Australian Sailing Team update - 13th August

'2008 Olympic Regatta - Nathan Wilmot and Malcolm Page (AUS).' Sail-World.com/ AUS &copy Click Here to view large photo

Australian Sailing Team action from the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games - 13th August.

Today's Schedule:
Racing: 49er, 470, Laser, Radial, Finn & Yngling
Rest Day: RS:X
Still to start: Tornado & Star

Current AUS Team Results:
1st - 49er
1st - 470 men
2nd - 470 women (equal points with 1st)
3rd - RS:X Women
4th - Radial (equal points with 3rd)
6th - Yngling
16th - Finn
21st - Laser

The Weather Today:
Temperature: 29 degrees
Humidity: 75% and rising (feels like 41 degrees with humidity factor)
Wind: 2 -7 knots SE, but fickle and expected to stay in lower range
Visibility: Foggy

It was an agonisingly slow day on the water, with a hazy fog hanging over Qingdao and the wind flaking between two to six knots. As the wind reduced during the afternoon, races were postponed in the Finn, Yngling, Laser Radial and Laser classes who all managed only one slow spin around the course each today.

49er Class After 9 Races - AUS 1st
The current World Champions, Nathan Outteridge and Ben Austin hold onto the lead for Australia by a single point from Denmark's Jonas Warrer and Martin Kirketerp Isben with 30 points. The Italian Team holds third place with 40 points. Nathan and Ben had one of the best set of scores today with a 6th, 4th, 6th but it was the American Team of Tim Waldlow and Christopher Rast who won the day winning all three races. The Americans had a rocky first two days so sit in 5th overall but they clearly maximised the rest day to fix their mind set. Racing continues tomorrow.

'We're very happy with our starts, we're being conservative and we've been training with the sole purpose of racing in these conditions,' said Austin.

'We're here to win a medal.'

49er Top 3
1 - AUS - 29 points
2 - DEN - 30 points
3 - ITA - 40 points

470 Men's Class After 6 Races - AUS 1st
The current European Champions, Nathan Wilmot and Malcolm Page keep hold of the lead after scoring 3rd and 4th giving them 17 points, 7 points ahead of the second place French Team of Nicolas Charbonnier and Olivier Bausset (24 points) who have the British sailors, Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield only one point behind in third. The Aussie boys have the best discard as their worst score is a 7th whilst the French and Brits have 18 and 19 respectively which these teams would hope not to have to count in the end. Tomorrow is a rest day.

Malcolm Page described the conditions as very tough but praised race management for their decisions in racing hampered by low wind and visibility. Always humble, Page praised the team's competitors.

'We're not in a bad spot to be in, but the guys we're competing against are bloody good,' said Page.

470 Men Top 3
1 - AUS - 17 points
2 - FRA - 18 points
3 - ESP - 25 points

470 Women's Class After 6 Races - AUS 2nd
Elise Rechichi and Tessa Parkinson are on equal points with the first placed Dutch Team of Marcelien De Koning and Lobke Berkhout after scoring a 9th and 4th today in very light and difficult conditions. These two teams have a comfortable jump from the third placed Spanish Team of Natalia Via-Dufresne and Laia Tutzo with 27 points. Tomorrow is a rest day.

470 Women Top 3
1 - NED - 13 points
2 - AUS - 13 points
3 - ESP - 27 points

Laser Radial Class After 3 Races - AUS 4th
Australia's Sarah Blanck made the most of the Laser Radial's only race today, finishing seventh. The result takes her up to equal third on 24 points with Lithuania. The USA lead with 15 points and Croatia is third (22 points). Racing continues tomorrow.

Laser Radial Top 3
1 - USA - 15 points
2 - CRO - 22 points
3 - LTU - 24 points

AUS - 4th - 24 points

Laser Class After 3 Races - AUS 23rd
The wind had dropped to only two knots for the Laser race, making it hard going. In the tough conditions, Tom Slingsby again finished mid-fleet at 21st over the line and is now also 21st overall with 64 points. Italy lead with 14 points, Portugal is second (16 points) and Argentina is third (23 points).

Laser Top 3
1 - ITA - 14 points
2 - POR - 16 points
3 - ARG - 23 points

AUS - 21st - 64 points

Yngling Class After 7 Races - AUS 6th

Krystal Weir, Karyn Gojnich and Angela Farrell scored 9th in the only race today. This result dropped them from 3rd to 6th overall but it is still all really close on points with just 8 points to get back to the Bronze medal position. Great Britain sits comfortably at the top of the leader board with 17 points. The Netherlands still in second with 22 points and the American Team has taken third place with 33 points. Racing continues tomorrow.

With three races to go until the medal round, the team knows anything could happen in this sport.

'We're very confident and there's still a lot of racing to go,' said Gojnich.

'We have one dream, one aspiration and we're working together as one to achieve that.

'The teams who minimise mistakes will do well here.'

Yngling Top 3
1 - GBR - 17 points
2 - NED - 22 points
3 - USA - 33 points

AUS - 6th - 41 points

Finn Class After 7 Races - AUS 16th

Anthony Nossiter had a good result in the one race today, finishing 11th he has climbed one place to 16th. The battle at the front of the fleet continues between Great Britain's Ben Ainslie with 19 points & USA's Zach Railey with 25 points. There France's Florent Guillaume is still in third place with 30 points. Racing continues tomorrow.

Finn Top 3
1 - GBR - 19 points
2 - USA - 22 points
3 - FRA - 33 points

Tomorrows Racing Schedule: Races start at 1pm (China time)
? Finn - Races 8, 9 & 10
? Yngling - Races 8, 9 & 10
? 49er - Races 10, 11 & 12
? RS:X - Races 5 & 6
? Laser - Races 4, 5 & 6
? Radial - Races 4, 5 & 6

The Men's and Women's 470 fleet have a rest day. The Tornado & Star fleet kick off their competition on the 15th. In the mean time they are training and measuring their equipment.

* Follow the racing and learn all about the team on the team website. click here

AST Insights:

Most amusing sporting episode?
'Hiding under my Sabot hull in the Harbour until the rain passed, so I wouldn't get wet .??? Go figure.' - Angela Farrell, Yngling