Watching the paint dry in Qingdao
Yesterday the media mavens were all geared up for action on the Medal Race course - it was going to be a showdown between Big Ben Ainslie (GBR) and Zach Railey (USA) in the Men's Heavyweight Dinghy class, the Finn. All Ainslie had to do to lay hands on his third Olympic gold medal was beat Railey. The two of them were sufficiently far ahead of the rest of the pack that their finish positions in the fleet didn't matter. 
'Qingdao Olympic Regatta 2008. Ho hum. Ben Ainslie (GBR) waiting for the breeze. Finn Medal Race (abandoned).'
Guy Nowell © Click Here to view large photo
Railey mistook a sound signal at the start, thought it was an individual recall, and went back to re-start. Ainslie went back too, but stayed just in front of Railey, and then proceeded to sit on the American all the way round the course. Actually, it was somewhat less than half way round the course. The light and fitful breeze in which RO Peter 'Luigi' Reggio had managed to start the race (after two earlier 'false' starts interrupted by an AP within the last minute of the sequence) faded away to nothing and became insufficient to push ther boats against the incoming spring tide. Three guns, N flag, race abandoned.
As one of the photographers said, 'I am glad I'm not a tv commentator right now.' 
What a difference a day makes. There's water streaming down the windows of the Media Centre, and it's blowing old boots on the other side of the glass. The cynics are wondering whether racing might be cancelled again 'for a different reason' today, and the Canon Service Centre has run out of camera raincoats. Strewth, it's tough for the press corps at the Qingdao Olympic Regatta! 
by Guy Nowell, Sail-World Asia
Turners Beach, TAS
