Two Team Nigeria junior players had their games polished with the latest techniques in tennis by former Nigerian tennis star, Sadiq Abdullahi as Nigeria continues its quest to unleash future tennis superstars.
The duo of Toyin Asogba and Venus Ubiebi were drilled for a week by Abdullahi at the Ricc Macci Tennis Academy, Boca Raton, Florida. The players also took some coaching tips from Abdul Adi, a former Nigerian player who is an academy coach in the United States at his base in Bradenton, Miami.
Ubiebi, a Ricc Macci coach, Asogba, Venus and Abdullahi
The week-long training tour, was facilitated by Aces Tennis Services.
Nigeria junior tennis assistant coach Abel Ubiebi also benefited from the tour after sessions with a couple of top junior coaches in the US. “It was a wonderful and unforgettable experience for me as well as the players. We were exposed to so many things which would help in the development of tennis particularly from the aspect of coaching.
“We had good discussion and ideas on developing tennis in Nigeria,” expressed Ubiebi, who alongside Stella Epego were part of the coaching staff of Team Nigeria at the 2016 West & Central African qualifiers for the African Junior Championship in Abuja last January.
Asogba was a silver medalist at the 2015 African Junior Circuit held in Lome Togo and also featured at the 2016 West & Central African Championship qualifier where she lost to Angel McLeod in the quarterfinal to miss out of the recently held 39th ITF/CAT African Junior Championships in Pretoria, South Africa.
Abdulahi with Asogba and Venus
Venus on her part failed to make the final 16-man team from the 32 players that were invited to camp.
Alongside Nduka Odizor, David Imonitie and Tony Nmoh; Abdullahi put Nigeria’s name on the global map of tennis in the 80’s through the early 90’s. He represented Nigeria at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. The right-hander reached his highest singles ATP-ranking on October 14, 1985, when he became the number 262 of the world.
In a picture-perfect setting, with a full crowd and a top-class, turf field, the United States’ Marilyn Little and Corona 93 executed a skillful double clear to win the $100,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping at the Live Oak International CSI3*-W in Ocala, Florida. In the final event of the inaugural North American League, the 34-year-old rider, and double-gold medalist in Eventing at the 2015 Pan American Games, showcased her multi-discipline talent by expertly answering all the tests in Leopoldo Palacios’ (VEN) course design aboard the 12-year-old, Hanoverian mare (Cordalme Z x Lenz XX), claiming victory over a starting field of 32.
The 1.40-metre to 1.60-metre course, with 14 obstacles and 17 jumping attempts, incorporated challenges like a wide, plank fence similar to the one at the legendary Hickstead and a big scope test in the design’s final three jumps. But it was a big wall to a wide triple bar and a steady double vertical combination that posed the biggest questions on course.
“I tried to do the best for the field,” said Palacios. “I have a good feel of the riders and the conditions were very good. I needed to build it strong for the conditions. When you have a ring with such good footing as we have here and we have very good set of fences and how the ring is now is way better after all the improvements that Live Oak did (like enclosing the ring); it’s fantastic.
“I had a lot of pressure. Walking the course, some riders complained it was too hard, but I believe that with the good footing, the conditions were super good, (the horses and riders) can jump harder courses.”
Chile’s Samuel Parot and Atlantis have won the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping qualifier in Calgary (CAN), and are now setting their sights on Wellington and Ocala. (FEI/Aimee Makris)
After the first two riders on course incurred time faults, the time allowed was extended by 3 seconds to a new limit of 90 seconds. Ten riders were clear in the first round to advance into the jump off.
“I thought the course was a little deceiving, a little on the low side,” said Little. “It was very progressive, and Leopoldo turned up the volume exponentially by the time you were midway through the course. By the end, there were a lot of technical, scope and stamina questions. It was a very long course, and the horses jumped to the best of their ability. It was a real thrill for both horse and rider.”
“There are no more challenging courses to jump than Leopoldo’s courses,” she added. “There’s always a number of tricks hiding in there and this was no different. It was brilliantly designed, and he had a beautiful, incredible field to work with in an electric atmosphere.”
All-female podium sweep
Out of the ten, talented horse-and-rider pairs, only three of America’s leading ladies went double clear to secure an all-female sweep of the top results. Little set the bar high as the first to leave the rails standing in the jump-off order, followed in hot pursuit by the youngest rider in the class, 19-year-old Chloe Reid, riding 9-year-old, Irish Sporthorse stallion Codarco (Darco x Orame). Last to go, 22-year-old Katie Dinan and 11-year-old, Irish Sporthorse gelding Dougie Douglas (Ard VDL Douglas x High Roller) chose a slightly more conservative track to finish in third.
“I’m set to graduate from Harvard in May and I’m going to be riding full time after graduation,” said Dinan. “I’m really looking forward to that. I’m going to try to take my riding further and focus on that full time. It’s really exciting.
“I’m in the process of making more definite plans, but over the last few years, I’ve been competing in Europe over the summers when on holiday from school and during the school year I’ve been in America. So when I graduate, I’ll have more flexibility. I’ll be able to choose my competitions around my horses rather than around school, and I’ll see what happens with that.”
Dinan acquired the horse that she rode to a podium finish in the final North American League event from the Goresbridge Supreme Sale of Showjumpers last November.
“I got Dougie at the end of last year and our first show together was at the beginning of January,” she said. “I believe this was our fifth competition together. I’m really grateful that so far, he’s been just wonderful. He’s so much fun to ride, he has a great personality, he seems to love show jumping, he has a lot of experience, which I feel very fortunate I can draw off of because he’s been to a lot of different venues.
“He’s jumped on a lot of grass fields, and that was one of the reasons why I decided to bring him to Live Oak because this is as beautiful as a grass field as there is to ride on, and I thought it would be a really good venue for him.”
Longtime partners, and perennial crowd favorites, Rich Fellers (USA) and Flexible claimed victory at the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping North American League qualifier at Thunderbird Show Park in Langley, British Columbia, yesterday. (FEI/Rebecca Berry)
A family affair
The well-regarded, annual competition, Live Oak International, is held on second-place finisher Reid’s grandmother’s farm and is organised in partnership by her uncle, Chester Weber and her mother, Juliet Reid.
“I couldn’t ask for a better placing at a better venue than right now and to do it and sit up here (in the press conference) with my uncle and my mom is incredible,” said Reid. “It’s a dream come true today and everything that’s happened this week.
“I have to give my success to my family. Without their support behind me, I wouldn’t be where I am today. And also to the group of people, my trainers, grooms, everyone who has helped me to be able to bring my horses and be best prepared for this moment.”
The 2016 season is set to be a breakout year for the young, American rider, who trains with Germany’s Marcus Beerbaum and Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum. Last month, she was also the youngest entry in the $130,000 Adequan Grand Prix CSI3* and placed third.
“I was actually talking to my dad before we started the class today and I was like, ‘I hope the course is challenging enough this morning,’” Reid said. “Because if the first go around at a show is challenging, that just makes me ride even better, I think. I was looking for the additional pressure today, but anytime you enter a class with the amazing riders that were in the class today is always such an honor and today definitely proved to be.”
