruso finished ninth, the Germans moved up into the final podium position.

U.S. sailors Atlantic and Nora Brugman (Winthrop, Mass.) were able to compete in one of the two Medal Races that took place today. The pair finished fifth in the Women’s 470 Medal Race to land in 10th overall.

They are pleased to wrap the event on a high note. “We are pretty happy to finish fifth. It was exciting to get some practice doing some Medal Racing and it’s nice to end our time in Japan on a good note,” said Atlantic, “The excitement of the Medal Race is always super motivating. Our next major regatta will be [2020 Hempel World Cup Series] Miami, so we’re already excited to go work really hard these next couple months to keep improving as much as possible.”

The Brugmans are among several US Sailing Team athletes that have been in Japan since the Laser, Laser Radial, and 470 World Championships that took place in mid-July and early August. The conclusion of this event will mark the end of the long training and competition block in Japan. Many of the sailors will be moving on to prepare for the upcoming World Championships and Oakcliff Triple Crown Series.

The next class World Championship will begin in late November for 49er, 49erFX, and Nacra 17 sailors. Racing at the Oakcliff Triple Crown Series will begin promptly on September 14th.

In the Finn, Heiner had sealed gold ahead of the Medal Race. “It’s amazing to come away with the gold after an even more amazing week of sailing,” commented the Dutchman. “Enoshima really turned it up with some amazing conditions and it was good fun out there this week.”

Josip Olujic (CRO) and Ioannis Mitakis (GRE) completed the podium. US Sailing Team athlete Luke Muller (Fort Pierce, Fla.) was set to compete in the Finn Medal Race. Muller finished the regatta in 10th place overall.

The Laser Radial competition at the Olympic test event and the Hempel World Cup Series event was a high scoring affair which Belgium’s Plasschaert conquered on both occasions.

“I think it’s really exciting [to win two events in a row],” said Plasschaert. “I’m disappointed we didn’t get to sail the Medal Races. I would have loved the experience. But on the other hand I’m happy with two solid weeks of racing and I’m really looking forward to next year.”

Silver went to Anne-Marie Rindom (DEN) and Alison Young (GBR) picked up bronze.

The final race of the day to be cancelled was the Laser. Cyprus’ Kontides finished outside of the top nine just once and held an unassailable leading over Matt Wearn (AUS) heading into the Medal Race.

On the week, Kontides said, “I sailed consistently at the front and for the first time ever I have won a gold without needing to sail the Medal Race.

“I’m really happy that the season ended this way because it wasn’t the season I planned for. We’ve spent a lot of time in Japan and I am happy with the conclusions and data we’ve collected from Sagami Bay.

“It’s a really challenging place to sail and it will be helpful for our preparations to the big dream and goal – Tokyo 2020.”

As the Medal Race was cancelled, silver went to Wearn and Jean Baptiste Bernaz (FRA) picked up bronze.

The Hempel World Cup Series will head to Miami, USA in January 2020 as the countdown to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games continues.

Event details – Entry list – YouTube – Facebook

Top North Americans (Canada, Mexico, and USA)
• Men’s One Person Dinghy – Laser (10 races): 18th Charlie Buckingham (USA)
• Women’s One Person Dinghy – Laser Radial (10 races): 20th Erika Reineke (USA)
• Men’s Two Person Dinghy – 470 (10 races): 14th Stu McNay/ Dave Hughes (USA)
• Women’s Two Person Dinghy – 470 (10 races, Medal Race): 10th Atlantic Brugman Cabot / Nora Brugman (USA)
• Men’s Skiff – 49er (10 races, Medal Race): 8th Andrew Mollerus/ Ian MacDiarmid (USA)
• Women’s Skiff – 49erFx (5 races): 20th Paris Henken / Anna Tobias (USA)
• Men’s One Person Dinghy Heavy – Finn (10 races): 7th Tom Ramshaw (CAN)
• Men’s Windsurfing – RS:X (12 races): 18th Pedro Pascual (USA)
• Women’s Windsurfing – RS:X: No entry
• Mixed Multihull – Nacra 17 (5 races): 16th Riley Gibbs / Anna Weis (USA)

Saturday Medal Races – Men’s and Women’s RS:X, Nacra 17, 49er and 49erFX – click here

Sunday Medal Races – 470, Finn, Laser, Laser Radial – click here

The World Cup Series is an annual circuit of Olympic sailing for elite and professional sailors, and a key touchpoint for fans and media to connect to the sport of sailing and develop support for athletes on their road to Tokyo 2020 Olympics and beyond. Over 2,000 of the world’s leading sailors, representing 75 nations, have competed in the World Cup Series since its inception in 2008.

2019-20 Hempel World Cup Series
Aug 27-Sep 1, 2019 – Enoshima, Japan
January 20-25, 2020 – Miami, USA
April 14-19, 2020 – Genoa, Italy
June 16-21, 2020 – Enoshima, Japan

Source: World Sailing and US Sailing