20 knot winds, three medal races: big drama in Qingdao!

Big breeze (and torrential rain) for the Yngling, Finn medal races and the most sensational 49er race ever witnessed...

Conditions in Qingdao could not have been any different today with torrential rain and 15-20 knots and occasionally larger gusts blowing across the Medal Race course where the Ynglings, Finns and 49ers held their final double point races. While Ben Ainslie and Skandia Team GBR's Yngling sailors Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson followed form winning Gold in their respective classes, with the wind well into the danger zone, the 49ers endured one of the most extraordinary races in the history of Olympic sailing.

49er Medal Race – Zero to hero for the Danes after amazing race

With the wind up above 20 knots and huge waves, the 49er Medal Race, the third today, looked set to be a stunner. The high performance skiffs lined up promptly after the Finns and there had already been a disaster. In a terrible turn of events, on the way out to the start, series leaders Jonas Warrer and Martin Kirketerp Ibsen (DEN) broke their mast and it appeared they would be unable to defend their position going into this final race: a hugely disappointing end to what was otherwise a stellar performance this week. This left the Italian Sibello brothers effectively in first going into the start sequence.

However - not so! Racing against time Warrer and Ibsen sailed ashore, managed to borrow the boat of the Croatians, rigged it in record time with half of the boat park helping, launched it and sailed it out to the start line, and missing the start they were expecting at best just to make it around the course.

At the start there was a fairly even spread across the line, but the committee boat end was favoured with Emmanuel Dyen and Yann Rocherieux (FRA) making the best of it. The Italian Sibello brothers and Iker Martinez and Xabier Fernandez (ESP) were at the back of the pack on the first beat with the Spanish, who were clearly shaken, capsizing on a tack.

The French were looking strong out at the front of the fleet as the 49ers powered their way upwind. The rain from earlier in the day had returned for the second half of the beat reducing visibility significantly.

Round the top mark the French were leading impressively as they bore away and stormed off downwind in the windy and lumpy conditions, in such stark contrast to the light sunny conditions of the previous days. Australians, Nathan Outteridge and Ben Austin (AUS) came round in second with the Sibellos, Morrison and Rhodes (GBR) and Jan-Peter Peckolt and Hannes Peckolt (GER) all close together. This order would hand the Gold Medal to the Italian Sibello brothers. But this run was to claim several scalps first for the French as they capsized, followed by the German team turning the race course suddenly into carnage.





Meanwhile sailing a boat with CRO emblazoned on its sails, the Danes were chasing the fleet hard, trying desperately to make some headway. They were second last to round the top mark 4:46 after the French leaders, having passed the capsized Americans Tim Wadlow and Christopher Rast.

Nico Delle-Karth and Nikolaus Resch (AUS) rounded the leeward mark in the lead with the Italians in second. Morrison and Rhodes looked as though they had a breakage and had a two-sail pitchpole as they tried to sort things out. Nonetheless they rounded in third as the breeze continued to increase causing some decidedly ragged mark roundings.

Upwind the Italians and Austrians were battling it out with the Austrians ahead and leading around the top mark for the second time, the Sibellos followed by Nathan Outteridge and Ben Austin, the Australian World Champions.

After a roaring downwind leg with the boats leaping out of the water on every wave and the crews flogging the gennaker, the Australian team had got right up close to the Italians with the Austrians still leading. Meanwhile the Danes were still desperately trying to catch up in their borrowed boat but rounded the windward mark for a second time still in ninth more than six minutes after the leaders.

With sails flogging conditions looked tough and crews were clearly starting to struggle in the conditions. With the Austrians wiping out on the final beat, Outteridge and Austin pulled into the lead ahead of the Sibellos who rounded in second, easing their way carefully around the mark. If these positions remained with the Danes still in ninth, the Italians would still take Gold...

However the final run towards the finish was even more disaster strewn. With the wind building still to the extent that some boats were sailing without their kites, the Sibellos pitchpoled on the downwind, leaving the Australians only needing to get to the finish to take Gold. But suddenly, there was disaster for the Aussies as they too capsized. Could this be the moment the Danes needed to clinch back the Gold Medal?

Martinez and Fernandez made an early drop and crossed the finish line two sail reaching in first position: A phenomenal return up through the fleet. The Germans also took it easy on the last downwind and crossed the line in second. Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes were third despite a huge pitchpole on the last run, but were unable to gain a medal. The Sibellos crossed the line in fourth, also without a kite up. However, all eyes were on the Australians who were still struggling to windward of the committee boat after putting in many capsizes. Finally after a lot of stuggling they crossed in sixth.
But as the tense minutes (literally) ticked by the CRO sails emerged out of the gloom: the Danes were still sailing... If they were next home (with the Austrians and US teams still upside down) the Danes would capture Gold. But - oh no! - the Danes capsized on the way to the finish with no spinnaker up. They couldn’t let any more boats past if they wanted to keep Gold. After an agonizing wait, they got their boat back up and only needed to bear away just once more to cross the line. Softly, softly they eased their way down to the line and a phenomenal sail came to an end...

