Sponsors
Aussie 470 mixed fortunes
28th January 2008
Gideon Kliger and Udi Gal (ISR) in full flight
The Aussie men, lining up for a record fourth world title tilt this week at the at Mordialloc Sailing Club admitted they can’t find an answer for their up and down results thus far.
Their results speak for themselves at the end of Day 5 finals action, with contrasting finishes today of 20th and first among the top 33 in gold fleet.
It was the World No.1 ranked pair’s first victory for the week and it elevated them into outright seventh position, 25 points behind the leaders with two finals races and one medal race worth double points to come.
“I’m not entirely sure we deserve to be seventh,” Page said today.
“Our preparation’s been great and I can’t say we’ve been sailing badly but we just can’t seem to take a trick,” he added.
“We got off to a good start in the first race and were a bit slow up the first work but then we got headed by a couple of boats at the mark which cost us about 15 boats.
“In the second race everyone overlayed the mark but we were the first ones to realise, so that worked in our favour,” Page concluded.
It was a mixed day for most out on the water, with the top of the leaderboard changing yet again.
Day 4 leaders Nick Rogers/Joe Glanfield (GBR) dropped to outright third position on 46 points after a 12th and fifth but remain optimistic about their chances.
“It was crazy, unpredictable light winds out there today which makes it really hard to stay consistent,” Glanfield said.
“We don’t really mind losing the lead as long as we’re still in with a chance to win,” the Athens silver medalist added.
Gideon Kliger/Udi Gal (ISR) continued to climb the ladder and after second and 11th are now in outright second position on 45 points, four points behind new fleet leaders Alvaro Marinho/Miguel Nunes (POR).
Marinho/Nunes crossed the line in second place twice and have been among the world’s most consistent 470 crews for the past five years but are yet to crack it for a world title.
They are yet to post a podium results however finished in fourth place last year and in 2003.
Racing is scheduled to continue at 1pm tomorrow.
Jodi Kelly – Sail Melbourne Media Centre
470 Women
Sail Melbourne Asia Pacific Regatta winners Erin Maxwell and Isabelle Kinsolving (USA) are continuing their outstanding form at the top of the 470 Women’s world championships leaderboard.
Maxwell/Kinsolving out-muscled 470 heavyweights Marcelien de Koning and Lobke Berkhout (NED) who appeared to be taking control of their fourth world title.
It was much lighter conditions today and the Americans admitted that while they were not chosen to head to Beijing, they were really only here to prove a point to themselves.
“If we win the world titles we’ll be a whole lot less bummed about missing selection for the Olympics,” Kinsolving said.
“We didn’t want to stop sailing after such a downer, so we picked ourselves up and want to finish on a more positive note,” Maxwell added with a smile.
The Dutch girls could manage only a 10th and 18th and are now four points behind on 43, three points clear of Aussie girls Elise Rechichi and Tessa Parkinson.
Rechichi and Parkinson rose from fifth to outright third position with fabulous finishes today in fifth and second place.
Italian crew Giulia Conti and Giovanna Micol remain in contention on 48 points, with two finals races remaining, followed by a double points top 10 medal race on Wednesday.
Racing is scheduled to start at 1pm tomorrow.
By Jodi Kelly – Sail Melbourne Media Centre