US SAILING ANNOUNCES TRIAL EVENTS FOR
THE 2007 PAN AMERICAN GAMES

PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (June 20, 2006)- Qualifying regattas to select the sailors who will represent the United States at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, have been announced. US SAILING, the national governing body of the sport, has determined nine trial events, beginning in September 2006 and continuing through March 2007. They will be hosted by several sailing organizations across the United States.

The sailing competition of the 2007 Pan American Games will feature nine events, including three Olympic classes -- Laser (Men), Laser Radial (Women) and RS:X (Men and Women) -- and five non-Olympic, open classes -- Hobie 16, J/24, Lightning, Snipe and Sunfish.

The Pan American Games Trials events for each sailing class are:
-Hobie 16 -- Narragansett, R.I., September 11-15, 2006 (Hobie 16 NAs)
-J/24 -- Tampa, Fla., February 18-21, 2007
-Laser -- Newport, R.I. , October 11-15, 2006
-Laser Radial -- Newport, R.I. , October 11-15, 2006
-RS:X Men -- Long Beach, Calif., October 25-29, 2006
-RS:X Women -- Long Beach, Calif., October 25-29, 2006
-Snipe -- Clearwater, Fla., March 11-13, 2007
-Sunfish -- Sayville, N.Y., September 22-24, 2006


US SAILING's Olympic Sailing Committee (OSC) plans to send the top eligible team, per event, to the Pan American Games, pending qualification. The Pan American Trials are open to sailors eligible to represent the Unites States at the Pan American Games.

A complete overview of the athlete selection procedures, schedule of the Trial events and individual class Web sites for the 2007 Pan American Games is available at: www.ussailing.org/olympics/PanAm.

An estimated 5,500 athletes from 42 countries are expected to compete in 28 sports at the XV Pan American Games, which will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from July 13-29, 2007. The Pan American Games are held every four years, historically one year before the Olympic Games. The first Pan American Games were held in 1951 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

For more information on the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, please visit the event website: www.rio2007.org.br/pan2007/ingles/indexing.asp.


http://www.ussailing.org/pressreleases/2006/pag.htm

Qualification info for Canadians

Hobie 16: 2006 Hobie 16 North American Championships. Top placing Canadian team qualifies to be nominated. If for some reason that team chooses not to attend, then the next closest placing Canadian Team will be selected. The team who qualifies shall be the team who is nominated. Any change to the composition of the team must be approved by the Olympic Development Committee of the Canadian Yachting Association.