Day 2 of the Olympic Sailing Competition produced lighter winds more expected at this time of year in Rio, and the south-easterly breezes were mostly around five to seven knots with only occasional moments in double figures.
Men’s Windsurfer – RS:X
Nick Dempsey (GBR) continues to lead the Men’s Windsurfer competition after another good day on the water, marred only by a 14th place in Race 6. Currently the London 2012 silver medallist leads by a point from the reigning Olympic Champion, Dorian van Rijsselberghe (NED), who has the added benefit of a fifth place as his discard, to Dempsey’s 14th. That could be a critical difference later on in the regatta.
Breaking NEWS:
The BBC report in http://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/37029007 – “the 2012 silver medallist has won an appeal against the 14th place after being knocked into the water. Dempsey said he was happy to be “leading from the front”, his 14th place conceded some of the advantage he had gained from a blistering start that saw him win three of the first four races. He entered the water following an altercation with Lithuania’s Juozas Bernotas at the start of the day’s sixth race. The successful protest means the 14th place will be discounted and Dempsey will be awarded a score taken as the average of his first nine race finishes. “When the wind does that, everything gets clustered and I thought they were going to call the race off,” he said. “I’m leading at the Olympics so I’m happy about that. It’s good to race from the front.”
Team GB report in https://www.teamgb.com/news/dempsey-confident-as-he-maintains-windsurfing-lead-in-rio that “Nick Dempsey believes he has grasped what it will take to remain the man to beat in the Olympic windsurfing regatta in Marina da Gloria after an overall positive second day of racing.The 35-year-old headed into races four, five and six seven having claimed two wins and a second on the opening day and was on form in his first two outings to finish first again followed by fourth.His third race of the day was one to forget though – literally as it occupies Dempsey’s current discard – with the double Olympic medallist placing 14th after wind conditions fell on the Escola Naval course.Dempsey would have rather not have had such a high finish at the halfway stage but is adamant he knows exactly what he needs to do to ensure he is still in first place come Sunday’s medal race. “It is as it looks really, it started well and ended badly. The first and fourth [place finishes] were good, you just don’t want to lose your discard too early,” he said. “It is slightly too early but it is alright and still a good day. I feel brilliant, I feel great, I feel the best I have ever felt on the board. “I feel confident and that I’d be good in any conditions. I feel I have got a good handle of what it is going to take to win here and I am feeling comfortable and confident. “The third was the third race. The wind had got really unstable and it was fine when we started but it was pretty apparent half way up the first beat that it was not raceable.”
“Good day today, with a four and two firsts,” said van Rijsselberghe. “I’ve been lucky! Sometimes lucky and sometimes good. Everything is going well, we have done six races so we are not at the halfway point yet. But I’m feeling good, I’m happy about today and just need to try to keep going like this.” With the wind dropping throughout the afternoon, it was physical day of pumping the sail to keep the board moving. “The last race was almost unraceable. But it is what it is.”
The reigning World Champion Piotr Myszka (POL) moves up third place ahead of Byron Kokkalanis (GRE).
Women’s Windsurfer – RS:X
It was Flavia Tartaglini’s (ITA) turn to rip up the race course in the Women’s Windsurfer on day two of competition, the Italian running away with a 1,1,4 scoreline and deposing yesterday’s winner, Charline Picon (FRA), from the top of the leaderboard. The French sailor still had a very respectable day in difficult conditions to sit just a point behind the leader.
Tartaglini commented, “I was not expecting these good results, to tell you the truth. I was feeling ready, but in others regattas I have also felt ready and then things have not gone so well. I’m trying to go day by day and race by race. We still have more than the half of the races to finish the Olympics, but at least this evening I’m going back home very happy.”
As to her growing rivalry with the French sailor, Tartaglini observed, “Charline was leading yesterday and today she was behind me in all three races. But that means just that today I have had a good day. She’s one of the strong contenders, so maybe I’m also one of them. Today was my best day, I hope I will continue in this way. I have the speed and I have the training, and we are all there in the fight.”
Stefania Elfutina (RUS) sits just five points back in third overall, and is having the regatta of her young life. “I’m young, yes, I’m 19 years old,” said the Russian. “But I think that’s not a problem to be able to fight for the medals together with the most experienced women. Nobody expects anything from me, so I just do what I love, and sometimes I can do it well and be in the fight.”
Maybe the challenging nature of the Rio race courses are playing to Elfutina’s strengths. “Today the racing conditions were very complicated, with the currents and the wind, but it was hard for everybody. In the last race the wind dropped and we had to pump a lot. I feel tired, that’s for sure. We had three hard races today, so it’s nice to have a rest day tomorrow to charge some new energy.”
Find information below on how to follow the Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition.
RESULTS / ENTRIES
A full list of sailors racing at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games is available to view here –http://www.sailing.org/olympics/rio2016/qualification/sailors.php#.V6ZHvo6BLqM. Results will be available on World Sailing’s Olympic Website when racing starts on Monday 8 August here –http://www.sailing.org/olympics/rio2016/results/index.php#.V6ZH_Y6BLqM
LIVE TRACKING
The racing will be available to watch in 2D and 3D via the live tracking. Live tracking will be available when racing commences via – http://www.sailing.org/olympics/rio2016/multimedia/live_tracking.php
Live Tracking via the Sailviewer-3D Tablet App will be available for devices with 7″ or greater screens.
Click here to download the iOS Application – https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sailviewer-3d/id912801278
Click here to download the Android Application – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.stsportservice.sailviewer
COMPETITION STATUS
The Competition Status Screen feeds in straight from the Race Committee boats with the teams inputting data such as race times, course type, the status of each race and the plan moving forward. The competition status screen will be available when racing commences via –http://www.sailing.org/olympics/rio2016/multimedia/live_tracking.php
LIVE BLOGGING
Sailing journalist Craig Leweck will be following the racing LIVE on World Sailing’s Olympic Blog throughout Rio 2016. Follow LIVE here – http://www.sailing.org/olympics/rio2016/multimedia/live_blog.php#.V6dUbY6BLqM
PRESS RELEASES
World Sailing will be releasing international press releases after racing throughout the duration of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. All the latest news and reports will be available to read here –http://www.sailing.org/olympics/rio2016/news/index.php
TELEVISION
To find out who your Olympic broadcaster is, click here – https://www.olympic.org/rio-2016/broadcasters. The following link – http://go.olympic.org/WS – will redirect you to the Rights Holding Broadcaster in your country.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow the event on World Sailing’s social networks:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ISAFWorldSailing
Instagram – https://instagram.com/isafworldsailing/
Twitter – @worldsailing
Snapchat – Follow our Story on Snapchat, search for worldsailing
RS:X SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/RSXOlympicWindsurfing/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rsxwindsurfingclass/
Twitter – @RSXCLASS
USEFUL LINKS
World Sailing Olympic Website – http://www.sailing.org/olympics/rio2016/home.php
Competition Schedule – http://www.sailing.org/olympics/rio2016/about/schedule.php
Latest Olympic Sailing news – http://www.sailing.org/olympics/rio2016/news/index.php
Online Notice Board – http://www.sailing.org/olympics/rio2016/results/notices/notices.php
Social Wall – http://www.sailing.org/olympics/rio2016/multimedia/social_wall.php#.V6ZteY6BLqM
