COCONUT GROVE, FLA-(21-3-2004) With a forecast for wind at half the strength it was yesterday on Biscayne Bay, the 22 teams of Star sailors competing in the 2004 US Olympic Team Trials-Sailing got in two solid races on a Sunday afternoon that couldn't have been more perfect. Winds on the course ranged from 9-11 knots during the two races that were held in the same vicinity of the Bay as yesterday's four miles south of the Coral Reef Yacht Club Channel.
Paul Cayard (Kentfield, Calif.) and Phil Trinter (Lorain, Ohio) finished 1-2 today to leapfrog from fourth overall (yesterday) into the leader's spot in the overall scoring. They now hold first place on 11 points.
Eric Doyle (San Diego, Calif.) with crew Brian Sharp (Norwalk, Conn./Franklin, Mass.) were over early at the first start of the day and found themselves racing to catch-up after re-starting. They ultimately finished ninth in that race, and followed with an eighth-place finish in the second race. That performance dropped them out of the lead position in the overall scoring to second overall with 19 points.
John MacCausland (Cherry Hill, N.J.) and Brad Nichol (Sunapee, N.H.) moved up to third overall on finishes of 3-6 to net 23 points. Following them, one point back, are Olympic medalists Mark Reynolds (San Diego, Calif.) and Steve Erickson (Seattle, Wash./Hood River, Ore.) who placed 10-7, dropping one spot in the overall standings to fourth.
Making up for the OCS they earned yesterday, Vince Brun and Mike Dorgan (both San Diego, Calif.) finished 2-1 today for a net 35 points. They are tied on points with Howie Shiebler (San Francisco, Calif.) and Will Stout (Houston, Texas/San Diego, Calif.) who finished sixth in the first race, but were then OCS (On The Course Side) in the second race. They paid for that second race, dropping from second to eighth overall.
Racing resumes tomorrow with the first start scheduled for noon. For bios and full results visit: www.ussailing.org/olympics/OlympicTrials/2004/.
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