“I think that Juliet and I often talk about Aachen as a model for the best annual horse competition in the world and that’s something that we look to,” said Weber. “When we started the show jumping, we did that together with the team from Spruce Meadows because we felt like that they could help bring us knowledge. We learned a lot from them, we still call them if we have questions; they’re great at answering those kinds of things. We have a great team in place, and we are talking back and forth about perhaps adding eventing.”
“There are about 2,000 eventing horses in Ocala in the winter; it’s a kind of mecca for eventers,” he added. “We have some big challenges to work through and whether 2017 is the right time, or if the right time will come, but I think not unlike Aachen, you’ll see some other sports happen here, but they have to come at their own logical time.”
Double threat
Speaking of eventing, Little has based her winter operations out of Ocala for the last two winter seasons to best prepare her eventing and show jumping strings at the same time. During the warmer months, Little and her family’s Raylyn Farms return to Frederick, Maryland, where her parents settled 36 years ago.
“It’s easier to get the eventing horses fit in Ocala,” said Little. “And also, I have 28 horses in the stable at the moment, primarily between ages 5 and 7 that I’ve bred, and it was a financial decision to develop the young horses here in Ocala. I am looking to return to Wellington next year.”
The grand prix show jumper turned to eventing in 2010, quickly working her way to the 4* level, the highest level of competition. “Anytime you’re entering another world or learning another sport or language, the best way to do it is full immersion program,” she said. “The goals that I had in eventing, there was really no other way to do it other than to completely immerse yourself and put everything, your whole heart and whole head, into it and that has been a focus for five or six years now.”
“I think that there’s certainly a way to play both sports at a very high level, if you have the team behind you that’s helping you play that game,” she added. “Because we all know that this looks like an individual sport, but it’s far more a team sport than the public may realise. I do hope to be able to do both and believe that it’s possible.”
Little’s eventing experience played a role in her approach to today’s course, especially in the long gallop to final oxer in the jump-off round.
“There, I was lucky; I knew that when I landed from the second to last fence, I could ask her for some speed then kick her into her highest gear then back off,” said Little. “I hoped that I would see the distance as far off as I possibly could, going at 750 metres a minute and trying to see a distance 12 strides out – that was a bit of eventing.
“I think eventing makes me sharper (for show jumping), and there are things that I feel that I do better than I did before I evented, and I wouldn’t trade those things for anything. And I think that being here in the show jumping ring will help me stay sharp for what I hope is coming in the eventing arena.”
Rio dreams
But despite the recent success in show jumping, not only winning the Longines FEI World Cup™ qualifier but also the $35,000 Live Oak International the day before and finishing in second in the $10,000 speed class on Friday, Little’s 2016 plans of focusing on the Rio 2016 Olympic Games for eventing have not changed.
“I have a very special horse in RF Demeter for high-level, performance eventing,” Little said. “She is in top form, and I can’t help but look toward Rio with her. So I have to stay the course for her and her owners and for myself because we’ve had a lot of years preparing for this season. We’re heading into the final Olympic trials prepared and fit, so a lot will have to go into that to make sure she’s on point.
“In jumpers, things are evolving quickly, and I can’t say that I have a solid plan for what’s coming in the next few months. There are a few things on the table but the plans will have to be made with Demeter in mind and her goals.”
Little’s return to the international show jumping ring largely stemmed from Corona’s development since Little acquired the talented mare last year from American rider Lauren Tisbo.
“There’s no question that Corona wouldn’t be part of the eventing string because dressage wouldn’t be a part of her repertoire,” said Little. “I think the judges’ comments would be that she’s not submissive and I would have to agree with them. “She is an extraordinary woman and she knows it and we have to treat her as such. She is 12 years old, and she’s in a new program so we have to find our way and it’s give and take. But she is a wonderful competitor, and I know she’s going to give 150 percent when she walks through the in gate.”
Despite the win, Little’s late start to the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping season means she will not head to the Final in Gothenburg, Sweden next month but will keep the next Final in mind for planning after Rio. “That’s an incredible goal,” she said. “I have a very special horse that is telling me that she’s ready for that, and that’s a dream and I will work toward that. At this point, it’s still one show at a time, one class at a time and hopefully the road I’m part of leads to the World Cup Final.”
Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping North American League: USA’s Marilyn Little and Corona 93 win final qualifier at Live Oak International in Ocala
Gothenburg calling
Following the final event of the North American League, the qualified U.S. riders are already planning the upcoming weeks that lead up to traveling to Europe.
“I am planning on going to the Final and will take Lucifer and New York,” said second-place finisher in the East Coast league, Hardin (Jack) Towell (USA).
The East Coast league’s third place finisher Quentin Judge (USA) finished in fifth in the $100,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping in Ocala with HH Whisky Royale, but plans to take HH Copin van de Broy to Sweden.
“I thought Whisky Royale was great today,” Judge said. “He jumped really well in the first round, very easy to jump clear. But in the jump off, I cut the turn to the first fence too tight and knocked the standard with my foot. He jumped double clear; the rail was my fault.
“I’m planning to go to the Final with Copin and will jump him in two small classes before we head over to Gothenburg in a few weeks, to make sure he’s fit and ready to go.”
Current Longines Rankings number four Beezie Madden (USA) also plans to head to the Final, despite missing the last two East Coast league events. “We’re hoping to be able to go, that’s for sure,” Madden said. “Right now, Simon and Cortes will not go, but we have two horses, Quister and Breitling, who are doing really well and we just have to see which ones of those two we’d like to take the Final. Breitling just jumped double clear at last week’s Nations Cup so we’re really excited about him.”
Kent Farrington and McLain Ward do not plan to travel to Europe next month, instead opting to focus on qualifying for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. In their place, it’s likely that alternate Dinan will receive a bid.
“I was waiting to see after today that if it does work out, I’d plan on taking Nougat du Vallet,” Dinan said. “He competed in the World Cup qualifier at the Wellington Masters two weeks ago. I will figure out what makes most sense because I’ll be qualified on multiple horses but that would be my plan.
“I jumped him in the World Cup Final at Gothenburg in 2013 and always wanted to go back there. I’m heading back to Boston right now and come back to Wellington to jump in Florida in the next two weeks. If I end up getting into the Final, then I’ll organise my schedule around that.”
In the West Coast league, all three top U.S. riders, Karl Cook, Rich Fellers and Richard Spooner plan to compete in the Final.
“I would like to do the World Cup Final with the horse because I really need to get to know (new horse, Big Red),” Spooner said. “I really want to feel confident on the horse and I want to feel 100 percent, if Rio were to be in his future, that I would feel 100 percent confident in our ability to do that and I have a short time to do it.”
“I just have a simple rule with what I do with my show jumpers, which is I just let them tell me how they feel and I go with that, and he feels really good,” Fellers said of 20-year-old stallion Flexible and their plans to travel to the Final. “I don’t have any explanation for it, but he just feels as good as ever.”
The Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final will be held in Gothenburg, Sweden, on 23-26 March (www.gothenburghorseshow.com/in-english).
Allan Norregaard and Anette Viborg Andreasen rocketed up to second place overall in the Nacra 17 World Championships, the Danish duo showing a rare mastery of the demanding conditions on the turbulent waters of Clearwater Beach, Florida.
The top two French teams managed to put the stress of a measurement protest behind them last night when the French were accused of having illegally adjusted the daggerboard cases that hold the curved foils that help lift the boat out of the water at high speed. Small changes in the angle of attack of these foils can make a big difference to performance, so this part of the boat is millimetre-critical. To the relief of the two French teams, the International Jury found in their favour and they bounced back with an impressive performance on the water.
Besson Billy and Riou Marie at NACRA 17 Worlds Clearwater Florida Photo credits: Laurens Morel
Vaireaux seemed unfazed by the protest, speaking after racing today. “It was OK, it can happen, we do a mechanical sport. It is part of the game and we know we did nothing wrong, so it was good to come back [with a good performance today]. Billy and Marie are three-time World Champions, so everyone is looking at them, and we train together with them. People are asking questions, but we didn’t do anything wrong. It’s the game, it’s sailing, we have to go through that.”
Even in the bright Florida sunshine, sailors were shivering as they came ashore. “I only brought my summer wetsuit,” smiled Vaireaux, trying to warm up in the afternoon sunshine. “But today’s conditions were good for us, we like the big waves and big wind. It was really shifty during the races but we made good decisions. Upwind it was about choosing your moment to tack in the wind shifts.”
Other sailors that showed bursts of pace in the big breeze included the Italians, Vittorio Bissaro and Silvia Sicouri, who won the last race of the day, and Tom Phipps and Nicola Boniface from Great Britain who won the second race of the day, even if they didn’t know it at the time. “It was very close at the finish, and we thought the Argentineans crossed the line before us,” said Boniface, grinning after her first ever race win in a World Championship. “Always good to win a race, makes you smile!” The winning strategy was simple enough. “We went fast in the right direction and protected on the other boats. Today was quite a lot about boatspeed, if you went fast and got around the course safely you were going to do pretty well.”
NACRA 17 WORLDS: DANISH TEAM NORREGAARD:VIBORG HITS THE TURBO… Photo credits: Laurens Morel
The Argentineans they just pipped to the post were Santiago Lange and Cecilia Carranza Saroli. Lange, sitting in 15th overall, was not happy with his day, although at least the 54-year-old Olympic medallist has secured his place at Rio 2016 where he will represent Argentina for the sixth time at an Olympic Games. “Today’s conditions were very difficult for us, we are not well practised and we suffered with lack of speed and a couple of mistakes. But it’s good to be here, and with my sons here as well.” His sons, Yago and Klaus Lange, are racing at the 49er World Championship also taking place in Clearwater, and they too have qualified to represent Argentina at Rio 2016.
After four big races, the fleet is looking forward to some recuperation time this evening, to warm up and to refuel. “We’ve burned more calories than we can consume,” said Germany’s top Nacra 17 sailor, Paul Kohlhoff. “Today was really challenging, very big waves, but tomorrow looks like it’s going to be much lighter winds.”
NACRA 17 Worlds, DANISH TEAM NORREGAARD :VIBORG HITS THE TURBO IN TURBULENT CONDITIONS Photo credits: Laurens Morel
Venezuelan Jumping athlete Andres Rodriguez, individual silver medallist at the 2015 Pan-American Games, has died in hospital of injuries sustained in a car crash in Wellington, Florida (USA) on 4 January. He was 31.
A passenger in the car, Sophie Walker (30), died at the scene of the crash. Ms Walker was a talented amateur rider on the US national circuit.
Andres Rodriguez’s career highlight came at the 2015 Pan-American Games in Toronto (CAN) when he rode Darlon Van Groenhove to individual silver. He twice represented Venezuela at world championship level, at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2010 in Lexington, Kentucky (USA) and the 2014 Games in Normandy (FRA).
His first major success came in 1996 when he won the FEI Children’s Jumping Final. He went on to claim team gold and individual silver at the 2013 Bolivarian Games in Lima (PER), team gold at the 2010 Central American & Caribbean Games in Mayaguez (PUR), and individual gold at the South American Games in Medellin (COL) the same year.
The talented Jumping athlete was bidding to make his Olympic debut at Rio 2016, and was also hoping to make his first appearance at the CHIO in Aachen (GER) this year. He had already realised his goal of a place in the world top 50, and was in 41st on the Longines Rankings.
Born in Venezuela, he moved to Europe after graduating from high school to train with Nelson and Rodrigo Pessoa. More recently, he was based in Paris (FRA) for the summer season and in Florida (USA) for the winter, where he was trained by Irish Jumping legend Eddie Macken. He married his long-term partner Clementine Goutal last month.
“To lose two young athletes in this dreadful way is a terrible shock and our hearts go out to their families and friends”, FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez said. “Andres Rodriguez was a world-class athlete and clearly a super star in the making. For his life to be cut short in this way is absolutely heart-breaking.”
Pan-Am Games silver medallist Andres Rodriguez (VEN), who was tragically killed in a car crash on 4 January 2016. (FEI/Cealy Tetley)
“The sport has tragically lost one of its greatest ambassadors with the passing of Andres Rodriguez, and I have lost a dear friend, as indeed have many others”, FEI Jumping Director John Roche said. “Andres was a wonderful horseman and an amazing person with a very positive approach to life. He had a heart as big as Mount Everest. He will be greatly missed by us all.”
The FEI extends its sincere condolences to the family and many friends of Andres Rodriguez, to the Venezuelan Equestrian Federation and the global Jumping community.
Please note that this is not a voting process, but a nomination process.
Once all of the nominations have been received the next stage will be a review by the FISA Council who will narrow the list down to a short list. The short list will then go to FISA’s Executive Committee who will decide on the winners in the five categories by 26 October 2015.
The award winners will be publically announced and the winners presented with their awards at the 2015 World Rowing Coaches Conference gala dinner on 21 November 2015 in Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida, USA.
Thomas Keller Medal
Last year’s winners were:
– 2014 World Rowing Female Crew of the Year: Emma Twigg (NZL), women’s single scull (W1x)
– 2014 World Rowing Male Crew of the Year: Eric Murray and Hamish Bond (NZL), Men’s pair, (M2-), Men’s coxed pair (M2+)
– 2014 World Rowing Para-rowing Crew of the Year: Erik Horrie, (AUS), para men’s single sculls (ASM1x)
– 2014 World Rowing Coach of the Year: Bent Fransson (DEN)
– 2014 World Rowing Distinguished Service to Rowing Medal: Denis Oswald (SUI)
A member of scouting team at the ongoing Samuel Oguche organized basketball camp, Greg Brown is already in love with the abundant natural talents that abound in Nigeria when it comes to the game of basketball.
