Monday, February 15, 2016 (Image © Jen Edney)
49er, 49erFX, Nacra 17 - World Championship 2016 - Clearwater FL, USA - Final results
The 49ers sailed the last Final Series races, followed by the Medal Races of the best 10 teams, as did the Nacra-17, to conclude the 2016 World Championship of the fastest three Olympic classes in Clearwater FL. The outstanding Peter Burling/Tuke Blair NZL had their title - the forth in a row - already before the 49er Medal Race. Delle-Karth/Resch AUT defended the Silver Medal, and - thanks to a victory in the Medal Race - Bronze went to Fletcher/Sign GBR. The Olympic Champions Outteridge/Jensen AUS produced two premature starts yesterday and dropped on rank 6 overall. Judge Ryan/Hans Henken USA are 15th, David Mori/Justin Barnes CAN 42nd. In the 49ersFX, the Women's Match Race Olympic Champion Tamara Echegoyen ESP together with the 470 World Champion Berta Betanzos ESP remained on top of the rankings, despite of the fact, that their big advance melted in the light wind Medal Races with critical lull patches. They are the forth different World Champions in the four years of the young Olympic female skiff class. Maiken Foght/Anne-Julie Schütt DEN took Silver (but are not the Danish team at the Rio Games. Victoria Jurczok/Anika Lorenz GER as 3rd jumped on the podium just one point behind Silver. Paris Henken/Helena Scutt USA are 13th, Erin Rafuse/Danielle Boyd CAN 26th. The report of the 49er classes.
The World Champion's title in the Nacra 17 class was also earned prematurely before the Medal Race with Billy Besson/Marie Riou FRA - also the forth title in a row - having a huge advantage. Allan Norregaard/Anette Viborg DEN follow 58 (!!) points behind on 2nd, winning the Danish selection for the Rio Games. Bronze went to Vittorio Bisarro/Silvia Sicouri ITA, relegating Thomas Zajac/Tanja Frank AUT on rank 4 by one point. Luke Ramsay/Nikola Girke CAN finished 15th, Michael Easton/Katie Pettibone USA 17th. The Nacra daily news and all ranking lists.
The US Sailing Team page.
Yesterday, an up to 18 kn breeze building up a short, steep chop made racing again very challenging during the last heats to select the 10 best for today' s Medal Races, and importantly, the US Olympic Team selection in the men’s 49er and mixed Nacra 17. The women’s 49erFX selection series has already been wrapped up by Paris Henken/Helena Scutt, who have a chance to make today's Medal Race.
Yesterday, the Olympic skiffs concluded the Qualification Series with four races each sailed in a moderate breeze around 12 kn. 
Light winds from 5-10 kn prevailed yesterday for the first time in Clearwater after the windy and rough intial days. All three classes completed the full program.
The rough condition with an up to 20 kn breeze and short, steep choppy waves persisted on day 2 of the Clearwater World Championships. In the skiffs, only the 49erFX sailed a race, the first one, as they stayed ashore on day one. This time, the 49ers left the day out. 
Rough conditions prevailed yesterday on the first day of the three World Championships running in parallel off Clearwater. The high winds around 18-20 kn and unforgiving waves built up in the rather shallow waters challenged competitors on Day One of the 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 World Championships in Florida. One race was completed for the Men’s 49er and Mixed Nacra 17, while the Women’s 49erFX fleets were held onshore. Capsizes and abandonments happened already while the boats left the harbour, and six 49er dismasted ! Racing was over when the wind reached 22kn in the afternoon, too much for the overpowered 'so called modern' Olympic classes. 
The World Championships of the three fastest Olympic classes begins today in Florida with the Practice Races. According to the entry lists, the complete international Olympic circuit fleets will be on the starting lines for a performance test six months before the Olympics. Here the 
