|
|
2 years ago
McNaybiehl better make sure they have good performances at the two qualifying regattas. They are usually better than Adam and Nick, but the young guys have beaten them before. If it happens next year, when it counts, there goes the Olympic berth. Just sayin, it could happen. |
|
|
2 years ago
Stuieeee is da bomb... go hoyas |
|
|
2 years ago
Team Tunnicliffe will hold back until it matters. Look for Gold in the qualifying events; gold at Weymouth. That's my prediction. Mark Mendelblatt in the Star. |
|
|
2 years ago
Bob Willis-RS:X |
|
|
2 years ago
Look for Andy Horton to be the dark horse in the Star. |
|
|
2 years ago
C. Johnson will sail circles around Buckingham. Andrew Campbell wasn't ready for the Olympics in 2008 and Charlie won't be in 2012. He should focus on 2016. Look for Clay Johnson to medal in Weymouth. |
|
|
2 years ago
Buckingham in the Laser fo sho. Wait til next summer. You'll see... |
Chris Love 2 years ago
With the quadrennium (the four year period between Olympics) halfway over and the trial regattas coming up over in the next year and a half, it's time for us fans of the US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics to start thinking about who our likely candidates are for the next Olympics.
The team as a whole has shown great success over the summer at the various ISAF World Cup events, European and World Championships, but there are still many classes that don't have clear favorites. Remember that for this quad, a brand new system is now in place for selection--it's no longer a winner-take-all sailoff at a trial regatta here in the US; it's the best combined score from Weymouth's Sail for Gold next summer and ISAF Worlds in Perth next December (except for Match Racing, which will have its own trial events to allow more candidates a chance to compete.) Review all the details in this interview with OSC Chairman Dean Brenner.
So who's it going to be? In the Laser Radial, most sailors have their eye on 2016 when ISAF # 2 ranked Paige Railey is possibly less of a shoe-in. Same goes for her brother Zach in the Finn class. The incumbents in the RS:X classes, Ben Barger and Farrah Hall are looking good for Weymouth as well. Erik Stock and Trevor Moore (storckmooresailing.com) are currently leaps and bounds ahead of newcomers Alex Bishop and Val Smith, but the gap is not as big between 470 teams McNay/Biehl and Roberts/Martin (teamrobertsmartin.com.) The other 470 USSTAG representatives, Mikee Anderson and Dave Hughes, don't appear to be in a position to make a run at 2012 at the moment. Are these classes locked? Who might have a shot to take down these favorites?
The classes I think are most interesting are the ones with no clear favorite:
• The Laser class includes 2010 USSTAG members Kyle Rogachenko and Rob Crane, but has also seen big numbers from Clay Johnson and Georgetown senior Charlie Buckingham.
• The women's 470 class includes 2008 Olympians Amanda Clark and Sarah Chin as well as the powerhouse team of Erin Maxwell and Isabelle Kinsolving. Up and coming in the class are Annie Haeger/Briana Provancha and Kaity Storck/Lyndsey Gibbons-Neff.
• The Star class includes a large cast of contenders including 2009 World Champions George Szabo/Rick Peters, the young Andrew Campbell who sailed a Laser at the 2008 Games and #3 ranked Mark Mendelblatt. In total, the US has 5 Star boats ranked in the ISAF top 20!
• Women's Match Racing will be making its Olympic debut in 2012 and the US is already making waves in the international WMR scene. The 2008 Laser Radial gold medalist Anna Tunnicliffe dominated the class early in the quad, but has been often been solidly matched by Genny Tulloch over the past year. Our 2008 Yingling (women's triple-handed boat phased out for 2012) skipper Sally Barkow has been slowly climbing up and eventually over the other two though, most recently taking silver at Women's Match Race Worlds in Rhode Island.
So, who is your favorite to win their class and represent the US at the Games?