The team who broke their mast and looked set to lose any medal, borrowed a boat, went out on the water and sailed what must be the most exciting boat race ever in Olympic sailing to take the Gold Medal. We doubt anyone would begrudge them such a superb result. The screams and shouts from the Danes were a joy to behold as they learned of their victory.

The Danes took Gold on 57 points, the Spanish slid into Silver Medal position while the Germans took Bronze.

However, the Danes have been protested by the Race Committee for borrowing the boat they sailed and at present we are awaiting to hear the outcome.

Finn - Medal Race - Gold for Ainslie

With the squalls having passed after the Yngling medal race (when the boats were sent in), the Finn fleet got back to their start area again at 15:40 local time. The breeze was still up at close to the 15 knot mark, though the rain had reduced significantly and conditions were looking much better than the terrible weather earlier in the day. There were big waves still out on the course and the unlimited pumping flag had been raised - all factors which would pay to race leader Ben Ainslie’s advantage, particularly downwind.

With Ainslie's only threat at gold being Zach Railey (USA) yesterday, the British Olympic legend had demonstrated the ruthless lengths he was prepared to go to ensure he finished ahead of the American.

Into the start sequence and Ainslie was looking much less aggressive, not hounding Railey (USA) as he had done yesterday in the abandoned light wind Medal Race. In these conditions it would be a big ask for Railey to go four clear places ahead of Ainslie and steal Gold from the Brit. Railey was busy taking the fight to Brigmark (SWE) to protect his Silver, which he could lose in this race. However, Ainslie was nearby and not letting the American out of his sight. The committee boat end was favoured and using a classic match racing tactic Ainslie 'hooked' the American forcing him to tack onto port behind the pack with ten seconds to go.

Having neatly dispatched Raily, Ainslie was in the hunt straight out of the blocks, while Railey was way back and last off the line. After a short hitch to windward Railey was sitting right and to windward of the pack, Ainslie tacked across to cover and again with the Brit in control he applied a lose cover to Railey for the first section of the beat.

Meanwhile Bergmark was close to Railey, near the back of the fleet while Guillaume Florent (FRA) fourth overall was leading, potentially in bronze position.

Nearing the top mark, Ainslie was on fire and took the lead ahead of Florent, blasting round the windward in first place: a stunning display. Railey rounded in seventh. Now it was clear the Brit’s sights were fully fixed on winning the race and he was happy to leave Railey to it.

At the leeward mark Ainslie was holding his lead though Florent and Jonas Hogh Christensen (DEN) were very close behind. If Florent could hold this position and Birgmark (who rounded well back in eighth position) did not improve it would be Gold GBR, Silver USA and Bronze FRA.

It was a fairly standard second beat for the whole fleet with the steady wind providing little overtaking opportunities. By now the sea state was impressive with the Finns regularly disappearing into the troughs as sailors worked their boats over the waves.

Ainslie, exhibiting perfect technique, had extended up the beat over the rest of the field approaching the final windward mark. Hoegh Christensen rounded in second with Florent in third and Rafael Trujillo (ESP) fourth. With Railey rounding in sixth, the American looked set to hold onto his Silver.

Surging downwind in the big waves, Ainslie crossed the finish after a perfect Medal Race in first position to claim his fourth consecutive Olympic Medal and third consecutive gold, making him Britain's top ever Olympic sailor, overtaking Rodney Pattisson. Railey, who was not expected to medal in the pre-race form guide, was happy with the regatta of his life, walking away with Silver, while Florent took the bronze Medal, after coming home in third position.



Yngling Medal Race

In proper breeze the Yngling fleet were first to get their Medal Race underway on time. With the breeze up Ayton, Webb and Wilson were expected to be quick and clearly showed their confidence in their speed by choosing not to engage the Dutch trio Mulder, Bes and Witteveen who were only one point behind overall.

Out of the startline, the Dutch and the Brits, were close with Mulder and her crew starting to windward of the Brits and slightly ahead. Both teams held on, on starboard tack for a while. Mulder, Bes and Witteveen then tacked onto port and the British followed suit. With both teams in clear air and around 15 knots of wind, it was a full-on drag race up the beat.

