The Olympic medal hopes of the San Diego sailing tandem of Tim Wadlow and Chris Rast were dashed yesterday before the start of the final race of the 49er class in Qingdao, China.
Wadlow and Rast, who sail out of Southwestern Yacht Club, were ranked sixth going into the medal race but had won three times in the 12-race series that led up to the finale.
Just before the start of the medal race, the jib sheet block on their high-performance skiff broke. Wadlow and Rast were able to make repairs, but the block pulled off the rail a second time shortly after the start.
Skipper Wadlow and crewman Rast repaired the block a second time and finished the race, but not in time to be scored among the official finishers.
Because of protests, the final results in the 49er class will not be posted until today. But Wadlow and Rast are out of medal consideration.
San Diego's Andrew Campbell stands 19th with three races to go in the single-handed Laser class after being one of six boats black-flagged yesterday for being over the start line before the gun was fired. San Diego's Graham Biehl is crewing for Stu McNay, who is ranked 13th in the 470 class.
Nine hydros committed
Nine boats have committed to running in the Sept. 19-21 Unlimited Hydroplane race on Mission Bay. But the entry list could number 11 for the finale of the six-race season.
Leading the fleet will be defending race champion Steve David and the U-6 Oh Boy Oberto and 2007 series champion Dave Villwock and the U-1 Ellstrom's Elam Plus.
David leads the driver and boat standings this season. Villwock's team missed the first three races of the season.
Villwock has 56 career wins, the third-highest total in the history of the sport to Bill Muncey (62) and Chip Hanauer (61).
Davis will be seeking to clinch his first Unlimited season championship on Mission Bay.
Besides the U-1 and U-6, other confirmed entries for San Diego are: U-3 (Cooper Racing, Jimmy King driver), U-5 Formulaboats.com I (Jeff Bernard), U-7 Formulaboats.com (Mike Allen), U-10 Miss Ahern Rentals (David Bryant), U-13 Graham Trucking (J. Michael Kelly), U-25 Superior Racing (Dr. Ken Muscatel) and U-100 Mirageboats.com (Greg Hopp).
Sailing clinic planned
San Diego's award-winning Challenged America program for disabled sailors will take on a new challenge Sept. 28-Oct. 3 when it serves as host for the Veteran Administration's inaugural National Summer Sports Clinic.
Now Challenged America founder and director Urban Miyares is seeking volunteers and support to make the clinic successful. The event is expected to host more than 100 recently disabled veterans.
Miyares already received almost $6,000 in seed funding from the 18th annual Wooden Boat Festival held in June.
“I couldn't believe it. We received $5,811 in proceeds from food sales, the swap meet, shirt sales and Dennis Conner's book signing,” Miyares said. “All of it benefited the clinic. This is the third year the Wooden Boat Festival has benefited sailors with disabilities.”
Seeking title
San Diego resident
Mitsuhiro Iwamoto is in Newport, R.I., this week skippering a boat in the Blind Sailing National Championships.
“I am the helmsman of a team from Massachusetts this year, but I am hoping to put together an all-San Diego team for the Blind World Championships next year,” Iwamoto said.
The Blind Sailing Nationals start today and conclude Saturday.
Bill Center: (619) 293-1851; bill.center@uniontrib.com
