Pic: Julian Schlosser

Dempsey And Shaw Go For Gold

Team GB’s medal tally could increase even further tomorrow as both Nick Dempsey and Bryony Shaw go for gold in the RS:X windsurfing men’s and women’s classes.

Dempsey, who won bronze in Athens, finished fifth in their only race of today to go into tomorrow’s double points’ medal race in silver medal position with 46 points, just one point behind leader Julien Bontemps (FRA) and tied on the same points as New Zealand’s Tom Ashley in third.

Asked about his game plan for tomorrow’s final showdown, Dempsey replied:  “It’s hard enough to defend on a windsurfer as it is, but with three or four of them I’ve just got to sail my own race.

The top three are effectively on equal points and the next person is only just behind. So it’s really a case of keeping it tight and making sure I beat those three people.

“It will be a case of sailing the first beat, seeing where you are, and assessing the situation at the turn.”

Meanwhile, Shaw, second in today’s sole race, currently lies in bronze medal position overall, eight points behind Jian Yin (CHN) at the top of the pack.

The lowest both Dempsey and Shaw can now finish is fifth overall. 

Elsewhere, Paul Goodison has won Laser class gold today (Tuesday 19 August), Britain’s third sailing gold of the Games and fourth medal in total for the sport.

Four-time European champion Goodison, who finished fourth on his Olympic debut at Athens 2004, lead the fleet by 18 points going into today’s double points medal race meaning as long as the Brit did not finish 10^th and last in the race and second-placed Swede Rasmus Myrgren win it, the Olympic crown would be Goodison’s.

Goodison made no mistake in sealing the biggest prize of them all in light winds, sailing the Swede to the back of the fleet at the start and pinning him there throughout the race, stopping Myrgren have any chance of reaching the front and threatening gold.

Goodison finished the race in ninth and Myrgren 10th for Goodison to be crowned Olympic champion with 63 points, eight points ahead of silver medallist Vasilij Zbogar (SLO) with Italian Diego Romero taking bronze. Myrgren finished sixth overall.

Goodison said: “It’s just absolutely amazing, it might not have been the best way to do it but with the conditions being so tricky, it was the best way of making sure of gold.

“It’s been a testing week but I hung in there and delivered yesterday, which made it a bit easier today.

“Athens was really hard and this is for everyone who has been through it all with me. I’m so pleased my mum could be here with me and also for my dad who was watching back home on the television.

“You come to every Olympic Games trying to do your best and fortunately this time I’m on top of the table. It just feels unbelievable and it’s going to take a while to sink in, it’s just amazing. With London 2012 just around the corner, it would be an amazing opportunity to represent Great Britain at an Olympic Games in Britain.” 

Sailing Team Manager Stephen Park was delighted for Goodison.  “The Laser fleet is so competitive right now, so this medal is fantastic and really has been a long time coming for Paul.

“Having been training partner for the Sydney Games, and then finishing fourth in Athens, for Paul to finally get an Olympic medal – and particularly a gold one – is just fantastic.

“I’m also really pleased for Paul’s coach, Chris Gowers – he’s been a huge help, not only to Paul but to the whole of the rest of the team over a number of years, so I’m delighted for him that he’s now a gold-medal winning coach.”

Goodison’s is Britain’s fourth sailing medal of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games with Ben Ainslie (Finn) and Yngling trio Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson winning gold on Sunday and Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield clinching 470 men’s silver yesterday (Monday).

In the Laser Radial medal race today, Penny Clark finished seventh to claim 10^th overall at her first Olympic Games. The class was won by American Anna Tunnicliffe.

Meanwhile, all racing for the Star and Tornado sailors was canned due to the light winds in Qingdao with Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson currently sitting in second-place overall in the Star class with Leigh McMillan and Will Howden 12^th in the Tornado.

Their medal races are scheduled to close the regatta on Thursday. 

Schedule of racing – Wednesday 20 August (times are local)

Course A:      1300 hrs – RS:X Men medal race

Course A:      1300 hrs – RS:X Women medal race

Course D:      1100hrs – Star (3 races)

Course E:      1100hrs – Tornado (3 races)

You can follow the racing online at www.rya.org.uk/beijing2008, where you will get updates from the dinghy park and the results as they come in, as well as the news from the Team GB camp. You can also leave messages of support for the team and your comments on the racing and Team GB’s prospects.