According to Greg, “I see a lot of athletes, a lot of kids that are ready to learn”
He cautioned that people should not be in a rush to expect immediate results from the kids in the camp as some are at the beginning stages in their development and are in camp to learn while others are in their formative years on their way to actualising their full potentials which has gotten him really excited.
Speaking on the driving force in making the trip to Nigeria, the world famous scout based in Florida, USA.
“Years ago, I came for another camp in Nigeria and I got to know a lot of players and coaches coupled with the drive they have and the willingness to listen to me.”
When I took the kids to the United states, those kids performed well in the classroom and on the court which has encouraged me to come back and find more kids.
Greg Brown, One of the International Basketball Scouts at the Samuel Oguche Camp
He thanked the former Lagos Islander and national team player for affording the kids the opportunity to showcase their talent as he described it as the right recipe to develop basketball in Nigeria.
Reacting further, he said some of the indigenous coaches are also using the week long camp sponsored by Bullet Energy Drink as a learning process from their foreign counterparts which will help their respective teams at the long run when they return to their base.
Greg affirmed that since Nigeria have already registered their presence at the Olympics and basketball world championship, developing kids from the grassroots will help them have the basic fundamental knowledge about the game which will in turn improve the quality of players the country in churning out technically sound players as no country in the world can afford to depend 100 percent on foreign based players without the home grown talent.
Team USA 1 reigned supreme at the second leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ Dressage 2015 pilot series in Wellington, Florida yesterday. The side of Olivia LaGoy-Weltz (Rassing’s Lonoir), Kimberly Herslow (Rosmarin), Allison Brock (Rosevelt) and Laura Graves (Verdades) established the advantage on Wednesday and stood firm to finish well ahead of the second-placed Canada 1 Team yesterday evening, while Canada 2 slotted into third.
Teams consisted of both Big Tour and Small Tour partnerships, and a total of eight sides from six nations lined out. However Australia, Colombia and Guatemala did not field Big Tour competitors and therefore did not earn an official finishing spot. Team USA 2 claimed fourth place ahead of Germany in fifth.
Great start
USA 1 got off to a great start after Wednesday’s FEI Prix St Georges and FEI Grand Prix classes in which all four riders scored over 70 percent, and that put US Chef d’Equipe, Robert Dover, in a very positive mood. “I’m thrilled with all of our American riders” he said on Wednesday evening, “they came in to this arena to do a job and they will continue to do that job tomorrow and through the rest of this competition and show why America is not only superior to any other country in our hemisphere, but is ready to be ranked amongst the best nations in the world!”
USA 1 pathfinder, LaGoy Weltz, led the way with an expressive performance from Rassing’s Lonoir in the Prix St George to earn a mark of 71.605 and Herslow followed with a mark of 73.684 with Rosmarin. The intense heat didn’t suit her horse – “it’s hard to make yourself really push for the max in that” she said. However she was delighted with her result. “Riding with everyone today was awesome because I know I’m on a solid team and they all have great horses who have proven themselves throughout this season and you couldn’t ask for more” she pointed out.
There was a bonus 1.5 percent on offer in the Grand Prix which brought Allison Brock’s score with Rosevelt to 73.700, and she was pleased with how her horse coped with the pressure. “He was for the most part really honest and he went for it, he was with me and he handled it very well” she said afterwards. Graves and Verdades were always expected to be the star billing, and lived up to expectations when posting a total of 75.920. This pair, who made a huge impact at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy, France last summer have been in superb form on the Wellington circuit in recent months and are putting in their final preparations for the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Final in Las Vegas which kicks off in just over two weeks’ time.
Graves wasn’t the least bit fazed by filling the anchor role – “I like going last” she said. “It does usually put pressure on the anchor to put in a good performance, but I was so fortunate to have three awesome rides go before me…..I was in a really great position, whether I rode first or last I didn’t feel like I was carrying more than my own weight” she insisted.
USA 1 carried a score of 223.304 into yesterday’s decider, with Canada 1 less than seven marks adrift and USA 2 another seven marks further behind but stalked closely by Canada 2 and just over a point ahead of Team Germany in fifth place.
Gwendolen Fer (FRA) and Romantic Love scored the fastest time on Cross Country, helping France to win the first leg of FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing 2015 at Fontainebleau, France (Eric Knoll/FEI).
Bonus
Yesterday the Small Tour combinations performed the FEI Intermediaire 1 while Big Tour partnerships rode the FEI Grand Grand Prix Special, and there was a 1.5 percent bonus on offer again to the Big Tour combinations. Thoroughly consistent, all four members of USA 1 team again produced scores above 70 percent, and Kimberley Herslow’s 76.158 in the Intermediaire 1 was a personal best. Brock also posted a personal best in the Special with a mark of 74.255 percent despite a few glitches in the one-tempi changes, while Dover’s confidence in his side was further underpinned by victory in the Special for Graves and Verdades who scored 75.882.
“I love getting goosebumps when I watch rides, and I got them today from this team” the winning Chef d’Equipe said afterwards. “I feel not only extremely confident moving towards the Pan American Games and the European tour we are about to go on, but also on our way to Rio (Olympic Games 2016) with more and more depth in America in this sport than we have ever seen before”.
The FEI Nations Cup™ Dressage pilot series is all about encouraging the development of up-and-coming horse-and-rider combinations through exposure to top competition, and winning team member, LaGoy-Weltz who rode the Small Tour tests, admitted that she has learned a great deal this week. Her horse, Rassing’s Lonoir, was excitable at times during his tests. “This has been a tremendous learning experience for us and we were able to harness that energy and move on in the test, which is about being composed and riding through it. You also get the opportunity to support your team-mates and receive that support in return” she commented.
Herslow said she possibly found her horse’s “fifth gear” during her flawless performance. “Robert (Dover) and Debbie (McDonald) really revved me up the right way. We needed that expression in the ring and to be able to carry it in there, and we really rocked it!” she said.
Graves put the strong US performance into context. “It’s always great to be able to meet and become close with riders I may not have known as well before, and it makes you really excited for where we’re going on this team in this country” she said. “I hope that we can take this gold medal winning streak global very soon!”
USA 1 finished over 14 points ahead of Canada 1’s Diane Creech (Robbie), Chris von Martels (Zilverstar), Megan Lane (Caravella) and Belinda Trussell (Anton) in runner-up spot, while Canada 2s Tina Irwin (Fancy That), Christilot Boylen (Donatella 79), Shannon Dueck (Cantaris) and Jill Irving (Degas 12) were another 14 points adrift. There was no drop score for the fourth-place USA 2 team as there were only three team members – Christophe Hickey (Ronaldo), Kasey Perry (Goeklintgaards Dublet) and Jill Irving (Degas 12). Their total of 424.221 left them just off the podium but with more than a three-point advantage over Germany’s Neve Myburgh (Bon Chance), Michael Klimke (Djamba Djokiba), Patricia Koschel (Leuchtfeuer DE) and Christoph Koschel (Tiesto) in fifth place.
