GOLD MEDAL FAVOURITE SLIPPING FROM CONTENTION

by Ian Grant on 23 Sep 2000 Chris Nicholson and Daniel Phillips, Australia's high performance 49er skiff sailing team have produced an inconsistent score and are in danger of missing a medal in the class they have dominated for three years.

The combination of claiming a triple World crown and sailing on their home course where they have won other World titles and Grand Prix trophies installed this highly talented team as not a medal favourite but the most likely to win Australia's first sailing Gold Medal since 1972.

There is little doubt about the quality of boatspeed because they are the only crew to have won four races but uncharacteristic human element and tactical errors have resulted in a below standard pointscore.

After 12 intensely competitive races the highly respected Aussie team face their worst ever International result in a class which they have dominated for so long.

Race results of 11-11-1-14-1-1-12-3-1-6-17-10 is very similar to the World's best pitcher being hit for a home run on every third ball.

They need to produce a 'knockout' blow on Sydney Harbour today or fail to fulfil their ambition to be in the Medal ceremony on Monday.

Nicholson and Phillips will sail onto the course today needing a minor miracle to climb back from sixth place, 18 points behind the joint leaders Jonathan and Charlie McKee (USA),pictured here and the very consistent Thomas Johanson and Jyrki Jarvi of Finland.

A medal winning result is not completely out of reach and the Nichoslon/Phillips sailing team are well known for their never say die spirit however they will need to produce a super human fight back against the crews from America, Finland, England,Germany and Spain who are also intensely focused on winning an Olympic Medal.

PROGRESSIVE POINTS (12 races, 2discards) : USA 39pts 1, FIN 39pts 2, GBR 47pts 3, ESP 53pts 4, GER 56pts 5, AUS 57pts 6, POR 66pts 7, NZL 67pts 8, DEN 74pts 9, UKR 78pts 10.