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Clearwater pair set to sail in international tournament

By DAVE ELLIS
Published May 17, 2006

The International Sailing Federation World Sailing Games are being held in Austria. Held every four years, they include all of the Olympic sailing boats except the Star and Yngling, as the lake is too shallow for their keel.

Qualification for the Gold fleet has concluded with Clearwater's Brad Funk getting a ticket to the big show in the Laser class by virtue of a 10th place finish. He will be the only USA Laser full rig in the event.

Clearwater's Paige Railey did not have to sail the qualifying races. As the world's No.1 Laser Radial sailor, she pre-qualifies.

Previously Railey, 19, won the Laser Radial class of 80 boats at the huge Hyeres, France, regatta.

Her results in the Spanish Princess Sofia Race were not so good. She won the event in 2005, but this year had a spate of jumping the starting gun and yellow flags from umpire boats to go along with top finishes. In typical enthusiastic fashion, she reports that it was good to get that sort of thing over with before the World Sailing Games.

The World Games are held two years before each Olympics. Racing continues through Saturday. Check results each afternoon online at http://sailing.org/.

MALLORY TROPHY: Lakewood High, Pine View in Osprey and Plant were among the semifinalists for the high school national championship. Lakewood placed fourth, just missing the cut for the finals.

The Mallory was held in Grosse Pointe Shores, Mich., last weekend. St. Petersburg area high school sailing organizer Tom Monkus reported that the air temperature was in the 40s with strong breezes and lumpy water Saturday. Sunday was a little milder with light air. Antillos High of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, showed that its first-place qualifying for the Southeast Region was no fluke by taking the title. Pine View placed 10th in the nationals and Plant 11th.

The Baker Cup for the high school Team Racing Championship will be held at Vineyard Haven Yacht Club, again in the chilly North. Lakewood and Antillos are the two Southeastern qualifiers.

BULLS ON A ROLL: The University of South Florida sailing team has made spectacular progress in just 10 years. The Bulls are ranked 8th in coed and 12th in women's sailing nationally.

From 161 eligible colleges, only 25 are qualified to participate at the Intercollegiate Sailing Association National Championships. This year USF has qualified in all three disciplines. The coed, women and team racing will be held next week in Charleston, S.C.

The Cooper River venue is familiar to the sailors, as it is in the USF sailing district. The current is sometimes severe and swirls in patterns not always predictable.

Tampa sailors Caroline Young and Evan Brown, sailing for Stanford, also qualified their team to compete.

You can keep up with the results starting next Wednesday online at collegesailing.org.

TAMPA EVENT: Keel boats raced the Sailing Squadron Commodore's Cup, a Boat of the Year event, April29. Winners included George Cussins on Fire & Ice in Spinnaker A, John Mrva's Shibumi in B and Lagniappe sailed by Darin O'Neal in C. Non-Spinnaker class was topped by Relentless, sailed by Larry Willis.

Sunday the women competed, with Gail Rosenke sailing her J/24 Energizer over Anne Cussins on Fire & Ice and Sandy Mickelson sailing Ho So Bad.

[Last modified May 17, 2006, 06:56:53]