Brits on top

Paul Brotherton gives us his perspective on yesterdays racing at the Rolex Miami OCR

There is only one real story to emerge from race day two at the Rolex Miami OCR, Brits on top.

Leading in six of the 11 Olympic Class disciplines after two days sounds impressive. When you place that alongside the fact that Skandia Team GBR is missing: Ben Ainslie, Shirley Robertson, Nick Rogers and Jo Glanfield you begin to get an understanding of the task that faces any other Nation who might have desires on the Top Nation spot in Beijing.

The most impressive display of Pommie Power or the Limey landslide, depending on your take, is in the 49er. Historically this has always been a counter for the team and has been well stocked with depth. The pattern would appear to be repeating. Chris Draper and Simon Hiscocks lead and well established in second place are John Pink and Alex Hopson. The young Brit pairing has taken on the challenge of stepping up to the 49er Class from the 29er extremely well. Pink campaigned a 470 for three years after winning the 29er Worlds. He never really shined and looked unsuited to Olympic Sailing. As with many talented youth sailors it appeared as though he might find the whole thing too hard and throw his hand in. A change of class and a new sailing partner have revitalised his ambition and his habit of winning races.

It was apparent over the winter of 2004 - 2005 that Pink and Hopson had reached a tipping point. The point where a team fully engage in the process and no longer just pull the sails up and go sailing. The point where everything is driven by the need to succeed and hope and ambition are replaced by belief.

Their rise is a good lesson for any sailor not yet established, about how to go about making it happen. Head down, grunt up, put in and get sailing. No playing politics, no battles with administrator’s just solid training laced with no small amount of talent.

It doesn’t end there. Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes who won the ISAF grade one Spa regatta last year and, where probably robbed of winning the Europeans by some ridiculous last day scoring system dreamed up by someone with no understanding of the sport, (not the system finally agreed on, that’s still dumb, but at least moderately fair, by comparison) would be placed fifth but for an OCS in race six. So not total domination for the British 49ers but very close to it.

Elsewhere, Asher and Willis posted another good day and continue to lead as do Cristina Bassadone and Saskia Clarke in the 470 women. Paul Goodison leads the Laser in the qualification phase and Dempsey and Shaw have maintained their leads in the RS: X Men and Women. Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Victoria Rawlinson had another good return in the Yngling and are still fighting for a podium spot.

The only disappointment for GBR seems to be in the Star and Tornado classes. With three funded boats attending in the Tornado, the Brits have not posted a single score in the top six between them. It seems as though a scratch of the head may be necessary to deal with the light winds encountered so far.

Having won last weeks warm up event, Percy and Mitchell seem to still be in the grips of the light wind heebie geebies. Currently they are well down the rankings leaving the door open for Beadsworth and Carr to grab some headlines. The nature of the large competitive fleet is such that the scoreboard will not settle down until the late part of the series.

With the wind due to hit Miami tomorrow all classes may have something of a shake up…literally.