Olympic Games 1996

Update on Friday's Unofficial Practice Races

Thirteen official boats, three television camaera boats, two television helicopters, and a Coast Guard cutter...all for three sail boats.

That was the scene on Bravo Course of the Olympic Yachting Regatta on the second last day of unofficial practice races, with two-thirds of the athletes off to Atlanta for the Opening Ceremony of the Centennial Games.

With the exclusion zone now in force around the Olympic sailing course area, all the shrimp boats were gone, as were the baech boats, with one exception of the Russians.

But then, the only sailboats out on Wassaw Sound today who fronted up for the unofficial practice were the Russian, the Estonian and an unmarked 470, at least enough boats to give thankful officials practice in setting a course and for another run therough starting procedures in an unexpected light land breeze coming down the Wilmington River.

Overhead, two official television camera helicopters hovered to film the three-boat race, while three large camera boats moved slowly in their wake.

On the horizon, a Coast Guard cutter patrolled to ensure no unauthorized craft entered the exclusion zone -- but that didn't keep out a jet ski which gave a smaller police boat a merry chase near the Day Marina.

The only Olympic yachting teams out sailing today were the Russian 470, Soling, Finn, Tornado and Mistral sailboards, the Finn sailor from Croatia, and the Chinese Mistral competitors. They elected to spend more time on the water than the bus trip to Atlanta for the Opening Ceremony.

Mid afternoon a short-lived rain squall swept across the course area, with several 40 knot gusts which at one stage threatened to sweep the unsecured Greek Laser dinghy and it's trailer off the Day Marina. Out on the course, the strong winds capsized the 470s but they were quicly righted by the crews as the squall swept out to sea.

Final unofficial practice races are scheduled for tomorrow on all four Olympic course areas for the ten classes but with most of the athletes not returning from the Opening Ceremony at Atlanta until early tomorrow morning, there may again be a small showing on the racing area.

The Yachting Regatta of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics will officially get underway on Sunday with an official practice race for all classes.

On Monday the first two of 11 races to decide the yachting medals are scheduled for all classes except the 470 dinghy double-handed classes for men and women where the racing will start on Wednesday.