Issue # 180

 Today's Sailing News 

Pace takes Congressional Cup Lead

Off Long Beach California the 2000 Congressional Cup is moving through an 18 race double round robin.  13 of the 18 flights of races have been sailed.

Wednesday saw fog and light an shifty breezes.  New Zealander Dean Barker commented on the conditions: "The first three we kept hitting the wrong side -- and it wasn't always the same side."

Excelling was Bertrand Pace of France who won 4 of 5 races.  This put his record at 10 wins 3 losses, 2 ahead of second place.

Tied for second are Dane Sten Mohr (3-2 on Wednesday) and Barker (2-3 on Wednesday).

Next is a four team group at 7-6.  Markus Weiser is a weary 7-6 saying, ""I've had enough."  France's Luc Pillot is also 7-6 winning three races on Wednesday.  Sebastain Destremeay also won 3 Wednesday races.  The final 7-6 skipper is James Spithill also a 3 race winner on Wednesday.

With four semi final spots available one the 7-6 group will likely move on, the other 3 will not.

Alone at 6-7 is two time defending champion Peter Holmberg, followed by Scott Dickson at 4-9.  

Each skipper will have 5 races on Thursday.  Four will emerge from a large pack of possibilities for the semi finals.

Olympic Trials Reset

The current set of US Olympic selection trials are half complete.  Below find a summary of the first half.  The Laser regatta is closest with other fleets have sailors with big leads.  4 days of racing to an Olympic berth remain.