| The latest news from Europe, Africa and the world |
|
- Check here. To respond to this email Go here
12 Aug 2016
|
|
| |
  Rio 2016 sailing comes alive on 'Brutal Thursday'
 | | Womens 470 come back on port after start of Race 3 - shot a few seconds later form the same S-W photographer in the same position The shooting position was from a SW photographer standing in the raised bow of a RIB, in a harness - the shooting position is about 8 feet above water level © Richard Gladwell |
In what has become known as 'Brutal Thursday', the Finns and 470s raced on the Copacabana and Niterói ocean course areas, outside of Guanabara Bay in huge waves. Is was deemed that the Nacra 17s would have found the conditions too difficult to sail in so they were moved to the Ponte course near the bridge across the Bay.
 | | 470 Women head up the first leg - Race 3 © Richard Gladwell |
London 2012 Silver Medallist Luke Patience summed it up the conditions and wave height in his own unique way, 'They were three or four metres, as big as houses. You could see the front door, two windows, a kitchen and the bedrooms upstairs. When you were in the trough you couldn't see the boat next to you.'
 | | Ben Saxton / Nicola Groves pull a wheelie in the Nacra 17 class at the 2016 Rio Olympics Sailing Energy/World Sailing |
Some epic battles are now developing; Jason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin (AUS) are on equal points with Ben Saxton and Nicola Groves (GBR) in the Nacra 17, Dorian van Rijsselberghe (NED) is turning the tables on Nick Dempsey (GBR), Sime Fantela and Igor Marenic (CRO) are 3 points clear of reigning Olympic Champions Mat Belcher and Will Ryan (AUS) and Giles Scott is... well he's just doing what Giles Scott does!
Even he has picked up a couple of bad results, but he was philosophical about it, 'The important thing to remember is that everyone has got big scores now. I don't think there is one person who has been massively consistent so you know you really have to fight for every single position, regardless of where you find yourself. There is a long way to go in this regatta and it's going to be tough.'
 | | Giles Scott in the Finn class on day 4 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition Sailing Energy/World Sailing |
Unfortunately the TV feeds are concentrating on the Sugarloaf course - while this certainly provides place changes, we're sadly not seeing any video of the excitement on the big waves...
Read Gladwell's line on the challenges of Guanabara Bay at www.sail-world.com/147268
Read the full round-up of day 4 at www.sail-world.com/147278 and find all the latest news from the Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition at www.sail-world.com/Europe/rio2016
Meanwhile, enjoy some of the epic photos coming out of Rio... loads more on www.sail-world.com
 | | Mens 470 fleet start - Race 3 - this was just as small swell © Richard Gladwell |
 | | Luke Patience and Chris Grube on Brutal Thursday at the Rio 2016 Olympics Sailing Energy/World Sailing |
 | | Finn class on day 4 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition Sailing Energy/World Sailing |
 | | Huge waves for the Finn class on Brutal Thursday at the 2016 Rio Olympics © Robert Deaves |
 | | Jo Aleh / Polly Powrie in big waves at the 2016 Rio Olympics Sailing Energy/World Sailing |
 | | Jason Waterhouse & Lisa Darmanin on Brutal Thursday at the Rio 2016 Olympics Sailing Energy/World Sailing |
 | | Mat Belcher and Will Ryan on Brutal Thursday at the Rio 2016 Olympics Sailing Energy/World Sailing |
 | | Giles Scott on Brutal Thursday at the 2016 Rio Olympics Richard Langdon/British Sailing Team |
Mark Jardine, Managing Editor
|
|
|
|
|
|