With their ponytails flapping and their American flag spinnaker billowing in the breeze, Paris Henken and Helena Scutt sped across Guanabara Bay and became the first U.S. crew to win a race at the Rio Olympics regatta.
Henken, of Coronado, California, and Scutt, of Kirkland, Washington, jumped into the lead at the start and flawlessly sailed their 49erFX skiff around the course to win the fifth race of the series Saturday.
"It was definitely something that we wanted to do, and was in the back of our minds, like, `Oh, we should win a race in the Olympics,"' Henken said. "When it was actually happening, it was very exciting and we're just very happy."
Henken and Scutt are in their first Olympics, as is the 49erFX, which is similar to the men's 49er.
The Americans are ninth overall with six races to sail before the medals race, 18 points out of podium position.
The United States is trying to avoid a second straight Olympic sailing whitewash. The Americans failed to medal at London in 2012, the first time that happened since 1936.
Until Saturday, the best finish for the United States in any class in Rio was second.
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Also Saturday, American Caleb Paine of San Diego got a boost when his Race 6 disqualification was overturned. That means he jumps from 15th to seventh with two races to go before the medals race. Britain's Giles Scott continues to lead the Finn fleet.
