Please select your home edition
Edition
Vaikobi 2021 Boots - LEADERBOARD

London Olympics 2012— China’s Lijia Xu wins gold in Laser Radial

by David Schmidt, Sail-World USA Editor on 6 Aug 2012
Lijia Xu (CHN), Laser Radial - London 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition Thom Touw http://www.thomtouw.com
In an unbelievable tour de force, China’s Lijia Xu won Gold in the ultra-competitive Laser Radial class, commanding a decisive lead since the first uphill leg. The Netherlands’ Marit Bouwmeester finished in second place overall to claim a Silver medal, while Belgium’s Evi Van Acker rounded-out the top three steps of the podium.

Throughout the race, Lijia Xu exemplified perfect style, form, tactics, composure and athletic prowess, virtually flaunting her world-class skills. She ultimately beat Bouwmeester across the finishing line by a convincing Delta of eight seconds. Immediately crossing the finishing line, Lijia Xu took a well-earned victory lap in front of the cheering crowds assembled on the Nothe hillside, proudly waving her country’s colors, a massive grin threatening to split her face.

Interestingly, Lijia Xu benefitted from the world-class coaching skills of Weymouth based Jon Emmett (GBR). Based on today’s medal race, it was dead obvious that Lijia Xu had thoroughly done her homework ahead of time on the notoriously difficult Nothe course, catching all the right lifts and tacking on the right headers. On the final downwind run, Lijia Xu commanded a lead of some 41 meters over Bouwmeester, essentially turning the medal race into a battle for Silver and Bronze.


Bouwmeester also sailed beautifully, aggressively rolling her Radial from gunwhale to gunwhale on the downhill legs as she played a high-stakes game of follow the leader. Interestingly, Bouwmeester’s style downwind is reminiscent of Great Britain’s Ben Ainslie, the most decorated Olympic sailor in history. For those in the know this will come as no surprise, given Ainslie’ and Bouwmeester’s off-the-water liaison.


For her part, Belgium’s Evi Van Acker also sailed a spectacular race, finishing some four seconds astern of Bouwmeester, to claim a hard-won Bronze medal. As was previously reported, prior to today’s firing guns, the Laser Radial medal race was a neck-and-neck competition between the three medalists and Ireland’s Annalise Murphy. While Murphy is exceptionally quick on the uphill legs, these on-the-breeze skills were sadly not enough to earn her a step on the podium.

Please stand by for more information from this race, including quotes from the medalists and on-the-water image galleries, as they become available.

SCIBS 2023 - FOOTERVetus-Maxwell 2021 v2 FOOTERHenri-Lloyd 2022 December - SW FOOTER

Related Articles

Through Deck Bushes - All you need to know
How do you know which deck bush is the right one for the job? It's fairly common on modern boats to see rope passing through a surface, such as the deck, thwart or any other part of the hull. This rigging style ensures the rope takes the shortest path, meaning fewer turning points, less friction and less weight.
Posted today at 8:00 am
The final push through the Southern Ocean
The last week of the Southern Ocean Leg for Team Malizia We are in the final week of the Southern Ocean Leg of the iconic Ocean Race, with the teams estimated to arrive on 2nd April 2023 in Itajaí, Brazil.
Posted today at 7:07 am
Cup Spy Mar 29: ETNZ rip out the miles
In Auckland, ETNZ had a big day, covering 120nm in a session which lasted just under four hours Two teams sailed on Wednesday, March 29. In Auckland, ETNZ had a big day, covering 120nm in a session which lasted just under four hours, for the sixth day of sailing their AC75. The Brits looked good early in the session, cut it short after a failure.
Posted today at 2:21 am
Cup Spy Mar 28: Swiss achieve a benchmark
ETNZ ramp up testing - hitting 45kts plus, INEOS Britannia and the Swiss have solid test days Three teams sailed on Tuesday March 28 - with Emirates Team NZ working up their AC75 in Auckland, and hitting 45kts plus. Alinghi Red Bull Racing got their dry tack/gybe percentage up to a benchmark 80%, which is comparable with the top teams.
Posted today at 12:26 am
Road to Gold Q&A Call with Will Ryan
How diversifying across a range of sailing makes you a better racer Will Ryan achieved pretty much everything imaginable in the 470. Now that his hugely successful Olympic partnership with fellow Australian, Mat Belcher, is at an end, Will is in huge demand across a range of different boat types.
Posted on 29 Mar
Rolex Fastnet Race: The two-handed revolution
This year the doublehanders are mostly competing in IRC Two or Three Offshore yacht racing's greatest evolution recently has been the rise of doublehanding. No better demonstration of this is there than the Royal Ocean Racing Club's 50th Rolex Fastnet Race.
Posted on 29 Mar
The Ocean Race Leg 3 Day 31
Team Malizia leads the fleet north towards Brazil After passing Cape Horn and escaping the south, the big weather challenges haven't quite ended for The Ocean Race sailors yet.
Posted on 29 Mar
11th Hour Racing Team begins race to north
Malama passed the most iconic landmark of The Ocean Race on Tuesday Rounding Cape Horn is one of the great moments of any sailor's career, although the enjoyment tends to come later, a few weeks, months, or even years later, according to skipper Charlie Enright (USA).
Posted on 29 Mar
International fleet set for Rolex China Sea Race
Boasting multiple international and previous winners A strong fleet boasting multiple international and previous winners, is preparing to take on the 2023 Rolex China Sea Race.
Posted on 29 Mar
Black Knight: Team Germany's JJ Giltinan challenge
Since the first regatta in 1938, twenty one countries have been represented at the event Since the first regatta in 1938, twenty one countries have been represented by some of their best sailing talent as they attempted to win the world's greatest 18ft skiff championship, the JJ Giltinan World's 18 footer Championship.
Posted on 29 Mar