Ainslie drops a fourth

The British Gold medallist's run of consecutive bullets comes to an end at the Finn Europeans

Ben Ainslie relentless string of bullets at the Finn European Championship in Kalmar, Sweden came to a close today when he scored a fourth - however having six races Ainslie is able to discard this result. With 19 points separating Ainslie from his nearest competitor, Greece's Emilios Papathanasiou and two races left to go, Ainslie may win the regatta tomorrow without having to sail the final race.

Today's race was won by Slovenia's Gasper Vincec who is now third one point behind the Greek sailor but this was after a tense finish with four boats simultaneously closing on the finish line.

For race six the wind finally settled in Kalmar, providing the sailors with great conditions. Increasing from 12 to 15 knots, the breeze was stable and after three general recalls racing started under Black flag .The Oscar flag, displayed on the second run allowed the sailors to pump on the waves and sail more freely.

First around the top mark was the Czech Republic's Michael Maier closely followed by Dane Jonas Hoegh-Christensen and Emilios Papathanasiou. Ainslie at this stage was in 9th position.

As on previous days, the right side of the course was again favoured. The run allowed
the regatta leaders to get ahead of the fleet, the lead changing constantly between the top four. The battle intensified on the last run between this same four who sailed neck to neck, Ainslie was protecting the inside of the course while Vincec positioned himself on the right side. The Slovenian gained enough ground to take the lead just a few meters only from the finishing line. Vincec is continuing his good performance form after winning Kiel Week.

While Ainslie leads the Finn Europeans by a convincing margin there are still six sailors within eight points of Papathanasiou, all of them still capable of landing themselves a podium position.

Croatia's Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic is still leading the Junior’s rankings in 15th position after
collecting 21 points. The USA's Zach Railey is the best Junior performer today with a 16th place. The American is placing 19th in the Championship.

Two races are scheduled for Saturday.