The next leg of the series will take place in Rotterdam, The Netherlands 17-21 June. For details of the Dutch fixture visit website http://www.chio.nl or contact Press Officer Anita Lussenberg, Email pers@chio.nl, Tel +31 10 750 86 11.
On the podium for the second leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ Dressage 2015 series in Wellington, USA (from left) – third-placed Team Canada 2, Jill Irving, Tina Irwin, Christilot Boylen and Shannon Dueck; the winners, Team USA 1, Kimberly Herslow, Allison Brock, Laura Graves and Olivia LaGoy-Weltz; and second-placed Team Canada 1, Diane Creech, Belinda Trussell, Chris Von Martels and Megan Lane. In the foreground, Arlene Page, Robert Dover, Debbie MacDonald, Diane Sasser, Allyn Mann and Thomas Bauer. (FEI/Susan Stickle)
Facts and Figures:
Wellington in Florida, USA presented the second leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ Dressage 2015 pilot series.
8 teams from 6 nations participated – Australia, Canada, Colombia, Germany, Guatemala and USA.
Only five were competing for points in the FEI Nations Cup™ Dressage 2015 pilot series.
The team scores were accumulated in both Big Tour and Small Tour competitions, including Prix St George, Intermediaire 1, Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special.
The next leg of the series will take place at CDIO5* Rotterdam (NED) from 17-21 June.
The remaining three legs will be staged at CDIO5* Hagen (GER), CDIO5* Falsterbo (SWE) and CDIO3* Hickstead in July.
FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 – Leagues Update 3
All the qualifiers for the Longines FEI World Cup™ 2014/2015 Final have now concluded, following the Central European League Final in Warsaw, Poland 12 days ago and the last legs of the North America East and West Coast Leagues at Ocala, Florida and Thermal, California.
The excitement is building by the day, with the deadline for receipt of nominated entries coming up tomorrow, 27 March, and definite entries due to be confirmed by 6 April, just a week before the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final begins at the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas, USA, the 37th running of arguably the sport’s most sought-after individual title.
Ireland’s Bertram Allen clinched his second victory in the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League at Bordeaux, France riding Romanov. (FEI/Pierre Costabadie)
Central European League
Latvia’s Kristaps Neretnieks emerged as Central European champion at the exciting Final in Warsaw where 17 riders from eight countries – Belarus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Turkey – battled it out for the honours.
The Central European League is sub-divided into two regions due to the vast land-base over which it takes place, and Turkey’s Derin Demirsoy was the sole representative from the Southern Sub-League at the Final staged in Poland’s capital city.
There were 11 points-gaining events in the Northern Sub-League and four in the Southern Sub-League, and riders arrived at the Central European League Final carrying their best five results to which points earned from three further competitions would also be added.
Neretnieks didn’t get off to a great start when collecting 12 penalty seconds in the opening Table C Speed class with Casscare which left him well down the line. It was the host nation’s Jaroslaw Skrzyczynski who scored best here when runner-up with Inferno ahead of Turkey’s Demirsoy riding Harry K. The win went to Germany’s Marcel Braig, but he was not in contention for Central European League points.
And in the Table A class that followed, it was Estonia’s Gunnar Klettenberg who seized the maximum 20 points available when second with Lance S, while Aleksandr Lis from Belarus was next best in fifth place with Que Pasa. A single error with Caramsin pinned Neretnieks back into 11th position here, but in the Grand Prix his 10-year-old bay Hannoverian stallion secured victory in style.
Latvia’s Kristaps Neretnieks won the FEI World Cup™ Jumping Central European League Final 2015 at Warsaw, Poland. (FEI/Karol Rzeczycki)
All to play for
There was a massive 40 points up for grabs this time out, so it was all to play for. Producing one of just four double-clear rounds from the starting field of 40 horse-and-rider combinations, the 25-year-old Latvian left the rest floundering in his wake as he galloped to victory in the quickest time of 38.48 seconds. Poland’s Msciwoj Kiecon (Urbane) and Jaroslaw Skrzyczynski (Crazy Quick) slotted into third and fourth places, but it was his seventh-place finish with Rocketman that secured runner-up spot on the series table for Russia’s Vladimir Beletskiy.
Latvia’s Andis Varna finished third on the final leaderboard ahead of Ales Opatrny from the Czech Republic in fourth while Skrzyczynski, fellow-Pole Michal Kazmierczak and Turkey’s Demirsoy filled fifth, sixth and seventh spots.
Neretnieks, Beletskiy and Varna are already on the list of nominated entries for the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Final in Las Vegas. Neretnieks previously competed at the 2013 Finals in Gothenburg, Sweden and at last year’s Longines Final in Lyon, France. Riding Conte Bellini, he also competed at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy, France.
North American Leagues
Todd Minikus won the FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 North America East Coast League, while fellow-American and 2012 FEI World Cup™ Jumping champion Rich Fellers topped the West Coast League.
The East Coast League embraced results from 13 events staged across the USA and Canada with the opportunity to gain crossover points from the West Coast and Western European League series. A total of 114 athletes participated, with 80 collecting points and each rider counted their best five results to decide the eventual winner.
It’s going to be a star-studded East Coast line-up at Las Vegas, with Minikus joined by Beijing Olympic team gold medallist Laura Kraut and 2013 FEI World Cup™ Jumping champion Beezie Madden along with Jack Towell, Kirsten Coe and McLain Ward.
Minikus began his march to the top of the leaderboard by taking maximum points at the opening leg in Bromont, Canada last July, and again at the sixth leg in Harrisburg, USA in October. He picked up more points in Washington, and although he missed out at Lexington in Kentucky a few weeks later, he brought his tally of points to 81 when runner-up behind McLain Ward at the qualifier in Toronto, Canada in November. He then sat back and left it to the rest to catch up with him.
Kraut came with a late run, helped by a double of wins in Wellington, Florida in November and again earlier this month, while Madden also scored a double, topping the leg at Lexington and finally securing her spot when second to Ireland’s Cian O’Connor in the Grand Prix at Live Oaks Plantation in Ocala, Florida last weekend. As the Irishman was not in contention for North American East Coast League points, Madden took the maximum 20 to leave her on a final total of 76, just one behind Kraut.
Towell completed with 71 points on the board while Coe collected 66 and Ward 61 to make the cut. Also finishing on 61 points was Leslie Burr Howard who, at the age of 29, became the sixth American to be crowned FEI World Cup™ Jumping champion at the Final in Gothenburg, Sweden back in 1986. She won’t compete at this year’s Final however, so her place goes to the next rider on the North America East Coast League table, 21-year-old Katie Dinan.
East Coast champion, Minikus, has enjoyed a great run of form with his talented 12-year-old Oldenburg mare, Quality Girl.
West Coast
There were nine chances to qualify from the North America West Coast series, with the opportunity to also gain crossover points from the East Coast and Western European Leagues. Rich Fellers, the man who brought the FEI World Cup™ Jumping title back to the USA for the first time in 25 years when coming out on top at the 2012 Final, won through ahead of Susan Artes who also finished with 65 points but who had to settle for runner-up spot due to Fellers’ higher placings. Just three qualify from this region, and Karl Cook has earned the third qualifying spot.
