Olympic Sailing Results - 18 August

Olympic Sailing Results - 18 August

Conditions were light and racing was frustrating on day four of Olympic sailing in Athens. 5 New Zealand sailors competed with mixed results.

Men’s Mistral racing was abandoned for the day while the Women only sailed 1 of 2 scheduled races. Results are in for Sarah Macky in the Europe, Hamish Pepper in the Laser and both the Men’s and Women’s 470 classes.

New Zealand’s Overall Standings:

Women’s Mistral – Barbara Kendall – 13th (after 3 races)
Men’s Mistral – Thomas Ashley – 7th – (after 1 race)
Finn – Dean Barker – 9th (after 6 races)
Europe – Sarah Macky – 13th (after 4 races)
Laser – Hamish Pepper – 14th (after 4 races)
Women’s 470 – Shelley Hesson & Linda Dickson – 11th (after 6 races)
Men’s 470 – Andrew Brown & Jamie Hunt – 26th (after 6 races)
Yngling – Sharon Ferris, Joanna White & Kylie Jameson – 6th (after 6 races)

New Zealand Team Manager, Don Cowie is perplexed about the decision of Race Management to persevere with competition in breeze that was at the low end of the range.

“There’s some pretty upset teams,” he says “we’re nervous about them trying to squeeze in more poor quality races given that schedules are getting tight.”

In Barbara Kendall’s only race overnight and third race overall the veteran board sailor was disqualified for being over the start line. This unfortunately earns her an undesirable 27 points bringing her total to 37 and putting her 13th on the leader board.

After 5 races are completed she can discard the poor result, now putting the pressure on her to maintain top form for the remainder of the regatta. Plans are for tonight’s reserve day to be used to sail abandoned races for both Kendall in the Women’s and Thomas Ashley in the Men’s division.

Europe sailor Sarah Macky was back out on the water to compete in races 3 and 4. She placed 9th and 19th which sees her slip down the leader board to 13th overall. Norway’s Siren Sundby continues to dominate the event.

“Sarah and Hamish are such good sailors in a bit more breeze,” says Cowie “racing today was disappointing for them. The Laser’s had to drift over the finish line.”

Hamish Pepper finished 26th in race 3 and 11th in race 4 amongst the 42 strong Laser fleet. He now sits in 14th position overall. Both Macky and Pepper in the single-handed dinghy classes will be hoping for the wind to increase. Though originally a reserve day they will be racing tonight to make up for cancellations.

Racing dragged on into the evening for both the Men’s and Women’s 470 fleets due to the light winds. The New Zealand Women’s 470 crew of Shelley Hesson and Linda Dickson sailed well but were defeated by the dying winds. In their first race of the day they lead the fleet around the top mark, were 2nd at mark 2 and then finished in 17th after things were turned upside down in the final stages.

“The boats that were coming last came through to win,” says Cowie “The points spread is huge, and the girls still have potential.”

Conditions were similar for Andrew Brown and Jamie Hunt in the Men’s 470 class. They moved from 27th spot to 26th overnight after recording their best result of the regatta.

“We will continue to work as hard as we can and, giving 110% through until the end of the regatta,” said Brown yesterday.

For full results and the amended schedule go to the Regatta web site by clicking the link http://www.sailing.org/olympics2004/default.asp

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