Olympics Day 8 wrap up - Australian Sailing Team
The Australian Sailing Team is set to claim at least two medals and potentially three, after Saturday's race results put the Men's and Women's 470 teams into emphatic leads and the 49ers go into their final race in third place Sunday.
'Nathan Wilmot and Malcolm Page (AUS), 470 Class'
Guy Nowell © Click Here to view large photo
AUS Team Results at a glance:
8th - Yngling - Krystal Weir, Karyn Gognich & Angela Farrell
3rd - 49er - Nathan Outteridge & Ben Austin
1st - 470m - Nathan Wilmot & Malcolm Page
1st - 470w - Elise Rechichi & Tessa Parkinson
2nd - RS:X - Jessica Crisp
2nd - Tornado - Darren Bundock & Glenn Ashby
7th - Radial - Sarah Blanck
15th - Star - Iain Murray & Andrew Palfrey
26th - Laser - Tom Slingsby
Weather for Saturday was:
Wind: 0-15 knots.
Humidity: 75%'
Temp: 28'C 
470 Women
Women's Two-Person Dinghy Event (470 Class) After 10 Races - AUS 1st
The Women's 470 team of Elise Rechichi and Tessa Parkinson also have the Gold medal almost within their grasp. The only way they could lose the Gold is if they finish the medal race last and The Netherlands crosses the line first. Today's race results of a third and a second have taken the Perth pair to 25 points, The Australian women have an 18 point lead on The Netherlands, 43 points and Brazil are third on 58 points.
'It's one of the best series we've put together to date - consistent scores were our aim,' said Rechichi.
Reflecting on the difficulties the team has endured over the past few years, Tessa Parkinson was appreciative of their position as they returned to the boat park late this afternoon.
'You have to lose to know how much you really want to win,' said Parkinson..
470 Women Top 3
1 - AUS - 25 points
2 - NED - 43 points
3- BRA - 58 points
Elise & Tessa's website link, 470-women.australiansailingteam.com/>
470 Men
Men's Two-Person Dinghy Event (470 Class) After 10 Races - AUS 1st
The Australian 470 Men's crew of Nathan Wilmot and Malcolm Page need only to go through the formality of starting their medal race, which is scheduled for Monday 18 August, to claim a Gold Medal. With 42 points at the end of the preliminary race series, the pair has a 22 point lead after today's race results of 16th, third and 10th take them into Monday's medal race in first position. In their wake are The Netherlands (64 points) and France (66 points).
'An Olympic medal is the only thing not in the trophy cabinet - but it's not quite there yet,' said Wilmot.
Both 470 teams have a rest day now, while their boats go into quarantine ahead of the medal race on Monday. It will be a long wait.
470 Men Top 3
1 - AUS - 42
2 - NED - 64
3 - POR - 66
Nathan & Malcolm's website link, 470-men.australiansailingteam.com/
Yngling
Women's Keelboat Event (Yngling Class) After 8 Races - AUS 8th Event organisers advised at 4:44pm local Qingdao time that the Yngling (Women's Keelboat) medal race in which Australia is represented had been abandoned due to lack of wind on Course A . It is now scheduled to start at 1pm Sunday.
Yngling Top 3
1 - GBR - 22 points
2 - NED - 23 points
3- GRE - 42 points
8 - AUS - 49 points
Krystal, Karyn & Angela's website link, yngling.australiansailingteam.com/
49er
Skiff Event (49er Class) After 12 Races - AUS 3rd
Australia has the chance to win a medal in the 49er class. Nathan Outteridge and Ben Austin had mixed results in today's shifty conditions with a 12th, second and 18th. They go into medal contention in third place with 61 points while Denmark lead on 47 points and Italy is second on 58 points. Denmark would have to finish 8th and the Australians would have to win the medal race in order for Outteridge and Austin to claim Gold. With huge wind shifts creating very irregular race results to date, nothing is impossible and it should be noted the Australians have won three races in this regatta, while Denmark has not yet won a race. The 49er medal race is scheduled for 1pm Qingdao time (3pm Sydney time), Sunday 17 August, depending on conditions.
49er Top 3
1 - DEN - 47 points
2 - ITA - 58 points
3 - AUS - 61 points
Nathan & Ben's website link, 49er.australiansailingteam.com/
Laser Radial
Women's One-Person Dinghy Event (Laser Radial) Class After 5 Races - AUS 7th
The Laser Radial class only completed one race today. Sarah Blanck finished fourth to put her equal sixth overall with Great Britain on 28 points. New Zealand lead on 10 points, followed by Lithuania in second (16 points) and the USA in third (20 points).
Laser Radial Top 3
1 - NZL - 10 points
2 - LTU - 13 points
3 -USA - 20 points
7 - AUS - 28 points
Sarah's website link, Click Here radial.australiansailingteam.com/
Laser
Men's One-Person Dinghy Event (Laser Class) After 5 Races - AUS 26th Tom Slingsby's day will come, it may not be here in Qingdao but the young star will continue to shine in the sport of sailing in the future. Tom posted a 36th in the one race today. Diego Romero is leading the regatta by a single point.
Laser Top 3
1- ITA - 24 points
2 - SWE - 25 points
3 - SLO - 26 points
26- AUS - 86 points
Tom's website link, Click Here laser.australiansailingteam.com/
Turners Beach, TAS
