August 31, 2006
31 Aug |
0 comments
All eleven Medal Races were completed at the Olympic Test Event in Qingdao today, with a fresh south easterly breeze blowing across Fushan Bay and plenty of excitement for the mass of locals gathered out on the breakwater
overlooking the action. Great Britain picked up four gold medals, whilst the hosts China won four medals led by Zhennan FANG’s (CHN) victory in the Men’s RS:X.
The 49ers got the Medal Race action underway on a Course Area A positioned right in front of the harbour wall. Chris Draper and Simon Hiscocks (GBR) gave Great Britain the perfect start to the day with a controlled performance in the 49er Medal Race giving them the gold medal.
In the opening race out on Course Area B, Ben Ainslie (GBR) added a final flourish to a remarkable comeback performance in the Finn, winning his first Medal Race in typically emphatic fashion. With the strong breeze giving hiking conditions for the second day running, AINSLIE again proved that – despite a year virtually without even stepping into the Finn – he is still the man to beat in the class.
Athens gold medallist Faustine Merret (FRA) went into today’s Women’s RS:X Medal Race only needing to keep tabs on Limei Sun (CHN) to secure victory, but instead she marched to overall victory with a start to finish win..
For a competitor with such limited experience of international competition, China’s Zhennan Fang was certainly playing it cool in the Men’s RS:X, keeping an eye on his closest challengers before making his move on the final downwind to slip in sixth to take the gold medal.
Olivier Backes and Paul Ambroise Sevestre (FRA) won the all French battle for top honours in the Tornado, providing a fitting finale for the spectators watching the action on Course Area A.
After a slightly off day by their standards in yesterday’s penultimate day of racing in the Yngling, Mandy Mulder , Brechtje Van Derwerf and Janneke Hin (NED) wrapped up their event by taking the finish gun and with it the gold medal.
Olympic bronze medallists Therese Torgersson and Vendela Zachrisson (SWE) won a downwind race to the finish to knock Ingrid Petitjean And Nadege Douroux (FRA) off the top of the Women’s 470 leaderboard and take the gold medal.
Athens silver medallists Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield (GBR) completed a terrific return to the Men’s 470 fleet today, posting a fourth place in the Medal Race to take overall victory.
Paul Goodison (GBR) proved why he is number one in the ISAF World Sailing Rankings, cruising to an impressive Medal Race win to secure victory in Qingdao in the Laser Class.
Assured of the gold medal going into today’s Medal Race final in the Laser Radial, Paige Railey (USA) was still keen to get off the line and show her form. But, she was just a bit too keen and it wasn’t until Railey was some way up the opening windward leg that she realised her error of being on course side (OCS) at the gun and returned to re-cross the line. Even by Railey’s demanding standards, she found herself in a position from which it was impossible to recover and went onto finish the race in last position and with it added 20 points to her scoreline.
Victory in today’s Medal Race went to Anna Tunnicliffe (USA). Tunnicliffe put in some excellent results and claimed the most bullets in the series, but these were interspersed with double-digit results which held her back from the podium places.
The Star fleet wrapped up their series today with the leading three crews assured of a podium finish, but just the medal colour undetermined. The remaining teams in the fleet chose not to take to the water, but watch the colour of the medals unfurl.
The order of the boats across the line was the order of the medals claimed, with Andrew Horton and Brad Nichol (USA) taking the gun and the gold medal, Iain Percy and Steve Mitchell (GBR) coming in second place for the silver and George Szabo and Eric Monroe (USA) third and the bronze.
Final podium positions:
RS: X Women
1. Faustine Merret, FRA, 19 points
2. Limei Sun, CHN, 44
3. Jian Yin, CHN, 48
RS: X Men
1. Zhennan Fang, CHN, 57
2. Feng He, CHN, 62
3. King Yin Chan, HKG, 63
Laser
1. Paul Goodison, GBR, 81
2. Steven Le Fevre, NED, 92
3. Andrew Murdoch, NZL, 97
Laser Radial
1. Paige Railey, USA, 54
2. Jo Aleh, NZL, 71
3. Penny Clark, GBR, 73
Finn
1. Ben Ainslie, GBR, 12
2. Emilios Papathanasiou, GRE, 40
3. Jonas Hogh-Christensen, DEN, 49
470 Men
1. Nick Rogers / Joe Glanfield, GBR, 64.3
2. Daeyoung Kim / Sungahn Jung, KOR, 89
3. Nic Asher / Elliot Willis, GBR, 93
470 Women
1. Therese Torgersson / Vendela Zachrisson, SWE, 79
2. Ingrid Petitjean / Nadege Douroux, FRA, 84
3. Stefanie Rothweiler / Vivien Kussatz, GER, 86
Star
1. Andrew Horton / J. Brad Nichol, USA, 21
2. Iain Percy / Steve Mitchell, GBR, 22
3. George Szabo / Eric Monroe, USA, 28
Tornado
1. Olivier Backes / Paul Ambroise Sevestre, FRA, 4
2. Xavier Revil / Christophe Espagnon, FRA, 48.0
3. Roman Hagara / Hans Peter Steinacher, AUT, 52.0
49er
1. Chris Draper / Simon Hiscocks, GBR, 45
2. Emmanuel Dyen / Yann Rocherieux, FRA, 54
3. Rodion Luka / Georgiy Leonchuk, UKR, 67
Yngling
1. Mandy Mulder / Brechtje Van Derwerf / Janneke Hin, NED, 25.0
2. Helena Lucas / Annie Lush / Lucy Macgregor, GBR, 32.0
3. Xiaqun Song / Xiaoni Li / Chuanshuang Zhang, CHN, 43.0
Complete results athttp://www.2006qdregatta.com
