ECSTATIC SPECTATOR BOATS ON DOUBLE GOLDEN DAY

by Isabelle Musy on 28 Sep 2000 After a rainy and grey morning, it turned into a sunny and windy day on the Sydney Harbour for women and men's 470's final day of racing.

A day of glory for Australian sailing as both Australian crews sailed for gold.

Jenny Armstrong and Belinda Stowell were the first to create history on course C between Bradley's Head and Point Piper when they surfed to victory with a huge lead over the 19- nation fleet.

As soon as the finish signal fired on the committee boat, a horning concert started. The harbour ferry was the first one to sound their horn. It was packed with people flying flags and applauding the two girls.

"Aussie Aussie Aussie", screamed people from all over the place as there were hundreds of spectator boats that had come to watch what was more likely going to be a huge day for Australia's sailing.

Armstrong and Stowell sailed a brilliant race in a north - easterly breeze that picked up a lot as the race went on.

It was very choppy and windy when the two gold winners started to parade on the harbour surrounded by many boats.

Armstrong and Stowell were still heading towards Rushcutters Bay with a fleet of ecstatic spectators following them when the gun fired for the men's race.

Australia's Tom King and Mark Turnbull were also lining up to defend their lead.

The two boys had a very conservative start and therefore world top ranked US Paul Foerster and Robert Merrick were leading to gold at first mark. But King and Turnbull managed to come back to 5th place at bottom mark 2. Then in the second beat they caught up again rounded the second top mark in 3rd.
After that it was pretty much a soldiers course as the whole fleet was sailing on the left upwind and the right which were the favoured course options.


This was to please the crowd gathered on Bradley's head to watch the race.

Foerster and Merrick increased their lead when King and Turnbull even managed to catch up with Urkaine's Braslavets and Matviyenko on the last run.

The Aussie pair crossed the line in second place winning a second gold medal for Australia.

At that stage, there were even more spectator boats out on the water to horn and shout at the winners.

The excitement of everyone made it difficult for the police boats to prevent other boats from coming near to the little Australian dinghy.

After Armstrong and Stowell, it was King and Turnbull's turn to be surrounded by a fleet of proud vessels. The two boys flew the Australian flag and waved at the crowd while the rest of the men's 470 fleet was trying to make its way through to head back to the marina.

The sun had come out as though to welcome the golden winners who created history today on Sydney harbour. A day that the Australian yachting world will remember for a very long time.