After some five minutes on port, the Dutch tacked and were looking to be ahead of the Brits who tacked to leeward and slightly in front. Slowly Ayton, Webb and Wilson started to eke out from under the Dutch who flipped onto port tack as the mark approached. Ayton, Webb and Wilson followed suit, with both teams putting in a short hitch to the layline. The Brits rounded in first position, while the Barkow, Howe and Capozzi (USA) - who were going for Bronze - squeezed inside the Dutch, but hit the mark, holding up the Dutch in the process.



Down the run, the Brits were ahead and moving well, covering the Dutch gybe for gybe in the 15 knot, gusty winds. The Brits rounded the bottom mark in first and looked very much like they were extending while Bekatorou, Papadopoulou and Kravarioti slipped in front of the Dutch, who looked to be struggling a little for speed in the conditions. This result would mean the Greeks would move up into Bronze. The fight for bronze was not over though as the USA, Greeks and Le Helley, Lepesant and Gerecht (FRA) were all fighting to get to the front of the fleet for the bronze spot.

The Brits continued up the beat, sailing a classic last race, staying solidly between the Dutch and the top, mark and looking strong. The Dutch continued to struggle on this beat as the Brits were overtaken for the lead by Ulrike Schuemann, Ute Hoepfner
and Julia Bleck (GER), who were having a fantastic upwind leg.

The Germans rounded the final mark in first with the Brits on their transom, followed by Greece now solidly in the bronze medal spot. Behind the front three, the rest of the pack all drifted onto the mark, pushed down on to it by the tide. The Dutch rounded sixth, and were looking increasingly unlikely to be able to touch the Brits. Down the final run the wind was gusting up to 20-25 knots and the concern for Ayton, Webb and Wilson was just to sail safe and survive this last big wind leg.

The Brits overtook the Germans down the final run to cross the line in first position in the race, adding Olympic Gold to their World and European titles! A fitting end to a fantastic and hard fought week and a great Olympic campaign.

The Greeks crossed the line in third position, behind the Germans, taking bronze medal overall, while the Dutch finished in fifth taking Silver.

RS:X Men R6

With the change in conditions, from sun and sub-10 knot conditions to torrential rain and wind gusting into the 20s, so the pace of racing today picked up dramatically.

In marked contrast to the pumping races we have seen to date, sailing the trapezoidal outer course (beat-reach-run-beat-run-beat-run-finish), Brazil’s Ricardo Santos sped up the beat in conditions the RS:Xs relish, to take an early lead at the top mark ahead of a great clump of sailboards. Przemyslaw Miarczynski (POL) and Chinese Taipei sailor Hao Chang were holding second and third, Chang’s glory moment as he is currently lying 30th overall among the 35 entries in this class.

The fight for the top remained close between the Brazilian and the Pole with Miarczynski gaining the lead on the run and Santos taking it back on the second run. However on the final beat it was Casper Bouman (NED) who overhauled them both and ended up leading down the last run and to finish a nose ahead of Miarczynski.

Skandia Team GBR’s Nick Dempsey was in the hunt, rounding the top mark in eighth place and ending up seventh, just behind overall leader Shahar Zubari (ISR).

RS:X Men R7

Casper Bouman indeed seems to prefer the bigger conditions for in the Men’s seventh race he led from start to finish, the winds now gusting above 25 knots, the rain driving (to the extent it was flattening out the swell), the visibility just beyond the end of your board. However it remained close with first Ivan Pastor (SPA) on his heels, then Ricardo Santos (BRA), Julien Bontemps (FRA) and Tom Ashley (NZL). In the end the Frenchman took over second on the final beat and at the leeward gate had pulled up neck and neck with the Dutch leader. But on the last sprint to the line, Bouman nosed in front to finish six seconds ahead, with Ashley taking third.

The race as not a happy one for Britain’s Nick Dempsey: he was 25th at the end of the first beat pulling up to 17th by the end of the race (now his discard). Dempsey now holds fourth overall on 33, while Ashley is leading on 25, Bontemps second on 30, with Shahar Zubari (ISR) now third on 31 having had an equally rotten second race to Dempsey, finishing 19th.

RS:X Women R6

In the big conditions of today’s first race it was Poland’s Zofia Klepacka who took charge on the first beat, the women sailboarders racing on the trapezoidal inner course (with windward-leewards then reach-run-finish). Klepacka was followed round the top mark by Olga Maslivets (UKR) with Britain’s Bryony Shaw rounding in third but further back.

