SAILING NEWS
DAYone
Typical Qingdao day for Finns
T
HE waiting is over. The racing has begun. The first
Beijing
starting signal for the 2008 Olympic Sailing
Competition was for the Finn class.
During the next nine days, 26 Finn sailors will be com-
peting for three elusive medals and a chance to stand on
an Olympic podium. Over the past few weeks the weath-
ROBERT DEAVES watches events unfold in the Finn cla
er has been anything but stable. With everything from 25
knot winds to drifting around in the fog, to sweltering
under an intense blue sky and the cancelled practice
race on Thursday, today's optimistic forecast didn't quite
materialise. However two races were sailed in what
could best be described as trying conditions.
Despite the forecasts of 8-10 knots of wind today, it
was business as usual with 3-5 knots of patchy breeze, a
strong current stretching out the downwind legs and high
temperatures and humidity. It was also a day of mixed
fortunes for some in a day characterised by massive
position changes. Technically Ben Ainslie (GBR) had the
best of the day, but the wind lived up to expectations in
the first race, dumping him out of the lead.
After a 20 minute delay for the wind to settle, the first
race of the 2008 Olympic Games got underway in what
turned out to be the best breeze of the day. Those who
favoured the right found more pressure and first round
the top mark was Jonas Høgh-Christensen (DEN) fol-
lowed by Giorgio Poggi (ITA) and Rafal Szukiel (POL).
Ainslie rounded in fifth and had the best of the down-
wind to lead round the left hand gate with Ivan Kljakovic
Gaspic (CRO) just behind him round the right hand gate,
after rounding the top mark in 13th. Høgh-Christensen,
the world number, one lost 17 places on the downwind to
round in 18th.
Ainslie favoured the middle right on the second upwind
to build a useful lead while Kljakovic Gaspic dropped to
fourth. Michael Maier (CZE), the oldest Finn sailor in the
Games at 44, moved from eighth at the gate to second
at the final windward mark while Guillaume Florent (FRA)
maintained his third place.
On the final leg Ainslie had a good 100 metre gap on
the fleet when everything started to go wrong for him.
Half way down the leg with the tide increasing all the
time, the wind went very light and then came in from the
left slightly stronger. Ainslie immediately started losing WINNING WAYS: Skandia Team GB’s Ben Ainslie heads for gold in the 2008 Olympics in Qingdao
places.
Emilios Papathanasiou (GRE) went furthest to the left
predicted with virtually all of the medal favourites picking
Yachting Association and in Qingdao he is Sailing Team
and gradually moved ahead. From 25th at the first top
up at least one high score, some of them two. While he
leader and also deputy Chef de Mission of the Polish
mark to sixth at the first gate to eighth at the second
can't have been particular impressed with his perform-
Olympic team. He said on Szukiel's performance today,
windward mark, he found the best pressure on the final
ance on the water today, world number one Høgh-
“It is amazing to see Rafal in the lead of an Olympic
downwind to steel the opening race. Also making large
Christensen was impressed with the regatta centre. “It is
event. But it is not a huge surprise. Rafal has worked
gains down the final leg was Zach Railey (USA) who
very impressive. Unlike anything else. We know that the
very hard here in Qingdao over the past weeks and was
moving from 15th to 2nd at the finish. Szukiel, who had
sailing conditions to say the least will be very challeng-
one of the best during the Finn training sessions.
dropped to 14th at the top mark also recovered well to
ing, so it is going to be as hard on the organisation as it
However, it is just the beginning with eight races to go,
finish third, while Ainslie's lead evaporated in the slow
is on the sailors, but I am sure they will manage. The
but the truth is that even if you can't win a regatta on a
motion finish to end up 10th. The change in wind also
Olympics always brings out the best on shore and hope-
first day even with great results, you can lose it on the
favoured Nachhatar Johal (IND), who had rounded the
fully, the best on the water too.”
first day with bad results. So, so far so good. Today,
final mark in 25th, and ended up in fourth place by the
After a third and a fifth today, Railey commented on
Rafal was consistent and made good tactics. He has
finish.
the racing after coming ashore, “It was difficult sailing
applied all we have worked on recently and it is proving
today as the wind was very puffy and there was a lot of
successful.”
T
HE second race started in more or less the same
current. Downwind was where the gains and losses were
wind with the right side clearly favoured again.
made.”
Poggi again sailed a blistering first upwind leg to
When asked about his recovery from 15th to 2nd in the
DAYtwo
round the top mark just ahead of Szukiel and Tapio
first race, he said, “To be honest I took a bit of a risk as I
Nirkko (FIN).
went to the other side of the fleet. I got a little more pres-
Zach Railey dominates
Ainslie rounded in a comfortable seventh place and
sure and made big gains. We have to find the pressure
again demolished everyone downwind to lead round the
but the wind is hard to read when it is that light. It is
bottom gate ahead of Florent and Nirkko. On the second
more a matter of getting in the puffs and taking calculat-
upwind, Railey sailed well to move up to second with
ed risks than just speed . Then in the second race I went
A
QUICK glance at the Finn scoreboard after four
races would seem to indicate someone is rolling
the dice in Qingdao. One person who seems to
Nirkko remaining in third. The largest gain went to the
to the right hand side (looking down) with the rest of the
have loaded dice is Zach Railey (USA), who after two
2004 Silver medalist Rafael Trujillo (ESP). After a disap-
fleet, but some went to the other side and passed me.”
awesome second places today moves into the overall
pointing 12th in the first race, he moved from 15th at the
He continued, “These are the conditions we were
lead and would have had a significant points advantage
first top mark to fourth by the second.
expecting in Qingdao - it was typical Qingdao sailing.
apart from a last minute charge in race four by Ben
This time Ainslie managed to maintain his lead on the
The fleet is very tight and it is very close racing,” which
Ainslie (GBR) to move from seventh to first on the final
final downwind to win race two by just 12 second.
perhaps explains there were such big changes in posi-
leg. Chris Cook (CAN) narrowly moves up to third as one
Szukiel, who again had an appalling second upwind leg
tions from one leg to another.
of only four sailors to maintain top ten positions so far.
to drop to 13th scratched his way way to second by the
When asked about Szukiel – the overnight leader – he
With yesterday's highs and lows consigned to history
finish to head the leader board overnight. Another big
said, “I am not surprised to see him do well. He is very
and experience, the sailors today went afloat knowing
mover was Chris Cook (CAN) who went from 14th at the
fast and has trained a lot with us in Qingdao. He knows
that anything could happen once again. The only real
final upwind mark to third at the finish, while Trujillo held
the place and the conditions. Now I am going to have
difference was they were racing on Course Area E, some
onto his fourth place. Railey had an unfortunate leg to
some dinner and will then join the team to go to the
4.2 nautical miles offshore.
drop to fifth place and lies in second place overnight
opening ceremony and really enjoy being in the
Many of the favourites who yesterday picked up one or
while Ainslie's win leaves him in third place.
Olympics.”
two high scores were looking to correct that today. Some
The opening day proved as tricky as everyone had
Tomasz Chamera is the Director of racing of the Polish
succeeded, some didn't. However, the forecast of 8 to 10
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