Asian Games 2018 - racing day 4

Tan Yue (CHN) is the leading woman in the Mixed Team RS:One event © Antara Foto / Susana Carmelita

Jakarta, Indonesia, presented a hot day and light winds, perfect for a day of hot competition where the 144 sailors competing in the Asian Games 2018 Sailing Competition, carefully battled for top places. From here on in, it is the top men and women in Asia facing off against each other for a place in Friday’s medal ceremony.

The sailors took to the waters, having effectively had a rest day on Sunday. With such a contrast in conditions from the first three racing days where the high wind specialists dominated the series, today was a chance for the light wind sailors to show off their skills. The 49ers saw an intense battle on the course as the day progressed. Overnight leaders Japan’s FURUYA SHINGEN and HACHIYAMA SHINJI are comfortable in the lead over the fleet. Korea’s CHAE BONJIN and KIM DONGWOK who had a bad outing today have but maintain the second place. India’s KELAPANDA CHENGAPPA GANAPATHY and ASHOK THAKKAR VARUN maintain the third spot.

In the 49erFX, the Singaporean pair of KIMBERLY MIN LIM and RUI QI CECILIA LOW remain the undisputed leaders with eleven guns in the eleven races. KIMBERLY celebrated her birthday on Saturday and is looking forward to qualifying for the Tokyo 2020 at the 49er World Championships next year. In the Laser Standard, Korea’s HA JEEMIN remains in the pole position. Malaysia’s MOHD AFENDY KHAIRULNIZAM has extended his margin over Singapore’s LO JUN HAN RYAN who remains in the third place. Korea having already qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics at the recently concluded Sailing World Championships at Aarhus, it is now between Malaysia and Singapore to win the spot at the Asian Games 2018.

Japan’s DOI MANAMI continues her dominance in the Laser Radial with two more first position finishes today. She is followed by China’s ZHANG DONGSHUANG, Thailand’s CHANYIM KAMOLWAN, Malaysia’s MOHAMAD LATIF NUR SHAZRIN. India’s KUMANAN NETHRA had a poor day at office today but remains optimistic on her chances. Japan and China have already qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and it is now between Thailand and Malaysia to seal their spot at the Asian Games 2018. The next few days will see both of them battle it out on the water.

In the Laser 4.7 Malaysia’s KAMAN SHAH MUHAMMAD FAUZI leads the fleet and is followed by China’s WANG JIANXIONG. India’s BAIRAGI GOVIND maintains his third position despite a bad race today. India’s TOMAR HARSHITA benefitted from light winds and has moved into fourth place.

The 470 Men and Women didn’t see any change on the board and same was the case for RS:X Men and Women, where the leaders are comfortably placed.

Commenting on today’s racing on the Windsurfing course, TONY LU, IRO said “when we out in the morning it appeared that it might be a long day as the wind was not there, but as the sun brightened the wind appeared from the North unlike in the past where we had steady Easterly winds. We finished the races on schedule”. Racing is scheduled to continue on Tuesday where the intensity will go up a notch as the battle to qualify countries for Tokyo 2020 becomes even more refined and sailor’s battle to get into the all-important medal place on Friday where the titles will be awarded.

Results can be found at http://www.asiansailing.org/asian-games-2018-sailing-competition-day-5/