Team USA Lead The Way On Day Five Of The Olympic Sailing Competition

[Source: ISAF] Team USA excelled on day five of the 2008 Olympic Sailing Competition, winning six of the 11 races including three straight bullets for Tim WADLOW and Chris RAST in the 49er.

The three race victories helped Tim WADLOW and Chris RAST haul themselves back into contention in the Skiff - 49er event. However it’s still the Australians Nathan OUTTERIDGE and Ben AUSTIN who lead, although just one point separates them from the consistent Danish team. Australia's Nathan WILMOT and Malcolm PAGE also leads in the Men’s 470, although Elise RECHICHI and Tessa PARKINSON (AUS) slipped to second in the women’s event behind triple World Champions Marcelien DE KONING and Lobke BERKHOUT (NED).

For the Laser, Laser Radial, Finn and Yngling fleets, racing further out from the shore there was a delay of just over two hours before racing got underway as the wind was shifting significantly in both direction and speed. Following the delay, the fleets completed just one of their two scheduled races, so their series have been rescheduled to utilise their reserve days (click here for the amended race schedule) In the Laser, Italy’s Diego ROMERO seized the overall lead as Andrew MURDOCH (ITA) fell from first to 13th overall after a 40th place finish. ROMERO’s fifth place in today’s race, won by Andrew CAMPBELL (USA), puts him two points ahead of Gustavo LIMA (POR).

Anna Tunnicliffe, leader in the Laser Radial fleet. Qingdao, 13 August 2008. Photo copyright Juerg Kaufmann

There was more good news for the American team in the Laser Radial fleet. World #1 Anna TUNNICLIFFE (USA) posted another solid finish of sixth to maintain the overall lead. Penny CLARK (GBR) won today’s race to move up to fifth overall with an up and down scorecard of 2, 22, 1.

In the Yngling fleet, the Americans recorded another victory, but the big winners of the day were the British team of Sarah AYTON, Sarah WEBB and Pippa WILSON who extended their overall advantage on the Dutch with a second place finish. Ben AINSLIE (GBR) also extended his overall lead in the Finn fleet. The double gold medallist and reigning Olympic Champion finished second in race 7 of the Finn Opening Series, five places ahead of his closest rival Zach RAILEY (USA).