August 12, 2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Day 5 of the sailing competition at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games was a momentous one, as the RS:X fleets concluded full-fleet competition, the opening races for the Men’s 49er and Women’s 49erFX high-performance skiffs were held, and the Laser, Laser Radial and 470 events entered critical stages. Standout performances for Team USA were delivered by the American Men’s and Women’s 470 teams, and both boats remain firmly in the hunt for the podium.
Pictured: Paris Henken (Coronado, Calif.) and Helena Scutt (Kirkland, Wash.), 49erFX. Photo Credit: Sailing Energy / World Sailing [for US Sailing Team]American skiff athletes got off to a more difficult start than hoped for on the unpredictable “Pao” course nestled underneath Sugarloaf Mountain on Friday. Women’s 49erFX sailors Paris Henken (Coronado, Calif.) and Helena Scutt (Kirkland, Wash.) rose as high as 3rd place in Race 1, but their move towards the left side of the 2nd upwind leg did not pay off, and the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games bronze medalists finished 13th. After a 16th in Race 2, the pair are in 14th overall. In the men’s fleet, Thomas Barrows (St. Thomas, U.S.V.I) and Joe Morris (Annapolis, Md.) stand in 20th overall after the first day. –
Originally from upstate New York, Dani Schwartz has lived in Coronado since 1996. She is happy to call Coronado home and to have raised her children here. In her free time she enjoys reading, exercising, trying new restaurants, and just walking her dog around the "island." Have news to share? Send tips or story ideas to: [email protected]
