SAILING NEWS
Beijing briefing
Ainslie and Yngling girls bring early Olym
Day of dou
Beijingbriefing
T was an historic day for Great Britain’s sailors as Ben
I
Ainslie sealed Finn class gold and Sarah Ayton, Sarah
Webb and Pippa Wilson swept to Yngling victory at
the Beijing 2008 Olympic Regatta in Qingdao.
Five-time Finn World Champion Ainslie successfully
defended the title he won at Athens 2004 to become
Britain’s most decorated Olympic sailor of all time, sur-
passing Rodney Pattison’s previous record of two golds and
one silver, a feat Ainslie had matched thanks to his Laser
silver (Atlanta 1996), Laser gold (Sydney 2000) and Finn
gold (Athens 2004).
Meanwhile, Sarah Ayton and Sarah Webb become only
the second British female athletes in history to win gold
medals at consecutive Olympics, matching the achievement
of their former helm Shirley Robertson with whom they
won Yngling gold at Athens 2004, courtesy of their success
with Wilson in China.
Both medal races had been rolled over to Sunday 17
August after light winds put paid to any chance of deciding
the silverware the previous day, but in often monsoon con-
ditions on the Yellow Sea today Ayton’s crew and Ainslie
retained their crowns in emphatic style romping to race
wins to seal gold.
Having seen his first shot on gold thwarted when the first
attempt at the Finn medal race was abandoned midway
through with Ainslie in gold medal position, the 31-year-old
from Lymington knew that he had to finish no more than
five boats behind nearest rival Zach Railey (USA) in
Sunday’s race to seal his historic third gold.
And after nailing the perfect start, forcing Railey to tack
just 30 seconds before the gun crippling Railey at the back
of the fleet, Ainslie sailed a textbook race to romp to medal
race victory and claim the biggest prize of them all by 22
points overall from the American, 23 to 45.
Victory in Qingdao has seen Ainslie match Germany’s
Jochen Schumann and Russian Valentin Mankin’s three
golds, one silver Olympic sailing haul leaving only Dane
Paul Elvstrøm, winner of four consecutive golds between
1948 and 1960, with more Olympic sailing gold. Brazilian
legend Torben Grael has won five Olympic sailing medals
– two gold, one silver and two bronze.
Ainslie said: “It felt like it would never come but there
was great breeze and to win the race as well, I am a happy
man. Conditions have been really tough, the light winds
have been a real strength of will but today was a complete
turnaround. I approached the race a bit differently to the
previous day, as because the breeze was so light then I
couldn’t let Zach get away from me but today I was confi-
dent that with my boat speed and fitness I could get away
and it all came good.
“You take each Games as it comes. Each one has been
tough and we’ll see what happens in the future but I’ve
enjoyed every minute of my Olympic sailing career, I’ve
been very lucky. The draw of 2012 and racing on your
home waters is huge. It's a long way away but if I've got a
chance to be there and do well, I'd love to do it."
Having topped the leaderboard going into the medal race
by the narrowest of one point margins, the British Yngling
BEST OF BRITISH: Team GBR’s golden girls Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson head for glory at the Beijing Ol
trio knew whatever the placings they simply had to finish
ahead of the Dutch team of Mandy Mulder, Annemieke Bes
just an awesome team. We’ve been looking at starting as known since day one that you can expect anything out performed b
and Merel Witteveen.
something we had to address, and we executed it perfectly there. That’s our strength really, that we’re happy to come cal in every
Like Ainslie, Ayton got off to a flying start but with the
today. out in anything.” has really co
Dutch tracking them all the way to the top mark. However,
“I’m lost for words, it is such a relief, our experience was Stephen Park, RYA Olympic Manager, said: “It’s fantas- Park was
once the Brits had rounded the mark ahead there was no
everything. We’ve had so many supporters who have made tic to get two the first two events over with and to win two play. “Follo
stopping them and with the Dutch trailing home in medal
such a difference along the way and we just want to thank gold medals and begin our medal count for 2008. at the start t
race fifth, gold was Ayton, Webb and Wilson’s, 24 points to
everyone,” Webb added, paying special tribute to their “We still have a number of medals up for grabs and hope fleet, and o
33 overall.
coach Paul Brotherton. to be able to win medals in at least two of those to meet our through the
Ayton said: “It has been brilliant and highlights what this
Olympic debutant Wilson said: “This has been the dream target of four medals.” “No-one h
campaign has always been about; pure perfection and we’re
and it hasn’t really sunk in yet, it’s pretty awesome. We’ve On the Yngling girls’ gold, Park commented: “The girls this week.”
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