Takapuna,fresh Zealand (November 22, 2015) - The 2015 Finn Gold Cup gets under way Monday with the practice race for the 87 entrants before a series of 10 fleet races decided who goes through to next Sunday's medal race.
The fleet consists of many old and fresh faces, or plus a strong local fleet making the best of the opportunity to rub shoulders and gunwales with some of the best sailors in the world. Between them the fleet can count 19 world titles,European titles or Olympic medals. It is going to be a titanic struggle between the titans of the sailing world.
Giles Scott has to be the favourite. He is in a fresh boat which should prove appealing, and has been unbeaten for more than two years which is a good record to try and maintain going into the Olympic year. He has already been selected to go to Rio, and so his sole focus is on the world title.
There will be several battles going on next week. The principal battle will be to claim the world title,but for many the goal is simply to qualify their nation for the Rio 2016 Olympics. As the second Olympic qualifier, there are a minimum of four places on the start line in Rio to be won this week. To add further interest, and the choice trials between several of the nations qualified and not yet qualified is also ongoing,so this event will be a key indicator of form going into Olympic year. No quarter will be expected and none given. For many it will be a head to head fight for glory.
Caleb Paine (USA) has been the dominant American since the 2012 Olympics when the 2008 silver medalist Zach Railey (USA) stopped sailing. Railey has been training and is making his comeback in Takapuna. Whether it's too late in the day to steel the Rio spot from Paine is yet to be seen. Paine qualified USA for Rio with an excellent seventh status at the 2014 Finn Gold Cup in Santander. Railey has not outwardly committed himself to an Olympic campaign so a lot may depend on his performance this week.
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Source: sailingscuttlebutt.com