Results

Pos	Helm	Sail No	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Net
1	Ben Ainslie	GBR-3	1	1	1	1	1	4	5
2	Papathanasiou Emilios	GRE-7	22	2	9	2	9	2	24
3	Gasper Vincec	SLO-5	11	4	4	5	39	1	25
4	Rafael Trujillo	ESP-100	5	6	5	16	6	5	27
5	Jonas Høgh-Christensen (1981)	DEN-2	9	7	3	6	42	3	28
6	Marin Misura	CRO-25	7	3	6	14	5	8	29
7	Dan Slater	NZL-14	2	35	2	13	2	13	32
8	Peer Moberg	NOR-1	4	17	14	8	11	37	54
9	Olexiy Borysov	UKR-1	18	42	7	12	8	10	55
10	Waclaw Szukiel	POL-12	12	15	8	3	19	28	57
11	Edward Wright	GBR-111	13	14	20	4	23	6	57
12	Daniel Birgmark	SWE-11	6	5	13	17	16	19	57
13	Søren Holm	DEN-7	48	10	19	9	14	9	61
14	Vladimir Krutskikh	RUS-1	3	33	10	26	7	18	64
15	Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic (1984)	CRO-524	8	25	12	15	10	21	66
16	Michael Maier	CZE-1	31	21	18	32	3	11	84
17	Chris Brittle	GBR-541	29	8	BFD	31	12	7	87
18	Bruno Ismael	FRA-972	19	11	28	22	25	14	91
19	Zach Railey	USA-4	27	30	32	7	13	16	93
20	Johan Tillander	SWE-736	30	26	21	18	22	12	99
21	Michal Hrubý	CZE-9	21	13	17	25	24	31	100
22	Matt Howard	GBR-550	38	12	15	19	36	22	104
23	Thomas Laursen	DEN-9	OCS	36	16	35	4	24	115
24	Pablo Arrarte Elorza	ESP-310	50	34	11	28	21	23	117
25	Josh Beaver	AUS-228	15	22	26	10	46	BFD	119
26	Stefan de Vries	NED-6	17	27	34	11	38	33	122
27	Anthony Nossiter	AUS-221	26	19	31	36	55	15	127
28	Tapio Nirkko	FIN-216	14	24	DNS	33	32	25	128
29	Norbert Wilandt	POL-17	32	28	23	23	30	39	136
30	Aaron O'Grady	IRL-10	33	16	55	21	26	43	139
31	Rafal Szukiel	POL-7	43	23	38	24	20	34	139
32	Wietze Zetzema	NED-64	42	38	25	30	40	17	150
33	Raudaschl Florian	AUT-271	55	41	22	20	37	32	152
34	André Budzien	GER-711	16	40	50	39	28	30	153
35	Emil Tomasevic	CRO-16	20	20	BFD	55	33	29	157
36	Sander E. Willems	NED-80	41	44	35	27	35	20	158
37	Edward Greig	GBR-625	52	9	BFD	46	15	38	160
38	Rudolf Lidaøík	CZE-3	36	47	33	29	17	48	162
39	Albert Vadell	ESP-836	DNF	18	54	42	27	27	168
40	Mark Andrews	GBR-88	35	29	43	40	31	41	176
41	Armando Battaglia	ITA-25	10	51	46	54	18	DNS	179
42	Dragutsis Alexandros	GRE-8	34	49	30	50	34	42	189
43	Karel van Hellemond	NED-41	23	32	39	57	56	44	194
44	Riccardo Cordovani	ITA-101	25	37	DNS	43	63	26	194
45	Timothy Goodbody	IRL-5	24	48	49	38	59	36	195
46	Matthias Bohn	GER-174	44	39	27	51	66	45	206
47	Bjorn Smit	SWE-31	39	50	36	63	43	49	217
48	Peter Lovas	HUN-11	28	46	59	49	45	50	218
49	Krzysztof Dabkowski	POL-71	47	45	48	41	47	40	220
50	Davourlis Panagiotis	GRE-71	49	66	29	56	41	47	222
51	Anders Nilsson	SWE-41	53	31	56	47	57	35	222
52	Kenneth Bøggild	DEN-231	58	43	24	53	69	51	229
53	Sebastian Munck	GER-108	51	53	41	61	29	56	230
54	Bartek Szydlowski	POL-41	37	56	44	44	52	DNF	233
55	Gaszton Pál	HUN-6	45	52	42	45	49	55	233
56	Piotr Mazur	POL-45	46	60	37	48	51	BFD	242
57	Pierre-Alexis Ponsot (1975)	FRA-9	61	55	BFD	34	58	53	261
58	Olof Lundqvist	SWE-739	56	68	45	37	65	58	261
59	Günter O. Hoffmann	GER-150	40	64	DNS	58	60	46	268
60	Stefan Fagerlund	SWE-734	62	59	52	52	53	57	273
61	Richard Hart	GBR-631	63	67	51	64	44	52	274
62	Andrea Bianchi	ITA-27	59	54	53	DNF	62	54	282
63	Jesper Petersen	DEN-218	64	57	47	59	61	DNS	288
64	Andreas Bollongino	GER-19	70	58	58	62	54	61	293
65	Henk de Jager	NED-11	66	63	40	60	67	BFD	296
66	Cisbani Paolo	ITA-892	60	62	60	68	64	59	305
67	Barthel Uwe	GER-262	67	71	62	67	50	62	308
68	Francesco Faggiani	ITA-903	65	61	DNS	65	48	DNS	313
69	Márton Beliczay	HUN-8	68	65	57	66	68	60	316
70	Gautschi Thomas	SUI-496	57	69	61	71	73	63	321
71	Frank Westendorf	GER-37	54	72	63	72	71	65	325
72	Detlev Guminski	GER-92	69	70	DNS	70	72	64	345
73	David Guminski	GER-12	71	73	DNS	69	70	66	349