Very light in Qingdao

Goodison picks up third Gold for Team GBR, but much tension for the Laser Radials; racing canned for Stars and cats

Qingdao has reverted to its light benign self today with around five knots of breeze.

On Course A it was the turn of the Laser and Laser Radial fleets to hold their Medal races. In the former Paul Goodison, after a decade of trying, finally secured Olympic Gold, after match racing the Swedish sailor around the course. But it was more tense in the Radials with leader Anna Tunnicliffe over at the start and having to recross, along with Britain's Penny Clarke. In the end Tunnicliffe moved back up the fleet to secure Gold for the USA.

Elsewhere the Stars and Tornado were to hold two races. These were started but half way through were canned as the Italians Francesco Marcolini and Edoardo Bianchi were leading in the Tornados and Afonso Domingos and Bernardo Santos (POR) were ahead in the Stars.

The RS:X sailboards were holding their last races prior to their medal race. The situation after these races remains tight, but in particular in the RS:X men where Frenchman Julien Bontemps has taken over the lead but only one point behind are Team GBR's Nick Dempsey and yesterday's leader Kiwi Tom Ashley.

In the RS:X classes, there were two wins for Chinese sailors. However going into tomorrow's medal races points are tight at the top in both classes with British sailboarders Nick Dempsey and Bryony Shaw both with the chance of securing medals.

Laser Radial Medal Race - Tense moments for the US

Compared to the Laser, things were tighter at the top going into today's Laser Radial Medal Race with Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) leading the fleet at the start of the day on 33 points. Volungeviciute (LTU) was in second with 40 points, Xu (CHN) in third with 44 points and Blanck (AUS) in fourth with 54 points. So Tunnicliffe needed to finish inside the top four to be certain of the first Olympic Gold of the regatta for the USA.

Like the Lasers, the Radials were greeted by very light conditions on the Medal course today, though the wind had increased slightly for this second race of the day on course A.

Approaching the start, most of the medal contenders were close together, with a big bunch at the committee boat end. However, Tunnicliffe, who was closest to the committee boat end, and Penny Clark (GBR), who was also in that group, were both over and had to go back to restart. Crucially this meant the American had to pull out all the stops if she was to defend her Gold Medal.

Meanwhile, there was even worse for the American, as both China and Lithuania were looking strong heading out to the right after holding on starboard out of the startline for a couple of minutes. Tunnicliffe went out to the right too and with a third of the beat gone looked like she was clawing her way back into contention. Meanwhile, Xu and Volungeviciute were battling one another up the right of middle.

Nearing the top of the course it was Szotynska (POL) who having played the shifts well slightly left of middle, rounded in first, although she was out of medal contention. Second round was Stayaert (FRA), with Volungeviciute in third and Xu in fourth. Tunnicliffe rounded the windward in eighth position, meaning at the moment Gold would go to Lithuania.

Down the very light run there was no obvious side to choose and much of the fleet stuck to playing the shifts down the middle. The top four remained the same round the mark, but all eyes were on Tunnicliffe to see if she had gained any positions down the run. Disastrously, the American had dropped back to ninth though...

Most of the fleet had selected the left hand side gate mark (looking upwind) and stood on for a while on starboard, before tacking across to the right hand side. Tunnicliffe went further left than the rest of the fleet and halfway up the beat was suddenly looking strong. However, there were a number of boats who had realised the left was coming good and followed her out there.

At the final windward it was Volungeviciute, coming in from the left who led, followed by Australia and amazingly Tunnicliffe, who had gone so far left that she overstood the port layline, then Xu.

Into the final downwind, all Tunnicliffe had to do was remain where she was and she would wrap up the Gold. At the front of the fleet, all Volungeviciute could do was win the race and somehow hope it all went wrong for the American. However, Tunnicliffe was now past Blanck who suddenly had to do penalty turns down the run, moving the American up to second.

Across the line it was Volungeviciute first, Tunnicliffe second, Xu third and Australia fourth. Home and dry for Tunnicliffe with America winning their first sailing Gold of the regatta, while Lithuania won their first medal in sailing ever (a Silver) and China took their first sailing Medal outside of windsurfing, with Beonze.



Laser - Medal Race - Gold for Goodison

In light but steady breeze, the Laser class prepared for their Medal Race. Britain’s Paul Goodison had all but won Gold at the start of the day, and he just needed to finish better than last place to win. But behind him on the overall leaderboard going into today's final race, it was very close between Myrgren (SWE), Lima (POR), Zbogar (SLO), Romero (ITA) and Murdoch (NZL). For Goodison the only potential threat to his securing gold came from the Swede.

With a minute to go, Goodison was causing Myrgren some problems, ensuring they were both right at the back of the fleet off the start line. However, it was not perfect match racing technique as the Swede gained a slight advantage early on up the beat. Myrgren tacked off to the right with Goodison following. The Swede quickly came back at him and Goodison tacked close beneath his bow, forcing Myrgren to tack again. Goodison followed, but the next time they crossed Myrgren had got ahead.

Myrgren headed out to the left of the course, with Goodison following, with a fair bit of separation between the two. As Myrgren came back from the left, Goodison was clear ahead and from there put an aggressive cover on the Swede.

