This is the first of only 4 grade 1 events on the 470 Class schedule for 1999. With this win the Foerster/Merrick team rapidly climbs the ranking list in the International 470 Class - they are now ranked seventh in the world, up from ninth before French Olympic Sail Week.
Foerster and teammate Bob Merrick started off the year with some bad luck at the 1999 470 Worlds in Melbourne, Australia. They failed to make the Gold fleet when their centerboard gasket came off during the last day of qualifying races. A missing gasket seriously hurts the speed of a 470.
Hoping for better luck and a new start with stand-in teammate, Jonathan Farrar, Paul started a European Tour with more bad luck when they were forced to sit out the Ansio Eurolymp Regatta in March because their boat was stuck in customs after being shipped from Australia.
Once the boat was released, Paul and Jonathan got going by placing 12th in the Princess Sofia Regatta (a grade 2 event with 86 boats attending). This was followed by a 2nd place finish at the International Spring Cup (another grade 2 event with 80 boats racing).
Paul and Bob were reunited for the first grade 1 regatta of the year, Semaine Olympique Francaise ç (French Olympic Sailing Week). The team will continue to hone their skills on the race course and work toward being the best 470 team in the world when they attend the US 470 National regatta next week in Seabrook, Texas. The US 470 Nationals are a pre-Olympic qualifier for the the 1999 Pre-Olympic Regatta in Sydney, Australia in September 1999.
Foerster is an Olympic silver medallist from the 1992 Olympic Games where he sailed a Flying Dutchman. He and Merrick are working toward a gold medal at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.
For more information:
Check out the Team 2000 USA web page www.rcyc.org/Team_2000
Contact: Carrie Foerster @ 972-203-9190, or
Team_2000@rcyc.org