Gold to USA, Silver to AUS, Bronze to CAN in Skud

by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World on 13 Sep 2008
Although Nick Scandone and Maureen Mckinnon-Tucker (USA) had won the Gold medal in a canter, yesterday, the Silver and Bronze medals were still in doubt going into today's racing in the two person SKUD 18 keelboat class at the 2008 Paralympics.

Australia won the Silver medal with Canada taking the Bronze, after two races were sailed today in 11-13kts winds on Fushan Bay, Qingdao to conclude the 2008 Paralympics.

The top three competitors dominated the racing all series and today was no different, with Scandone and Mckinnon-Tucker taking second place, in Race 9, in what may sadly be the last race of Scandone's life. The Gold Medallists elected not to start in the final race of the regatta winning by a healthy seven point margin, the biggest of the three classes sailing at Qingdao.

Daniel Fitzgibbon and Rachael Cox (AUS) wrapped up the Silver medal with a first and second place in the two races sailed in very fresh 11-13kts winds to take second overall by three points from John Scott McRoberts and Stacie Louttit (CAN).

In fourth overall were Hailang Jia and Xiujua Yang of the host nation China, their best performed crew in this regatta, 14 points adrift of the Bronze medal.

SKUD 18 FLEET OVERALL

As of 13 SEP 2008

AFTER 10 RACES

Place	Name	Pos	NPC Code				Points per Race								Total Pts	Net Pts
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
1	SCANDONE Nick McKINNON TUCKER Maureen	S C	USA	2	1	1	1	(3)	2	1	1	2	(12) DNS		26	11
2	FITZGIBBON Daniel COX Rachael	S C	AUS	(4)	2	2	2	2	4	(9)	3	1	2		31	18
3	McROBERTS John Scott LOUTTIT Stacie	S C	CAN	3	3	3	3	1	3	2	(8)	(4)	3		33	21
4	JIA Hailiang YANG Xiujuan	S C	CHN	1	4	7	7	5	6	(8)	4	(8)	1		51	35
5	BIRRELL Niki	S	GBR	5	5	(8)	(8)	4	1	4	7	7	4
	RICKHAM Alexandra	C													53	37
6	LOKE Sin Ying MATRIN Al Mustakim	S C	MAS	(10)	6	(12) DSQ	5	6	5	6	2	3	6		61	39
7	FRESK Carl-Gustaf JACOBSSON NILEN Birgitta	S C	SWE	6	(9)	4	4	7	(12) RAF	3	5	9	7		66	45
8	TAN Wei Qiang Jovin	S	SIN	7	7	5	6	(8)	7	7	(11)	5	5
	LIM Kok Liang Desiree	C													68	49
9	AMARAL Bento	S	POR	8	8	6	(9)	(9)	8	5	6	6	8
	SILVANO Luisa	C													73	55
10	KELEHAN Amy TWOMEY John	S C	IRL	9	(10)	9	(10)	10	9	10	9	10	9		95	75
11	SOLLIQUE Pedro PINPIN Cherry	S C	PHI	(11)	(11)	10	11	11	10	11	10	11	10		106	84