A total of 75 athletes competed, with 47 earning points and, again, the five best results decided the league title. Events took place across Canada and the USA, and Fellers kick-started his campaign at Langley in Canada where he collected 13 points before claiming the maximum 20 at the fourth leg in Rancho Murieta in California last October. He maintained his momentum with 17 more to add at the next leg in Del Mar, California, but it was his trip to the last qualifier at Live Oak Plantation in Florida last weekend that finally and firmly booked his ticket to Las Vegas.
Artes was thoroughly consistent throughout her seven outings, missing out on points just once at the seventh leg in Las Vegas, so she will be hoping that her return visit to the entertainment capital of the world will be more productive in just over two weeks’ time. She has a legion of fans who follow her every move, partly due to her relatively unusual path to the top of her sport. Originally a hunter/jumper rider on the US circuit, the 50-year-old from Burbank in California has honed a tremendous partnership with the 11-year-old Dutch-bred gelding Zamiro which she has had since he was five. Together they collected all their points at Californian venues including Del Mar, Rancho Murieta and Thermal. Artes previously qualified for the FEI World Cup™ Final in 2007 but didn’t compete. This time around she has every intention of giving it her best shot.
Karl Cook was only 23 years old when competing at the 2013 Final at Gothenburg. He lined out at seven events in the North American West Coast League this season, and his third-place finish was boosted by maximum points at round six in Thermal last October, and 17 points at the following leg in Las Vegas.
Fellers and the 19-year-old stallion Flexible took the sport by storm when winning the coveted trophy at ‘s-Hertogenbosch in The Netherlands three years ago. This horse has experienced so many come-backs from illness and injury during his career that he has long been a legend, and together with his 55-year-old rider he will have huge support when the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Final gets underway in Las Vegas on 15 April.
The Irish sprang something of a surprise when a team of first-time horses, that also included a rider making his Nations Cup debut, pipped superstar sides from the USA and Canada in the first leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 series at Ocala, USA today.
In a competition that was very much a game of two halves, the winners stamped their authority in the early stages with four fantastic clears. And although they came under pressure second time out, they held on to win thanks to rock-solid performances from Kevin Babington and Conor Swail.
It was left to Swail to clinch it in the closing stages, and he did it in considerable style with his attractive nine-year-old stallion, Grafton.
The USA had to settle for runner-up spot while Canada and Columbia shared third place. And, in the field of six nations, it was the Venezuelans who finished fifth ahead of Mexico in sixth place. However only Canada, USA and Mexico were chasing points in today’s class which was the first of three North America, Central America and Caribbean qualifiers for the Furusiyya Final at Barcelona in September. After today’s result, the Americans hold the lead going into the next round which will be held at Coapexpan, Mexico on 24 April.
Great praise
New to the Furusiyya circuit, the HITS showground at Ocala drew great praise today, and course designer, Germany’s Martin Otto, didn’t over-stretch them with the height of the fences in the first round during which 16 of the 24 starters stayed clear.
The penultimate triple combination however was the bogey of the competition, and both the USA’s pathfinders, Lauren Hough with Ohlala, and their third-line partnership of Laura Kraut with her great grey, Cedric, ran into problems at this one to leave the host country looking vulnerable at the halfway stage.
There was a three-way tie at the top of the order as round two began with Canada, Columbia and Ireland on a zero score followed by Venezuela and USA carrying four each while Mexico already trailed with 12 on the board. And with 16 more to add, the Mexicans would make no progress.
Not improved
Only six horse-and-rider combinations kept a clean sheet at their second attempt, and as round two got underway, home chances were not improved when Hough lowered the vertical at fence two. Georgina Bloomberg had a great day, producing two fabulous clears from her mare, Juvina, but Kraut found herself in trouble again at the triple combination. First time out, Cedric couldn’t find his stride to the opening triple bar, but this time he seemed to panic after clearing the following planks and attempted to go on a single stride, instead of two, to the third element where it all went seriously wrong, leaving them with a second-round tally of 15 faults.
The Venezuelans slipped off the radar with 12 to add despite a great double-clear from anchors Pablo Barrios and Antares, but the Columbians and Canadians also began to lose their grip. Columbia’s fourth-line partnership of Roberto Teran Tafur with Woklahoma were again foot-perfect, but one of the double-errors from Juan Pablo Betancourt (Troya Retiro) and Ilan Bluman (Exacto LS) had to be counted along with the mistake made by pathfinder Daniel Bluman (Conconcreto Apardi) at the water. Not one horse faulted at the water in the first round, but there were several second time out.
Dressage world number one Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) and Valegro claimed double gold at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy (FRA). (FEI/Arnd Bronkhorst)
Into a muddle
And it was here that Yann Candele and Showgirl got into a muddle, the mare scrambling for a stride that wasn’t there, and never getting airborne. When that was followed by a 12-fault score from Tiffany Foster and Verdi lll, and the legendary Ian Miller’s gelding, Dixon, also got his feet wet, then Eric Lamaze’s single mistake with Zigali PS in the middle of the triple combination would leave the Columbians and Canadians on 12 faults apiece.
Meanwhile a great double-clear from the last-line US duo of Beezie Madden and Simon put the pressure on Ireland’s Swail. The Irish second-round effort began with eight faults for Darragh Kenny and Picolo, and when Lorcan Gallagher followed with an unlucky foot on the tape at the water with Diktator v/d Boslandhoeve then Babington’s second clear with the busy mare, Shorapur, was badly needed.
With the American score now standing at eight faults, Swail knew a single mistake would lead to a jump-off as he arrived in the ring, but he showed incredible cool despite the inexperience of his horse, skillfully steering the young stallion home to clinch it with a four-fault final total.
Conor Swail and Grafton clinched victory for Ireland in the opening leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 series at Ocala, Florida (USA) today. (FEI/Anthony Trollope)
Great result
“On paper the US were very strong and the Canadians had their WEG team here, so this was a great result!”, the Irishman said afterwards. “It was my horse’s first Nations Cup and it was same for Kevin’s, and it was Lorcan’s first time to ride a Nations Cup while Darragh Kenny was on his speed horse!” he added.
Gallagher is relatively unknown in his native Ireland, but the 23-year-old from County Down, who had never before competed in a team at any level of the sport, has been based with Shane Sweetnam at Spy Coast Farm in Florida for the last few years. Sweetnam loaned him the horse for today’s competition, and he more than justified the faith placed in him by both the horse’s usual rider and Irish Chef d’Equipe, Robert Splaine. “I grew up watching Robert ride, and it’s a dream being here!” Gallagher said today.
Babington talked about his feisty mare, Shorapur. “She is such a fighter, I’m so proud of her to jump clear twice in her first FEI Nations Cup. She always comes right back and fights for the next jump every single time” he said.
Swail pointed out that although he and his team-mates were not favorites to win today, he said “we came here to try and do a good job. Our horses jumped well and we handled everything that came at us”. He continued, “I knew a good first round would help us win in the second round. When you ride a good horse and jump a nice first round, it’s all about carrying the momentum and keeping your cool”.