Near the top end of the beat, the wind had reduced significantly as the Lasers began to struggle their way upwind. Round the top mark Murdoch (NZL) was leading, fighting hard for a medal that could be his if Myrgren stayed at the back of the fleet. He was followed around by Slovenia, France and Italy, which would give Zbogar Silver. Goodison rounded 2 minutes 20 seconds off the lead, while Myrgren went round close to three minutes back.

The breeze had come back up slightly for the run, temporarily removing the possibility of the race being abandoned. By the leeward gate Murdoch and Zbogar were a long way ahead of the pack as the breeze dropped off again at the end of the run. Romero had gained a single position and was up to third. These positions would leave Zbogar in Silver, Romero in Bronze and, of course, Goodison in Gold.

The fluctuating breeze was back up for the majority of the next beat, and most eyes were on Romero who needed to hang onto his third position to maintain Gold. Round the final windward, Murdoch was leading by a slender eight seconds, with Zbogar following in second. Romero in third and in bronze medal position, provided Lima did not make any more positions up from fifth. However, with a big gap in front and behind he seemed to stand little chance of getting into a medal position.

Goodison rounded the top mark 3 minutes 49 seconds behind the leader with Myrgren rounding another 32 seconds further back still. To all intents and purposes, short of a disaster down the run for Goodison was now looking sure of a Gold Medal and he just had to sail down the run, to cross the finish line...

New Zealand crossed the finish line in first, guaranteeing Britain’s’ third Gold of the Olympic Sailing competition. Zbogar, crossed in second with Romero in third. Alsogaray (ARG) took fourth. Lima came home in fifth position, handing the Bronze Medal to Romero. All that remained was the formality of Goodison crossing the finish line well back from the rest of the fleet.

Goodison finished the race 3 minutes 30 seconds off the lead and in doing so secured his first Olympic Medal, a Gold. Zbogar took Silver and Romero was confirmed in Bronze. Having been Ben Ainslie sparring partner in the Laser prior to the Sydney Games, Goodison has finally secured his Olympic dream after a decade of trying. Nice work Goodie!

Speaking immediately after the race, Goodison said: “It’s just absolutely amazing, it might not have been the best way to do it but with the conditions being so tricky, it was the best way of making sure of gold. It’s been a testing week but I hung in there and delivered yesterday, which made it a bit easier today.

“You come to every Olympic Games trying to do your best and fortunately this time I’m on top of the table. It just feels unbelievable and it’s going to take a while to sink in, it’s just amazing. With London 2012 just around the corner, it would be an amazing opportunity to represent Great Britain at an Olympic Games in Britain.”



RS:X Men R10 - one point of separation for the lead

On its final full fleet race before heading into their medal race tomorrow, it was the turn of China to shine in the RS:X Men. Aichen Wang, who went into today’s race in 10th position among the 35 sailboards, led the race from start to finish. Sailing the trapezoidal outer course, Wang led around the top mark 14 seconds ahead of Shahar Zubari (ISR) with Makoto Tomizawa (JPN) third. He and the Israeli extended their separation over the rest of the fleet on the reach and down to the leeward mark.

On the second beat Zubari dropped to fourth and it was Julien Bontemps (FRA) who pulled up through the fleet to move into third at the second top mark rounding behind the Japanese sailboarder. On the run Bontemps continued his charge to move up to second just ahead of Tomizawa, but on the final short reach to the line he was overtaken once again.

Impressively, so late on in the contest, today’s race has caused a complete turn-around in the leaderboard. Yesterday’s leader Tom Ashley came home eighth today but following Bontemps third today it has been enough to shift him into pole position. However with Skandia Team GBR’s Nick Dempsey posted another solid performance coming home fifth, he is just a point behind the Frenchman, but tied on points with Ashley.

Tomorrow’s medal race is sure to be a tense one.

RS:X Women R10 – today’s double RS:X win for China

While Aichen Wang was victorious in the men’s division, so in turn it was local star women’s sailboarder Jian Yin who put in a similar performance, leading round every mark in her class. Following her awesome start to the series, scoring bullets in the first three races, featherweight Yin has suffered slightly over the last few days in the stronger winds. With the breeze light once again today Yin was clearly back in her element and has recovered her lead from Alessandra Sensini (ITA), on 33 points to the Italian’s 38 after today’s final race.

Today it was another Chinese sailor Wai Kei Chan from Hong Kong who followed Yin around the top mark with Faustine Merret (FRA) in third. However, no doubt buoyed up by Britain’s superb performance in other classes, Bryony Shaw was in the fight rounding the top mark fourth, 27 seconds behind Yin. On the run Shaw pulled up to second place, where she remained for the remainder of the race, leaving Merret to take third.

This morning’s leader, Alessandra Sensini finished eighth, a solid performance, but with the points to tight at the top of this fleet it has dropped her back to second.

However, following her 3-1-2 scoreline over the last three races, Bryony Shaw is now holding the bronze position on 41 points, eight points off the lead, going into tomorrow’s double points scoring medal race.