The trials, which were held in Long Beach, Calif., consisted of 16 races in eight days. While Hall led for the early portion of the competition, Rios won six races in a row and carried a slight lead into the final day's two races. Hall won the first race, but the second was marred by a collision shortly after the start.
In her complaint, Rios said her sail was torn during the collision. Two of the three initial jurors witnessed the crash but did not see the tear in the sail until after the race. Hall crossed the finish line first and was under the impression that her ticket to the Beijing Olympics had been stamped. As she celebrated, though, Rios was formally protesting the race.
In her redress filing, Rios claimed the tear in her sail adversely affected her, and when presented with the damaged sail, which had an 8- to 10-inch gash, the jury agreed.
According to US Sailing rules, redress is awarded when "a boat's finishing place in a race or series has, through no fault of her own, been significantly made worse." When Hall returned home to Annapolis, she filed for her own redress but was denied because the deadline had passed.
"Ms. Hall had the opportunity to seek review of this determination shortly after the jury decided to award redress, but did not do so within the time limit applicable to this race, " Ingram's statement said. "Since that time Ms. Hall has amassed a sizeable legal team, rules advisors and public relations consultants in a multi-faceted effort to change the final score in the Trials regatta. Included in this campaign is the suggestion that the jury may have made a `clear error' based on a handful of photographs of the clear, mylar sail, photographs they recently submitted to the United States Olympic Committee. Some of these photos show evidence of a tear in the sail, but Ms. Hall's counsel refuse to acknowledge that is the case."
Hall has been navigating the legal channels to win back her spot on the Olympic team. An arbitration hearing is scheduled for May in California, at which time Hall is expected to contend that she wasn't afforded due process.
Rios and Hall continue to train for the Olympics.
"In my mind, I never really lost," Hall told The Sun last month.
rick.maese@baltsun.com
