Bassadone Clark - 470 Olympic Sailing Blog

After being postponed yesterday the Ynglings and Finns got their medal races in today. In both classes Team GB were in GOLD positions going into the race. It was a windy easterly and absolutely bucketing it down with rain.

The Yngling girls were up first, with the silver secure they just had to beat the Dutch team in the 10 boat, double pointer medal race for Gold to be theirs. The girls pretty much lead from the start with the Dutch back in the melee of the fleet, so first Gold won.

It was then the turn of the mighty Ben Ainslie, whose medal race got canceled yesterday due to no wind, when he was in a commanding position. Just as impressive as the girls, Ben went out and won the race - winning his 3rd Olympic Gold.

It was then the turn of the 49ers. Our boys, Stevie and Ben (fellow Lenovo bloggers), unfortunately where out of a shot of a medal. The breeze and waves were pretty marginal at this point for 49er racing but quite possibly it was the most exciting half an hour of sailing I have ever seen. The Danish who were winning snapped their mast in the warm up. They reappeared in the Croatians boat and managed to squeeze through the startline just before it closed at the 4 minute time limit. Boats where capsizing everywhere and the lead was constantly changing. On the last lap the Aussies had the Gold medal to then capsize on the gybe to the finish. Spain went on to win the race and then had to wait to see what resulted from the carnage behind them. The Danes finished the race and on the scoreboard have done enough to win the gold, it waits to be seen though if their result will be allowed to count as they were not in their boat. Danes = GOLD, Spainish = SILVER, Germans = BRONZE. Me = WOW what a race!! I can't wait until ours tomorrow!!