Today's NZL Sailing Team results from Miami

Racing continued at Rolex Miami Olympic Classes Regatta 2010 today with the kiwi crews now looking in solid standing to round out the regatta with good results. It was another beautiful day on Biscayne Bay with flat water and 8-10 knots of shifty breeze.

Two days of racing remain with medals set to be decided on Saturday in Florida.

Peter Burling and Blair Tuke hold onto 6th place overall after sailing another three races today. The kiwis started the day with a 2nd place, followed that with a 6th, but discard their most recent race where they were judged over at the start.

“Peter and Blair are having a roller coaster ride with their individual race results in the 49er class,” reports Richard Burling, Peter’s father.

“Scores of 2nd and 6th in the first two races today had Peter and Blair up to 2nd overall by just three points. But an OCS disqualification (over start line early) in the last race of the day sees them drop to 6th overall after twelve races and now having to carry a 26 score. But still only 15 points from a medal.”

The schedule allows for another three races tomorrow to wrap up qualifying before the top ten placed crews advance to the medal race on the final day of the regatta. Going into the penultimate day Burling and Tuke look in good shape to secure a spot in the double-points medal race finale.

Completion of the Women’s Match-Racing gold fleet round robin this morning in Miami saw theNZL Sailing Team crew helmed by Samantha Osborne draw Australia’s Nicky Souter for the knock-out quarter finals racing. After winning one race a piece in the two quarter-final races sailed this afternoon, the remaining three races will determine who advances to the semi-finals.

In the other quarter finals match-ups MacGregor (GBR), Tunnicliffe (USA) and Leroy (FRA) are all two – nil up on their opponents.

New Zealand’s Joshua McKenzie-Brown improved his standing in the 2.4 Metre class moving up to 19th place overall after finishing 24th, 15th and 20th in today’s races.

The regatta website has full results, more news and images.

The next major international regatta to feature the members of the NZL Sailing Team is Trofeo SAR Princess Sofia Regatta on in Mallorca, Spain starting 27th March.

About the regatta:
From January 24 - 30, 2010, US SAILING's Rolex Miami OCR returns to the waters of Biscayne Bay, bringing together the world’s top Olympic and Paralympic class competitors. Marking the 21st running of the event, US SAILING's Rolex Miami OCR is a mainstay on the winter circuit for sailors who are campaigning for the next Olympic and Paralympic Games. The event is part of the ISAF Sailing World Cup, a world-class annual series for Olympic sailing.