Miami,FL (January 28, 2016) - With torrential rainfall and a chill in the air, and Miami isn't normally like this,but competition for World Cup honours and Rio 2016 Olympic spots are keeping the temperatures hot on Biscayne Bay.
Sailing World Cup Miami presented by Sunbrella acts as the Olympic continental qualification regatta for sailors from North and South America. Qualify here and you'll be representing your country on the grandest of stages. Miss out...it's the end of the road.
Competitiveness from the front to the back of each fleet has been evident and every sailor has something to fight for. Whether it's the coveted Rio spot, a Sailing World Cup honour, and internal qualification for Rio 2016 or even striving to perfect their game,it's all on in Miami.
Sailors were made to wait for racing on Thursday as torrential downpours killed off the breeze and produced large quantities of surface water. When the breeze materialised it enabled the sailors to commence racing at 15:20 local time in building conditions that ranged from 12-17 knots from the south east.
Team reports: Canada - USAJason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin (AUS) regained the Nacra 17 lead after they finished ahead of overnight leaders Mandy Mulder and Coen de Koning (NED) in both of the day's races.
They have a seven point gap over the Dutch but a scintillating battle is developing towards the back of the pack.
Just one point separates South American Rio 2016 hopefuls from Guatemala and Uruguay with one day of fleet racing remaining.
Guatemala's Jason Hess and Irene Abascal were in the driving seat for the Olympic spot but two destitute results enabled Uruguay's Pablo Defazio Abella and Mariana Foglia to hit them on the counter attack.
The Uruguayans finished 23rd and 31st, leaving them on 272 points, or one behind the Guatemalans who had their worst day on the water after a 37th and a discarded DNF.
In terms of races won against each other,Hess and Abascal lead the stakes 6-5 after 11 and it will be head to head on the water on Friday to choose who takes the single South American Nacra 17 region.
Canada's Luke Ramsay and Nikola Girke have a strong advantage in the North American qualification duel. They are more than 60 points clear of the only other hopeful, Puerto Rico's Enrique Figueroa and Franchesca Valdes. Ramsay and Girke will want to stay out of trouble on Friday to book their nation another Rio 2016 region.
Billy Besson and Marie Riou (FRA) were Thursday's Nacra 17 stars after double bullets. They are fourth overall. - Read onMORE: The Medal Races on the final day will be available to view from 11:00 EST on YouTube worldwide and on ESPN3 in the USA.
Source: sailingscuttlebutt.com