Classic LA conditions put Olympic hopefuls to the test on Opening Day of San Pedro OCR

With about 12-18 knots of wind across the race courses, and an observed 3 feet of ocean swell Pacific swell, the race courses proved physically demanding.

“The wind just kept building throughout the day,” said American ILCA 6 sailor Charlotte Rose. “It’s going to be a very physical venue. In the ILCA, it’s all about hiking, getting all the way to the right side, hiking some more, then ripping downwind with the waves.”

Hungary’s Maria Erdi leads the ILCA 6 fleet after posting opening salvos of first and second in the first three races to eke out a narrow advantage over Rose, while Great Britain’s Hannah Snellgrove sits third overall.  Erdi’s ability to keep near the front in 2 of the 3 races with an especially decisive win in the first race, proved crucial in conditions where small mistakes were quickly punished.

In the ILCA 7 fleet, two-time Olympic Gold medalist Matt Wearn from Australia claimed first in the overall standings after day 1 by finishing second in the opening and closing races.  Wearn added another solid score between them to edge out Great Britain’s Elliott Hanson, who captured the final race of the day, and fellow Brit Michael Beckett, winner of Race 2.

The results underscored just how competitive the men’s fleet has become, with 3 different race winners emerging over the course of the afternoon.

The 470 rewarded teams that maximised speed through multiple modes of sailing. Crews transitioned between fully powered upwind hiking, speed-reaches and aggressive downwind spinnaker runs as the breeze strengthened across the afternoon.

“It was pretty glamour out there,” said Martin Wrigley, who with crewmate Bettine Harris, was locked in a battle with the day’s top 3 finishers.  “We started in about 12 knots and finished in 15 or 16, with some nice waves and sunshine. We knew everyone wanted to go right, but it wasn’t quite as straightforward as people expected. There were pressure differences across the course, and it was actually quite hard to judge the laylines on such a long beat.”

Germany’s Simon Diesch and Anna Markfort took the overall lead in the 470 fleet after finishing fifth, second, and first across the three races. France’s Matisse Pacaud and Lucie De Gennes remain within striking distance after winning Race 2.

While the opening day established the first leaderboard, many competitors emphasised that it’s early days.  While the first races provided valuable opportunities to test different parts of the race course, going fast and staying consistent are what will propel the top performers to the right side of the fleet splits.

“You need to be very good at sailing fast and executing,” said 470 bronze medalist Lovisa Dahlberg of Sweden. “Boat speed is what will separate the winners this week.”

In the 470 class, sailors race together as a fleet for the first five days. Medal Races take place on the 6th and final day, when only the top 10 will compete in a two-race sail-off for the podium.

In the ILCA 6 and 7 fleets, the entire field competes in the first 2 days of racing.  The top 45 boats after the second day will compete in a three-day elimination round for the top 10 positions. The top 10 boats then compete for the podium on the final day during Friday’s finals.

San Pedro OCR is one of only two major Olympic Class events that take place in the United States. Nearly 200 sailors from 34 countries will race at San Pedro OCR during the six-day event. in the LA Harbor. Among the contenders are 35 Olympians, including six winners of a collective eight Olympic medals – two gold, two silver, and four bronze.

Racing in the ILCA 6, ILCA 7, and 470 classes began Sunday, July 19 and continues through Friday 24 July. Event details, entry lists, results, and schedules can be found at register.sanpedroocr.org and you can follow the regatta on instagram at @SanPedroOCR.

Text courtesy of San Pedro OCR. Images courtesy of Lisa Bronitt and Kyla McLay.