Fleets take to the water for the first day of competition at the PanAm Games
Fleets take to the water for the first day of competition at the PanAm Games
In the iQFOiL Men, Ethan Westera from Aruba set out his stall with three bullets and a second. A strong showing for a first day in tricky foiling conditions. In the iQFOiL Women, Mexican Mariana Aguilar Chávez Peón also took away three wins from four races. Only dropping to third in the fourth race.
In the 49erFX skiffs, the Brazilians Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze are just a single point ahead on five from a good day of two wins and a third. Closely followed by Stephanie Roble and Margaret Shea of the USA, who stayed consistent with three second place finishes.
The Uruguayan partnership of Hernan Ricardo Umpierre Odini and Fernando Diz Becerra are two points ahead of the USA on six points in the men’s skiff.
The ILCA 7 fleet only sailed two races, however Puerto Rican Pedro Luis Fernandez Gamboa is top on day one with a first and third. Sitting in second overall is Bruno Fontes Ferreira Da Silva who jumped from a fifth in race one, to a first in race two. He explains his hopes for the regatta.
I’m very happy with my performance because on the first one [race] I was not so good, and I could do a good comeback. I was retired and then I came back again here. I’m 44 years old, so I just enjoy my moment and I hope I’m blessed that in the end I get a medal.’
Canadian Sarah Douglas traded it out for the win in both ILCA 6 races, with best friend and training partner Erika Rose Reineke from the USA.
‘I would love to defend the gold medal, there is no question there. But for me I just want to have fun. You know I’m here, in a kind of no pressure zone, competing with one of your best friends, battling it out. I’m super grateful.’
Today saw the debut of the Formula Kite at the Pan American Games. In the Men’s fleet, Bruno Chaves Costa Lobo Ferreira from Brazil had an almost perfect day with 3 wins on the bounce, however received a DNF in the fourth race. In the Women’s fleet, Argentinian Maria Catalina Turienzo took two wins from four races.
