British sailors fight back in 470 and RS-X

by Lindsey Bell on 12 Aug 2008
Things might not have gone completely to plan for the British 470 crews in Qingdao on their opening day, but they certainly hit back in style on Tuesday. Christina Bassadone and Saskia Clark finished their two races in third and fourth, seeing them move back up the leaderboard to eighth place overall. While Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield opened with a win and then a fourth to fifth overall.

The Team GB women’s pairing of Christina Bassadone and Saskia Clark were left in 15th place at the end of their first day of racing on Monday, after an unexpected protest from the Slovenian crew saw them disqualified from their opening race of the regatta.

Vesna Dekleva and Klara Maucec claimed that Bassadone and Clark had failed to give them adequate room at the final turning mark of the first race, with the jury finding in their favour. Picking up 20 points for the race disqualification left the British duo determined to bounce back in races three and four on Tuesday – and they did not disappoint.

They finished their two races in third and fourth, seeing them move back up the leaderboard to eighth place overall.

'I was pretty surprised that the Slovenian girl went for the protest, because it could have swung either way,' Bassadone explained.

'It certainly gave us some fire in the belly and we came out firing on all four cylinders this morning!'

After one more race they will be able to discard their first race disqualification, so the pair hope to keep things on an even keel in the days to come.

'I think we were both mad for it really,' Clark said of the day. 'Yesterday we were both pretty frustrated and the protest frustrated us even more, and we were ready to prove a point today to everyone.

'We’re pleased with today – wish we could have had the same yesterday – but it’s something to build on, and takes us forward into the week. There’s more to come!'

Athens silver medallists Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield also put in a determined performance today in the 470 men’s fleet. They too had a bad opening race to their regatta, finishing 19th, but firmly put that behind them with a 1, 4 in Tuesday’s two races for the men’s double-handed class.

Rogers and Glanfield are now in fifth place overall, with the discard set to kick after the next race.

'We did sail well today, we made some good decisions,' said Glanfield. 'None of it was particularly easy – especially the second race. That was a hard-fought fourth – it could have easily been a 20th.

'I think we rounded the top mark in about 15th and caught quite a few down the first run and then a few more on the next beat and a couple more on the last run, so we moved forward through the fleet the whole race.

'Our main opposition did well as well, but we can’t control that,' Glanfield continued. 'We’ve just got to keep doing well ourselves.'

RS:X windsurfer Nick Dempsey put in an impressive display to see him move up the leaderboard to fifth place, with 3, 2 from his two races on Tuesday. The Athens bronze medallist was buoyant after a tough first day, in which he posted opening scores of 11, 9.

'I’m pleased to be where I am. Yesterday was OK – it was quite solid – but to be in the medals at the end of the week, today had to be a good day, so I’m pretty happy.

'Out on course B, because it’s a little bit further away, the wind’s a bit more stable and it meant everything was a bit more simplified and there was perhaps more margin for error.

'I think the difference is just going to be who keeps it together mentally for the rest of the week. Some people are already finished, but it’s just about keeping it steady over the coming days.'

Bryony Shaw endured a tough day to stay in the hunt in the women’s RS:X fleet – she’s currently in fifth place, posting 11, 6 from her two races, with Chinese windsurfer Jian Yin still topping the table having amassed a nine point lead after four races.

Overall Leading positions after day 4

470 Women - Leaders after 4 races

1. AUS - Elise Rechichi and Tessa Parkinson
2. ESP - Natalia Via-Dufresne and Laia Tutzó
3. NED - Marcelien De Koning and Lobke Berkhout
4. ISR - Nike Kornecki and Vered Buskila
5. ITA - Giulia Conti and Giovanna Micol
6. CZE - Lenka Smidova and Lenka Mrzilkova

8. GBR - Christina Bassadone and Saskia Clark

470 Men - Leaders after 4 races

1. AUS - Nathan Wilmot and Malcolm Page 17 pts
2. FRA - Nicolas Charbonnier and Olivier Bausset 18 pts
3. ESP - Barreiros Onan and Aaron Sarmiento 25 pts
4. ITA - Gabrio Zandona and Andrea Trani 28 pts
5. GBR - Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield 29 pts
6. POR - Alvaro Marinho and Miguel Nunes

RS:X Men - Leaders after 4 races

1. ISR - Shahar Zubari 8 pts
2. HKG - King Yin Chan 16 pts
3. NZL - Tom Ashley 19 pts
4. FRA - Julien Bontemps 23 pts
5. GBR - Nick Dempsey 25 pts
6. UKR - Maxim Oberemko 32 pts

RS:X Women - Leaders after 4 races

1. CHN - Jian Yin 6 pts
2. ESP - Marina Alsbau 15 pts
3. AUS - Jessica Crisp 17 pts
4. ITA - Alessandra Sensini 18 pts
5. GBR - Bryony Shaw 24 pts
6. NZL - Barbera Kendall 35 pts

RYA website - www.rya.org.uk/beijing2008