News The USA Team Coming on Strong on Day 4 at SAMS

The USA Team Coming on Strong on Day 4 at SAMS

It was another brilliant day of racing for the first day of the finals at the 2021 South American Championship taking place in Mar del Plata, ARG.   Winds between 10-14 knots from the NE strengthened throughout the afternoon for the gold, silver, and bronze fleets. Three races were completed, setting up a showdown on the final day of racing on Friday.

The USA team of sailors had a strong showing today, consistently finishing in the top of the fleet, to dominate the top three podium places on the leaderboard.   A new leader from the USA, Logan Mraz has emerged after finishing 3rd, 7th and 4th to move him to the top of the leaderboard.   Teammate and leader earlier in the week, David Coates also had a good day with a 4th, 10th and 2nd to keep him 2 pts behind Mraz , in 2nd overall.  But it was USA teammate Richard Sykes who catapulted to 3rd overall by finishing with two 1st place finishes and a 9th place in the third race.  He is now 4 points behind Coates and is in striking distance of the overall title.

Yesterday’s leader, Franco Sanchez, ARG had a tough first race finishing 15th but came on strong to take 2nd in Race 7 only to receive a measurement penalty.  He then went on to win the final race of the day.  Sanchez is standing in 4th overall with 38 points, 8 points behind Sykes.

Tomas Travaglini from ARG, is standing in 5th place. He had a tough day with 12th, 15th and a 20th place finish but is only 4 pts behind his teammate Sanchez. James Pine from the USA is in 6th, followed by Ethan Thompson from BER in 7th and Augustin Segovia from CHI in 8th.

The top three girls in the championship are Julieta Benedetto Josef from ARG in 11th overall, with teammate Catalina Verna in 21st and Isabella Suazo from PER in 23rd overall.

The final day of racing will determine who will be the 2021 Optimist South American Champion.  Two races are scheduled.  The wind is expected to be stronger from the NE which will bring the legendary seas to end the championship. Although the USA sailors are top of the podium heading into the final day of racing, the expected conditions on Friday could shake up the leaderboard.

The 2021 Optimist South American Championship will close with a spectacular closing ceremony after racing is completed on Friday.  

 

For Results of the Gold, Silver and Bronze Fleets, go here.

To follow the news and action, go to the Event Microsite, here as well as the IODA App.

For videos and images of the event each day, go to the IODA Facebook page, here.