Reigning champion, Germany’s Daniel Deusser, will be in action at the opening leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League series at Oslo in Norway next Sunday. (FEI/Arnd Bronkhorst)
Not the easiest of days
It wasn’t the easiest of days for the home team, as US Chef d’Equipe, Robert Ridland, pointed out. “Georgina and Beezie got us out of some deep trouble” he said. “At this early stage in the season it is difficult to really hit the ground running, and some interesting things can happen. We would have liked to have won, but we got maximum points which is all that matters.”
The Americans did indeed achieve their objective, pipping Canada for top points in this first leg in their region. But the Columbians had plenty to be proud of today too. Holding their own alongside a star-filled Canadian side, Daniel Bluman, his cousin Ilan Bluman, Juan Pablo Betancourt and Roberto Teran Tafur demonstrated the essence of the Furusiyya series which has opened up the sport of Nations Cup Jumping as never before, encouraging the development of athletes and horses from so many diverse nations across the globe.
6. Mexico 28 faults: Caressini L (Luis Alejandro Plascancia) 13/DNS, Jumex Sport Archimdes (Sofia Larrea B) 4/8, Bariano (Eugenio Garza Perez) 0/4, Barbaro (Nicolas Pizarro) 8/4.
Facts and Figures:
Ocala in Florida presented the first competition of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 series today.
The event was the first of three qualifiers to be staged in the North America, Central America and Caribbean League.
The next leg in this region will take place in Coapexpan, Mexico on 24 April.
Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping qualifying events will take place in four regions – Europe Division 1 & Europe Division 2, North America, Central America & Caribbean and Middle East.
6 countries lined out in today’s competition, with just three – Canada, Mexico and USA – eligible for qualifying points towards the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final 2015 which will be staged in Barcelona, Spain from 24 to 27 September 2015.
15 horse-and-rider combinations jumped clear in the first round, including all four members of the Irish team.
The second leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 series will take place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates next Thursday, 19 February 2015.
Quotes:
Robert Splaine, Irish Chef d’Equipe: “The footing was great and the course designer did a great job. The second round was significantly harder, there is no doubt about that.
We have a lot of Irish riders based over here in the US, with great owners. I am always looking to broaden our base of riders so I come here quite often. It’s been a great competition today in a fantastic venue. These horses are unknown at this level, so if I can get 1 or 2 of them to come to Europe and jump in Division 1 that would be great. I would like to mention Lorcan (Gallagher) who did an absolutely fantastic job, he was the man of the match!
We have already agreed that we would love to come back here to Ocala next year to compete!”
Georgina Bloomberg USA, talking about her mare, Juvina who jumped double-clear in today’s competition: “We have been saving her for this competition. She is a very reliable horse, she loves the Nations Cup. I thought she did great today!”
Conor Swail IRL, talking about his horse, Grafton: “he’s just turned nine. I was off last year for a bit (injury) but when I came back I jumped him in Calgary and then to Dublin where he did some speed classes. He started his nine-year-old year coming second in the Grand Prix at week 1 of the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, it was a 1.45m class, and he has impressed me a lot so far this year. He’s a lovely horse and when his time comes he’s going to feature on a lot of teams. His owners, Susan and Ariel Grange, have played in big part in my success.”
Tom Struzzieri, Event Director: “We were excited to get this opportunity at HITS. Longines and Furusiyya make it so much easier to put this all together with all their support. We are happy with the results, although there are always things to improve, naturally.”
John Madden, Chair FEI Jumping Committee: Congratulations to team Ireland and well done to Martin for building such a great course. Thank you to Ocala for being such a wonderful city and host – they were extremely welcoming and professional. A special thank you and well done to Tom (Event Director) and the rest of his staff; they were really great to work with. I also have to thank the USEF – they are a great FEI partner and an important stakeholder to HITS. I also want to extend my thanks to Furusiyya for their vision and commitment towards continuously building something special. The FEI Nations Cup™ is the most important event to the FEI. For Furusiyya to come in and revamp the format whilst always focusing on the horse in everything they do is absolutely key.”
Robert Ridland, USA Chef d’Equipe: “There were already some odd things happening with Lauren’s horse in the warm-up arena, these things happen. It’s very difficult to understand as the footing was great, the weather was good and a lot was riding on the competition but these things can happen.” s
Standings in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 North America, Central America and Caribbean League after Round 1 at Ocala, Florida (USA):
1. USA – 100
2. Canada – 90
3. Mexico – 80
For further information on the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping series check out this link
“Furusiyya” (Arabic: فروسيه) this single Arabic word conveys so much, embracing the idea of horsemanship, chivalry, and equestrian knowledge in general. The term is a derivation of faris, or horseman and faras, a horse.
Longines has been based at Saint-Imier (SUI) since 1832. Its watchmaking expertise reflects a strong devotion to Elegance, Tradition and Performance. It has generations of experience as the official timekeeper at world championships and as a partner of international sports federations. Longines’ passion for equestrian sports began in 1878, when a timepiece was made with a horse and jockey engraved on the watch face. Over the years, the brand has built strong and long-lasting links with equestrian sports. In 1912, for the first time, the brand was involved as timekeeper for a show jumping event in Portugal.
Today, Longines’ involvement in equestrian sports includes jumping, endurance and flat racing. Longines is a member of The Swatch Group S.A., the world’s leading manufacturer of horological products. With an excellent reputation for creating refined timepieces, the brand, whose emblem is the winged hourglass, has outlets in over 140 countries.
The first qualifier of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 season will take place at the Ocala CSIO4* in Florida, USA on Friday 13 February, attracting a field of six teams.
The starting order, which was determined by a draw held in Ocala yesterday, will be as follows:
Canada, Mexico and USA will be eligible for Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping points in The North and Central America & Caribbean League.
The Netherlands’ team celebrate victory in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2014 Final in Barcelona, Spain tonight. (L to R), HRH Prince Faisal of Saudi Arabia and Dutch team members Jeroen Dubbeldam, Gerco Schroder, Chef d’Equipe Rob Ehrens, Maikel van der Vleuten and Jur Vrieling. (FEI/Dirk Caremans)
Friday’s competition will begin at 13.00 EST (local time in Florida, GMT-5 hours) and will be broadcast live on FEI TV, the FEI’s official online video platform.
The FEI is providing a wide range of online information resources in connection with the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping.
At the turn of the year, Olympic sailors took to Instagram, posting a picture that states ‘2013 was practice, 2014 was the warm up, 2015 is game time.’
With Rio qualification regattas, national trials and a testing ISAF Sailing World Cup circuit throughout the year the heat is on. And at 10:00 local time on Monday 26 January, 2015’s ‘game time’ begins with the sounding of the starter’s gun at ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami, Presented by Sunbrella.
