Marina Alabau (ESP) blinked. A 10 and a 14 on the last day was
not what she needed. Zofia Klepacka (POL) snatched the opportunity,
and piled on the pressure with a 1 and a 3.
Result... Going into the medal race, these two are on equal points at the top of the table.
Maja Dziamowska (POL) has moved up to third but failed to add to Marina's problems by finishing 25th in the last race of the day. Oh, what might have been if she had put in another single figure result. She would have been close enough to inflict some real damage in the medal race today.
As it is, she has handed the leaders a 13 point cushion and has her own battle to fight with Lee Korzits (ISR) who is just 2 points off in 4th. Lee had a disaster of a day. All hope of taking gold or silver were smashed in her worst day of the regatta so far. To say that she has not come to terms with the sheer physical effort required when the wind goes lighter is perhaps close to an under-statement. An 18 and a 25 is all she managed.
Then there is Nikola Girke (CAN) who up till today had been having a stonker of a regatta. 5th on Friday morning and riding high. 11th on Friday evening and medal race glory dashed in 2 races... a pair of 27s killed it for her.
The RS:X women's medal race is scheduled for 1235hrs today. LIVE tracking and course commentary too. Be there to watch the gun fight between Marina and Zofia.
In the RS:X men's windsurfing fleet things are almost as tight. Just one point separates New Zealand’s overnight leader, JP Tobin, and the the Brit, Nick Dempsey. They both had a good day. JP kept his nose in front with a 2 and a 4. Nick did exactly what was necessary and turned the screw even tighter with a 3 and a 1.
It was the Flying Dutchman, Dorian van Rijsselberge who was crunching the gears unable to find the illusive fast forward position. He picked up a DPI in R9 then dropped to 14th in R10. He's now in a fairly safe 3rd with it all to do. 12 points is not impossible to claw back but he's been left hoping that Nick or JP have a stinker in the medal race today
On current evidence, that's not going to happen
Piotr Myszka (POL) has no real hope of a medal. The RS:X World Champion is in 4th 17 points further back. But, that's not his concern. What is or rather Who is? Just look 2 places down the order to 6th and you'll find Przemek Miarczynski. These two have their own personal battle to fight. Pont has been the king of the Polish RS:X men's team for a long time. Piotr rattled his cage by taking the 2010 RS:X World title. This battle for supremacy has qualification for the Olympics as its prize. Who blinks first loses big time.
Making up the numbers in 8th, 9th and 10th, we find Julien Bontemps (FRA), 2008 Olympic silver medallist, The Beijing Olympic champion, Tom Ashley (NZL)and Ivan Pastor, the top Spanish windsurf racer. These guys just squeezed into the medal race as the door was closing. They have been run ragged by the pace and the pressure this week. The RS:X men's medal race is scheduled for 1335hrs. This is the big one... be there :)
Skandia Sail For Gold - RS:X Windsurfing Results
RS:X MEN After 10 Races
1. NZL 151- TOBIN Jp (23pts)
2. GBR 1- DEMPSEY Nick (24pts)
3. NED 8- VAN RIJSSELBERGE Dorian (30pts)
RS:X WOMEN After 10 Races
1. POL 8- KLEPACKA Zofia (33pts)
2. ESP 5- ALABAU Marina (33pts)
3. POL 7- DZIARNOWSKA Maja (46pts)
