Sailing Olympics – Day 10 Preview

The Danish 49er medal sticks. The Danes win gold in an Olympic story that will go down in history for more than just the medal that the team won. To break their mast just before the start, rush ashore, borrow a boat and make it to the start line with seconds to spare was impressive, but that’s not where the story ended. See ‘Medal Day Crash and Burn’.
A protest by the race committee against the Danish team threatened to remove the gold medal from the team. But at midday here in Qingdao the news is that the Danish wins gold medal in the 49ers.
In a complicated issue that will be debated for some time to come, the spirit of the Olympic games has triumphed.

Protests and Protest Decisions

******

TODAY
The sun’s out, the humidity’s up and the breeze is back in single figures, normal service has been resumed here in Qingdao. But that hasn’t changed the main topic of conversation which is still that of Big Sunday. A day in which cameras were trashed, notebooks wrecked and dignitaries drenched, but a day in which the stories were huge. One is still rumbling on, that of the 49er class where the fortunes of the Danes hang in the balance as the protest hearing over their use of the Croatian boat continues. The very fact that the protest has taken this long suggests that the outcome might not be as simple as some were predicting.

Meanwhile on the various race courses, a gentle breeze looks set to decay gradually throughout the day.

Here’s this morning’s weather forecast from GBR meteorologist Libby Greenhalgh:

WEATHER
After some torrential rain yesterday and strong winds the low pressure has cleared to the east and is now maintaining a strong decreasing to moderate WNW backing W airflow.

Initial cloudy conditions will quickly break and develop into cumulus providing a drier sunnier day.

Expecting W 14-16 steadily decreasing through the day and backing to the WSW 06-10, with a small probability of a sea breeze trying to develop from 1500. This could result in calm conditions before a weak S sea breeze tries to establish itself

HW 0533 LW 1212 HW 1726

RACING
Today’s two big billings are the 470 men and women’s medal races in which the Australians are in pole position. The men are already assured of their gold, but can the women match the men?
For British supporters, Rogers and Glanfield’s performance will be watched very closely as silver is still a possibility. This pair has demonstrated remarkable resilience during the week and have remained unfazed even when things looked bleak.

RSX board sailors – the tightly grouped pack at the front of the fleet means that there’s plenty of pressure on sailors today as the medal race comes into view. British sailor Nick Dempsey starts the day in fourth overall and remains a serious contender for a medal.
In the women’s division, aside from the Chinese sailor Jlan Yin who has extended her lead, there is a scrap for the next seven places. British sailor Bryony Shaw is right in there.

The Laser class is another to be engaged in a huge bun fight with just one day left before the medal racing. Just 12 points separate the top 10 places, Paul Goodison started today in pole position, three points ahead of second.

In the Laser Radials the action is similarly tight for the top four. Britain’s Penny Clark, who has been suffering from a virus this week, but has still shown superb form especially in the light, remains in contention in 8th place.

In the Tornado class the Spanish and the Australians started the day with a clear lead over the rest of the field, but the pack behind them is very tightly grouped on points. The fleet is yet to enjoy the re-shuffle of a discard, so today’s results could look very different by the end of the day. Brit sailors McMillan and Howden are currently in 11th.

Star – Tight as you like here and again, no discards yet so expect the picture to look very different at the close of play today. Iain Percy starts today in 8th position overall.

To keep completely up to date with the current status on a day that could provide plenty of action see – Official Olympic Sailing Schedule plus mark roundings

RACING SCHEDULE – Monday 18 August (times are local)

Course A: 1300 hrs – 470 men’s medal race

Course A: 1300 hrs – 470 women’s medal race

Course B: 1100hrs – RS:X men and women (3 races each)

Course C: 1100hrs – Laser and Laser Radial (3 races each)

Course E: 1100hrs – Star and Tornado (3 races each)

PODCASTS

Light and…..brilliant. Nick Rogers tells Matthew Sheahan about his tricky day in the 470 class

UK Laser sailor Paul Goodison talks to Matthew Sheahan after his opening day at the 2008 Olympics

British 470 sailors Nic Rogers and Joe Glanfield describe their first day on the race track 11-8-08

Ben Ainslie after the second day of racing plus comments on penalties – 10 Aug