For the second day in a row, high winds kept the 22 Star teams competing in the 2004 US Olympic Team Trials-Sailing postponed ashore in hopes that the early morning winds, with gusts to 35 knots, would decrease.
Between noon and 1300, reports from observers on Biscayne Bay indicated breeze of 18-20 knots, which got the sailors off the dock. Although two races were sailed in 15-19 knots, it did not change the positions among the top-four teams in the overall scoring.
Eric DOYLE (San Diego, Calif.) and Brian SHARP (Norwalk, Conn./Franklin, Mass.) won the first race of the day, and followed with an eighth place finish in race two to remain fourth overall with 54 points.
Vince BRUN and Mike DORGAN (both San Diego, Calif.), after adding today's finishes of 11-6, carry 51 points for third-place overall in the standings.
George SZABO (San Diego, Calif.) has been quoted this week as preferring flat water and light winds. That preference seems not to have adversely affected his performance in the rougher water and blustery winds that have earmarked the two days of racing since the layday. Finishes of 3-3 today kept Szabo and crew Mark STRUBE (West Palm Beach, Fla.) in second overall, but lost them a bit of ground on the point spread between themselves and the series leaders. With 32 points, they are 15 points behind Paul CAYARD (Kentfield, Calif.) and Phil TRINTER (Lorain, Ohio). Cayard and Trinter added only 3 points to their total after they won the final race of the day, having placed second in the first race. They now have 17 points for the lead.
Olympic medalists Mark REYNOLDS (San Diego, Calif.) and Steve ERICKSON (Seattle, Wash./Hood River, Ore.) moved back into the top-five, after finishing 7-4 today, and carry 59 points.
Racing continues tomorrow, and will conclude on Sunday, March 28. The Race Committee will plan for three races tomorrow. For bios and full results visit the website below.