Olympics Finns Ainslie Leads, Nossiter eighth

by Bob Ross on 17 Aug 2004 In the Finns, British sailor Ben Ainslie scored a fourth and a first today and with the worst-placing discard coming into play after race five, is leading overall. Ainslie has 16 points, Rafael Trujillo (Spain) 18 and Mateusz Kusznierwicz (Poland) is third on 25.

Ainslie, with video evidence, yesterday attempted to re-open the protest over a port and starboard crossing that had him disqualified from race one. The international jury denied the request.

Although he knows he cannot afford one more bad placing, Ainslie is racing hard, mixing for the favoured spot on the starting line and being adventurous at times in his tactics.

He went the wrong way on the first beat in race five, was tenth at the first mark but gained places on each leg to finish fourth. In race six, he was second at the first mark, 19 seconds behind David Burrows of Ireland. He passed Burrows on the second downwind leg of the trapezoid course and pulled away steadily to win by the large margin of 46sec.

Kusznierewicz, who had been series leader, was disqualified for an ocs premature start in the second race.

Australian Anthony Nossiter is in eighth place after an eighth and a 13th yesterday. He was disappointed in the race six result because he steadily dropped places after being sixth at the second mark.

‘I missed a few shifts today,’ Nossiter said. ‘I got stuck in the middle and I think the guys out on the left and the right were okay.’

'I would be more content to be top six half way through the regatta and I would have been, if I hadn’t been losing places today. I have always used top six as a bit of a benchmark and I am two points off six. '

‘I look forward to more action.’