More than 800 sailors from 63 nations racing across ten Olympic and three Paralympic events will light up Miami, Florida’s glorious Biscayne Bay. With ISAF Sailing World Cup Final Abu Dhabi qualification spots and valuable ranking points available the game will heat up in the sunshine state.
Historically the Laser has always been the largest fleet in Miami and that is no exception to 2015 with a strong contingent of international sailors making up the 120 boat fleet.
2015 is a key year for many competitors with Rio 2016 Olympic qualification regattas fast approaching. For American Laser sailors the 2016 edition of the regatta will be their first internal qualification event, but the highest ranked American sailor, Charlie Buckingham at World #11, will want to lay down a marker one year in advance.
“Miami is always an important event for me personally,” said Buckingham, “so I am happy it serves as part of the OIympic trials. This year I will be aiming to perform my best at this event as I have in years past and as I will next year.
“I’ve had roughly two months of preparation, both training and racing, after a pretty big break post-Santander. This year is the strongest I’ve ever seen the fleet since I’ve done the regatta. Everyone will be here.”
Buckingham has been a familiar face in Miami, competing at the regatta a consecutive seven times from 2008. As one of 16 American sailors within the strong Miami fleet a performance that mirrors his third place in 2013 will leave him in a good place in advance of his national trials.
The Laser fleet is jam packed with talent from World Champions to Olympic medallists, all of whom are aiming for an Abu Dhabi ISAF Sailing World Cup Final slot. World #1 Tom Burton (AUS) sealed his spot at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne so the pressure is off, but the determined Aussie will have his eyes on the prize after narrowly missing out on a Miami podium in 2014.
World #2 Robert Scheidt (BRA) will make his first international appearance since Santander 2014 in Miami whilst defending champion Tonci Stipanovic (CRO) will also return.
With 22 of the world’s top 25 Lasers heading to Miami, the competition will be one of the most hotly contested in recent times.
The Laser Radial fleet will see 80 competitors lock horns. World #1 and 2014 World Champion Marit Bouwmeester (NED) will be joined by World #2 and 2014 Abu Dhabi ISAF Sailing World Cup Champion Evi Van Acker (BEL) as well as Melbourne gold medallist Alison Young (GBR).
Paige Railey (USA) will attempt to take the title for the third year in a row whilst Railey’s ever improving compatriot, Erika Reineke, will be aiming to move up from her ninth place at the 2014 regatta.
The Men’s RS:X is set to be an exceptional competition with the leading racers making the trip to Miami.
In amongst a sea of experienced competitors is a young Frenchman who is mixing it up at the top. Louis Giard (FRA) picked up gold at the inaugural ISAF Sailing World Cup Final in Abu Dhabi and heads to Miami fully fired up with confidence sky high, “That put me in a good place and gave me a lot of motivation for 2015,” said Giard. “It was my first win in the senior fleet and it helped me a lot to look forward and to try to do the same in upcoming events.”
Giard put in a performance worthy of a champion in Abu Dhabi but knows he still has a lot to prove, “It would be good for me to show that Abu Dhabi was not a surprise. My goal is just to do the best I can. I have never been in Miami so it will be a bit new for me but it was the same in Abu Dhabi. A podium could be a good start for 2015 but my training is not at the top at the moment but I will try to do the best start for 2015.”
Like Buckingham in the Laser, Giard has an eye on his Olympic trials and just like the American he wants to put a good show on in Miami, “I’m expecting tough competition, as usual. Everybody wants to win and once again it will be the first event of the year for everybody. Miami is the best way to prepare for the ISAF Sailing World Cup in Hyères which will be the first step of the Rio trials.”
Giard’s compatriots Pierre Le Coq and Thomas Goyard will join him in Miami. As will World #1 Byron Kokkalanis (GRE), World #2 Ricardo Santos (BRA) and London 2012 Olympic gold medallist Dorian van Rijsselberge (NED).
Miami will also see a high level Women’s RS:X fleet take to the water. Bryony Shaw (GBR) started 2014 by taking the Miami title and wrapped the year up by claiming the Women’s RS:X ISAF Sailing World Cup Final title in Abu Dhabi. She will be gunning for another great start to her year in Miami.
Joining the Briton in the fleet will be World #1 Flavia Tartaglini (ITA), World #3 Laura Linares (ITA) and London 2012 Olympic gold medallist Marina Alabau (ESP).
ISAF Sailing World Cup Final Abu Dhabi gold medallists Alex Maloney and Molly Meech (NZL) will sail in a highly competitive fleet that features 2014 World Champions and 2014 ISAF Rolex World Sailors of the Year Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze (BRA).
The Kiwis will be competing in a single fleet of 40 teams and will have to be on top form, ensuring mistakes are at a minimum, “It is exciting to have a smaller fleet here in Miami,” commented Meech, “as it will let us sail against the top girls the whole regatta rather than just through the final days. It will make the racing more exciting overall.
Maloney and Meech touched down in Miami early last week to compete at the 49erFX Midwinters where they finished three points off Grael and Kunze and Meech has liked what she’s seen, “So far Miami has given us good conditions. We were coming over here expecting light winds the whole time, but it looks like we are going to get a mixture which will be nice.”
World #2 Ida Marie Nielsen and Marie Thusgaard Olsen (DEN) will be within the Miami fleet, as will World #3 Charlotte Dobson and Sophie Ainsworth (GBR) and World #4 Giulia Conti and Francesca Clapcich (ITA).
The 49er will also throw out some exciting competition with strong British, Canadian, Spanish, French, Italian and American teams in the mix. Other contenders include ISAF Sailing World Cup Final gold medallists Lukasz Przybytek and Pawel Kolodzinski (POL), Ryan Seaton and Matthew McGovern (IRL), Erik Heil and Thomas Ploessel (GER) and returning champions Jonas Warrer and Anders Thomsen (DEN).
Racing commences on Monday 26 January through to Saturday 31 January. Competitors in the Paralympic events will have five days of fleet racing from Monday 26 to Friday 30. Medal Races across the ten OIympic events will bring the regatta to a close on Saturday 31 where medals will be awarded to the top three boats.
The ITF has announced that the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group play-off tie between Israel and Argentina will be hosted by the Israel Tennis Association (ITA) at the Sunrise Tennis Club in Sunrise, Florida, USA on 12-14 September.
The neutral venue was proposed by the ITA, who retained choice of ground after the tie was unable to be staged in Israel. The venue has been approved by the Davis Cup Committee subject to a successful ITF site visit. The tie will be played on outdoor hard court.
A total of eight World Group play-off ties will be held on 12-14 September, alongside the two World Group semifinals between France and Czech Republic in Paris, and Switzerland and Italy in Geneva.
Davis Cup by BNP Paribas is the World Cup of Tennis. It is the largest annual international team competition in sport, with 122 nations taking part in 2014.
The competition is 114 years old having been founded in 1900. The title sponsor is BNP Paribas, the Official Bank of Davis Cup. International sponsors are Rolex (Official Timekeeper) Adecco (Official HR Sponsor) and NH Hotels (Official Hotel), while Wilson Sporting Goods (Official Ball) is an international partner.
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