Paige Railey Wins Second Sailing World Championship

[Bradley]

USA’S PAIGE RAILEY WINS SECOND
SAILING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE IN 2005​

Fortaleza, Brazil (December 12, 2005) – 18-year-old Paige Railey (Clearwater, Fla.) has won her second sailing World Championship title this year by winning the Laser Radial Women’s World Championship in Fortaleza, Brazil, which ended last Friday. With this win, Railey wraps up an impressive year winning a total of six major international regattas, including the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship, and upholds her #1 spot in the world rankings in the Laser Radial class. In addition to Railey winning the event, two other US Sailing Team-members had impressive results: Anna Tunnicliffe (Plantation, Fla.) finished third in the women’s fleet, while US Sailing Team-member Brad Funk (Plantation, Fla.) finished second in the Open fleet.

In winning the first Laser Radial World title since the class became the Women's Singlehanded Dinghy equipment for the 2008 Olympic Games, Railey shows a maturity beyond her 18 years of age. Despite all her previous successes, the World title really demonstrates that the American is the early pacesetter in the class. In a wide variety of testing conditions from six to 25 knots each day there were difficulties for the experienced fleet. Railey never won a race and only scored three top three places. Quite often she fought her way back from lower positions to achieve consistent single results. The rest of the fleet know they will have to raise their game significantly if they are to beat Railey next August when the Laser Radial World Championships are held at the California Yacht Club in Los Angeles, Calif.

Up next for Paige Railey is finishing up her first semester at the University of Southern Florida and preparing for US SAILING’s Rolex Miami OCR, which will be held January 22-27, 2006.

For complete results from the Laser Radial World Championship, please visit the event website at www.2005laserworlds.com.br.

Paige Railey, Anna Tunnicliffe, and Brad Funk are all members of the 2005 US Sailing Team. Sponsors of the 2005 US Sailing Team are Extrasport, Gill, Harken, Nautica, New England Ropes, Rolex Watch U.S.A., Sperry Top-Sider, Team McLube, Vanguard Sailboats, Vineyard Vines, and Zodiac of North America.

The US Sailing Team is managed by US SAILING, national governing body of the sport. Headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US SAILING’s mission is to encourage participation and promote excellence in sailing in the U.S. US SAILING offers training and education programs, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including the US Sailing Teams and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Teams. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.

 

[gouvernail]

The Paige Railey of Golf Would be Michelle Wie??

Paige should be on the cover of every sailing magazine in the world. She could be our version of Michelle Wie.

Certainly fans do not watch golfers to see them bang a nearly invisible ball around on their TV sets. Fans watch the stars.

 

[gouvernail]

The Paige Railey of tennis would be Maria Sharapova?

Paige Railey should be on the cover of every sailing magazine on the world.
If ISAF wants folks to watch sailing on TV, fans need stars to watch.

 

[bviemma]

Don't forget to give credit to Anna for coming third. It was a really hard regatta and both girls sailed their socks off.
They were also both great off the water and Anna was trying really hard to get other sailors to go to the OCR.
Personally I think you should have Paige, Anna and Brad on the cover of the magazines - three americans in the top three pretty special.

 

[WestCoast]

those girls crushed! nice work!

 

[sailor327]

yah us floridians are good sailors. put it kind of helps that we can sail year round.

 

[rock steady]

Congrats to Paige, I hope she gets the recognition she deserves and lifts the profile of the sport in the USA.

So you guys can sail the little rig, how bout the standard? You didn't seem to have a single sailor in the top 50 at the 2005 worlds?

 

[sailor327]

im just playin around.
You Gotta Problem with the little rig

 

[Wavedancer]

So you guys can sail the little rig, how bout the standard? You didn't seem to have a single sailor in the top 50 at the 2005 worlds?

I believe that Brad Funk and Andrew Campbell are the best prospects right now for the US, but the younger guys at the ongoing Junior Worlds are coming along nicely (as of yesterday). Brad and Andrew didn't sail in the Senior Worlds, but Brad finished second at the Radial Worlds recently .

 

[gouvernail]

So you guys can sail the little rig, how bout the standard? You didn't seem to have a single sailor in the top 50 at the 2005 worlds?

What in tarnation? For a moment I wuz considerin' dragging my dolly down to the Gulf, tossin' a few vittles in the boat and headin' south 'till I found some Aussie varmits so I could deliver a Laser full of Texas Whupass.

Then I looked at the photo below and realized I had already done that...
For the more blind Aussie......... http://cerebus.winsite.com/laser/laser/bendboom.jpg

 

[sailor327]

hahaha that is pretty funny if i say so myself

 

[gouvernail]

On subject. Way to go all you Radial kids!! Great sailing!!

Off subject:

About the photo...

1. Thanks to the sweet lady who took the shot.
2. There is a VERY special thrill in rounding ANY mark first in ANY World Championship, but the country letters on the sail and Eric Faust hooting and tooting the horn on a nearby powerboat made it a goosebump thing.
2. On the next leg I looked back and realized I was being followed closely by nobody from the northern hemisphere. Jack Schlacter is the AUS 007. The NZL is Robin Coutts. Bethwaite ( who was winning the regatta) and Keen from South Africa were also nearby.
I started singing Waltzing Matilda...Loudly and with all the obnoxious I had available. it worked. Those guys can't sail for beans when they are laughing. I also turned too damned fast at the last leeward mark and flew over the other side of the boat.

Wheeeeeee

When I finish enough boats and make enough more dough I will be back for more.

Way to go kids!!!

Fred

 

[Bradley]

I found this website, you may want to stop by and have a look. There are lots of good pictures in the gallery. http://www.paigerailey.com/

I signed up for the email updates and I will keep everyone here informed on her latests news.

Since we are in picture mood, I attached some...

 

[Murphs]

ah, anyone can beat jack schlacter, i do it every second club race

then again, he was probably a bit more in his prime back then

 

[rock steady]

What in tarnation? For a moment I wuz considerin' dragging my dolly down to the Gulf, tossin' a few vittles in the boat and headin' south 'till I found some Aussie varmits so I could deliver a Laser full of Texas Whupass.

Ha ha haa! Just a little joke mate