Season Starts at Tokyo 2020 Venue

The start of the 2018-19 season for Olympic events will be at the Sailing venue for Tokyo 2020 – Enoshima, Japan – on September 11-16, 2018.

Following the 2018 Sailing World Championships (Aarhus, DEN), which was a hugely significant event for personal rankings and Olympic country qualifying, the sailors are quickly shifting gears for the first event of the 2019 World Cup Series.

While Tokyo 2020 is still two years off, events held on Olympic waters are often strong indicators on what to expect at the Olympic Games. Following the test events a year prior to London 2012 and Rio 2016, over half of the medalists at those events went on to claim an Olympic medal a year later.

The fleets in Enoshima feature many of the leading racers who will be aiming to reign supreme and set a benchmark. Eight of the ten World Champions crowned in Aarhus are racing and will be joined by more than 450 sailors from 45 nations. More than 30 Olympic medallists are also competing.

Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti (ITA) have been unbeatable in the Nacra 17 in 2018, winning two World Cup events as well as the World Championships, but this event marks the return of Billy Besson and Marie Riou (FRA) who once held a similar distinction.

Besson and Riou were the unprecedented favourites for Rio 2016 gold two years ago, but Besson sustained a back injury that severely impacted his performance. The pair won all four World Championships in the Rio quad and now, following Riou’s victory with Dongfeng Race Team during the Volvo Ocean Race, the duo seeks to rekindle the flame.

Over the last seven years, Giles Scott (GBR) has raced at 26 international competitions in the Finn. He has won 23 of those, narrowly missing out on gold in the remaining three and settling for silver. After some months off to focus on the British America’s Cup project, he returns to the Finn fleet in Enoshima.

Pavlos Kontides (CYP), 2018 World Champion, will spearhead the 59-boat Laser fleet, the largest in Enoshima. Rio 2016 medallists Tom Burton (AUS), Tonci Stipanovic (CRO) and Sam Meech (NZL) will also sail in the fleet.

Belgium’s newly-crowned Laser Radial World Champion, Emma Plasschaert, will be joined by Rio 2016 gold medallist Marit Bouwmeester (NED) in the 54-boat pack. Both sailors will be vying for the podium, as will Anne-Marie Rindom (DEN), Alison Young (GBR) and Paige Railey (USA).

The Netherlands dominated in the RS:X competition in Aarhus, winning gold in the men’s and women’s fleets. Both Dorian van Rijsselberghe and Lilian de Geus will be in Enoshima with strong competition around them in their respective fleets.

Annemiek Bekkering and Annette Duetz won a third gold for the Netherlands in Aarhus and they will race in the 24-boat 49erFX fleet that also features Rio 2016 gold medallists Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze (BRA). In the 49er, 26-teams will race.

The Men’s and Women’s 470 fleets will feature 32 and 23 teams respectively.

Racing starts at 11:00 local time on September 11. The Men’s and Women’s RS:X, 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 competition will conclude on September 15 with their Medal Races and the Laser, Laser Radial, 470s and Finn will wrap up on September 16.

The Medal Races on both days will be available to watch live below. Note the time difference for your area.

Event details – Entry list – Tracking – Facebook

Teams from Canada, Mexico, and USA:
• RS:X M (0):
• RS:X W (0):
• Laser (5): Robert Davis (CAN), Chris Barnard (USA), Charlie Buckingham (USA), Malcolm Lamphere (USA), Marek Zaleski (USA)
• Laser Radial (4): Sarah Douglas (CAN), Haddon Hughes (USA), Paige Railey (USA), Erika Reineke (USA)
• Finn (2): Luke Muller (USA), Caleb Paine (USA)
• 49er (2): Christopher Rast/ Trevor Burd (USA), Judge Ryan/ Hans Henken (USA)
• 49erFX (2): Stephanie Roble/ Margaret Shea (USA), Kate Shaner/ Charlotte Mack (USA)
• 470 M (1): Stu McNay/ Dave Hughes
• 470 W (0):
• Nacra 17 (2): Riley Gibbs/ Louisa Chafee (USA), Bora Gulari/ Helena Scutt (USA)

Saturday, September 15:

Sunday, September 16:

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.

2018-19 World Cup Series
Round 1 – Enoshima, Japan – September 9-16, 2018
Round 2 – Miami, USA – January 27-February 3, 2019
Round 3 – Genoa, Italy – April 22-28, 2019
Final – Marseille, France – June 2-9, 2019

Source: World Sailing