In the rain and low visibility the Pole and Ukrainian pulled away from the rest of the pack and remained locked in their own sailboard match race for the duration, Maslivets moving ahead for the second lap, the Pole taking back her lead on the third beat. On the final run Maslivets edged ahead to win by just three seconds.

Meanwhile the rest of the fleet were jockeying for third. Bryony Shaw clung on for the first two laps but was overhauled on the third beat by Alessandra Sensini (ITA), Shaw dropping to sixth behind Barbara Kendall (NZL) and Frai Athina (GRE). This position remained through until the finish.

In contrast series leader Yin Jian (CHN) wasn’t so enamoured by the change in conditions and rounded the top mark for the first time in 14th (of the 27 racers) and only managed to pull up to 13th by the finish. With her scoreline an impressive 1-1-1-3-3 to date this will be Jian’s discard for sure.

RS:X Women R7

Having so narrowly lost the previous race, Zofia Klepacka (POL) came good in the second today, leading from start to finish in the building breeze. Experienced Barbara Kendall (NZL) chased her round the course but even by the end of the first beat the Pole had pulled out a healthy lead of 42 seconds. On the second lap Kendall closed this to 5 seconds, but on the third beat Klepacka once again had the bit between her teeth extending to 1:01. Sadly for Kendall on the final run she was overhauled by the consistent Italian Alessandra Sensini and come the finish had to be content with third, her second best result so far in this Olympics.

Bryony Shaw coped with the conditions well holding fifth place for the majority of the race, while overall leader Jian Yin (CHN) improved her performance on today’s first race, posting a seventh. After two races Yin still leads but on 16 points, in a less emphatic way. With her third and second places today, Alessandra Sensini has pulled into second on 23 points ahead of Jessica Crisp (AUS). Shaw is sixth on 35.

Laser Men – R6

The Lasers were racing on Area C for the sixth race of their regatta. With just two points separating the top three of Diego Romero (ITA), Rasmus Myrgren (SWE) and Vasilij Zbogar (SLO).

In the first scheduled race of the day all sailors were facing the 15 knot squally conditions. The race was lead from start to finish by the Argentian sailor Julio Alsogaray. Canada’s Micheal Leigh scored his best result sofar of the Games with a third - Deniss Karpak(EST) - who is no stranger to the pressure of the big event having come third at the Cascais Worlds - excelling in the stronger winds to sneak second.

A seventh place for Brit Paul Goodison was enough to put him top of leaderboard - now three points clear.

Laser Radial – R6

In the women’s singlehander class the points score is generally lower than the men with a much clearer form establishing. China’s sailing super star Lijia Xu in the picture in fourth and known for her strong wind sailing skills. Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) lead out of the blocks, with Xu settling into third.

It was France’s Sarah Steyart who nicked into the lead by the second windward mark – a lead she held until the finish. Xu then relegated Tunnicliffe to third but a fourth for Gintare Volungeviciute (LTU), enough to move the Lithuanian to the top of the leaderboard.


Star R4

With the wind hovering in the early 20s, so the Stars finally got going after the Yngling and Finn medal races. At the top mark sailing in very un-lakelike conditions, was Switzerland’s Flavio Marazzi and Enrico DeMaria holding a 28 second advantage over Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada (BRA) ahead of Afonso Domingos and Bernardo Santos (POR), Frederik Loof and Anders Ekstrom (SWE) and impressively against this calibre of fleet, China’s Li Hongquan and He Wang in fifth.

The Swiss suffered on the run with Scheidt and Prada pulling into the lead, but with series leader and current World Champions Mateusz Kusznierewicz and Dominik Życki (POL) right on their transom. While Xavier Rohart and Pascal Rambeau (FRA) were into third at the leeward gate, on the second beat they were overhauled by Frederik Loof and Anders Ekstrom on the next beat. And thus it remained until the finish with Scheidt and Prada, the pre-race favourites getting their first win on the board, pulling them up to seventh overall.

We were always led to believe that Percy was the heavy airs specialist? He and Andrew Simpson (GBR) rounded the top mark for the first time seventh to pull up to fifth by the finish. They are now lying eighth on equal points (28) with Scheidt/Prada.

However the big losers in this race were the overall leaders: John Dane III and Austin Sperry (USA) came home 12th, Hamish Pepper and Carl Williams (NZL), second overall going into this race were 11th and Afonso Domingos and Bernardo Santos (POR) third overall, after their strong start pulled out of the race on the second beat.

Because of this the overall leaderboard has turned on its head with Kusznierewicz and Życki (POL) taking the lead but just a point ahead of Rohart and Rambeau (FRA), in turn just a point ahead of Loof and Ekstrom (SWE).

Full results here