BRITTISH BULLDOG RULES

by Ian Grant. on 29 Sep 2000 England's Ben Ainslie had every thing to gain and little to lose when he engaged Robert Scheidt in an aggressive match race in the final heat of the Laser Class Olympic championship on Sydney Harbour today.

Ainslie trailed Scheidt by 9 points into the final and showed the determination to make the final race count in what ever way he could.

It soon became apparent that he was going to give the defending Gold Medallist a tough race by covering every move Scheidt made.

When they broke out of the start Ainslie was in control and sailed Scheidt off the course in their own private duel to decide the Gold and Silver Medal while the rest of the 42 Nation fleet sailed a more direct course to the first windward mark with Australian Michael Blackburn safely sailing for the Bronze.

Ainslie was fighting like a true Brittish Bulldog realising his only hope of winning the Gold was to fight Scheidt all the way and push him back below his worst discarded race result of 23.

Midway around the course interest was focused on the race leaders as Ainslie tactics placed him with a real chance to snatch the Gold Medal ahead of the skipper who forced him to accept Silver in a similar race 4 years ago.

The aggression and clever tactics played into the hands of Ainslie when Scheidt finished 36th and Ainslie 38 th to give Ainslie a provisional 1 point Gold Medal win over Scheidt with Blackburn the Bronze.

But both skippers finished the race with Protest Flags flying which indicates there may have been some rule breaches on the course.

RESULTS Race 11 Final 2 drops Provisional subject to protests: AUT 1, BEL 2, MAS 3, ARG 4, SLO 5, CRO 6, RSA 7, GRE 8, NED 9, ITA 10.
PROVISIONAL RESULTS (Subject to Protest) : Ben Ainslie GBR (GOLD) 45 pts Robert Scheidt BRA (Silver) 46pts Michael Blackburn (Bronze) 66pts.