Tight at top of Snipe Women’s Worlds

Newport, RI (August 17, 2018) – Sailors finally were able to stretch their legs as the breeze built during the second day at the 2018 Snipe Women’s World Championship. The Portuguese-American duo of Mafalda Pires de Lima and American Kathleen Tocke dominated the day with two firsts and a second, jumping the pair from eight place to take over the lead.

The wind was so incredibly stable that building leverage on the corners of the course never paid off. The leaders of the fleet were patient waiting for tiny shifts, and found that playing the current often trumped wind speed. Current was running strong up the course and made time and distance to the line very challenging.

In race one, Pires de Lima and Tocke led wire to wire, but not without the pair looking back to fend off Carol Cronin/ Kim Couranz, who sit in third place after today. Finding her way to the top of the fleet in race two was Olympic medalist Lynne Shore sailing with young Newport native, Abbey Preston. Shore and Preston sailed consistently fast and smart on the upwinds, but a yellow flag downwind in the second race cost the team several places. They continued to sail well to bring them up in the standings after a tough day in the light breeze on day one.

The Brazilian team of Juliana Duque/ Marina Arndt, who won race one but were disqualified in the second race yesterday as a result of a protest with the Norwegians, struggled off the line in the first race today. Trying to make up for lost points, the pair pushed the line in the second race, but were OCS along with eight other teams. The Brazilians finally found their groove in the last race of the day, taking home a bullet. The Norwegians, who were leading after day one, sailed consistently in the top five, are are second after five races.

The Race Committee, headed by International PRO David Brennan, have done a stellar job setting fair courses in very difficult current. They have five more races scheduled with a favorable forecast for the final two days.

Nice races are planned from August 16 to 19.

Day Two Results (Top 10 of 32; 5 races, 1 discard)
1. Mafalda Pires de Lima/Kathleen Tocke, Clube de Vela Atlantico, [12]-7-1-1-2- ; 11
2. Anette Melsom Myhre/Janett Krefting, Royal Norwegian Yacht Club, [5]-1-3-4-3- ; 11
3. Carol Cronin/Kim Couranz, Severn Sailing Association, [4]-3-2-3-4- ; 12
4. Taylor Scheuermann/Charlie Bess, Coral Reef Yacht Club, 2-8-[16]-2-7- ; 19
5. Elizabeth Glivinski, Medford Boat Club, 3-5-12-[33/OCS]-12- ; 32
6. Cory Sertl/Martha Parker, New York Yacht Club, 11-[30]-4-10-10- ; 35
7. Rachel Bryer/Marisa DeCollibus, CISF, 17-2-13-7-[33/RET]- ; 39
8. Juliana Duque/Marina Arndt, Yacht Clube da Bahia, 1-[33/DSQ]-5-33/OCS-1- ; 40T
9. Katie Levinson/Sally Levinson, Winchester Boat Club, 7-4-[22]-11-18- ; 40T
10. Hillary Noble/Kim Calnan, Naples Community Sailing Center, 6-9-6-19-[23]- ; 40T

Event details – Results – Facebook

Source: Kathleen Tocke