Windsurfing New Zealand

In a report on sail-World.com, Richard Gladwell makes his feelings clear that the medal race concept must be due some refinement by ISAF. Before going onto slam ISAF again for dropping the Tornado from the 2012 Olympic Regatta line-up. However, he does make interesting points and they should be considered fully.

"I am a New Zealander and I have lived in Hong Kong for more than 45 years. The RS:X gold medals going to China and New Zealand gives me a tremendous feeling of pride and personal satisfaction from the NEILPRYDE involvement in Olympic Sailing, the pinnacle of the sport” said Mr. Neil Pryde following the medal race.

This is just a quick note to let you all know well in advance that dates for the New Zealand Slalom Nationals – to be held in Dunedin – have been set as the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th of February the 9th being a day set aside as a ‘just incase we get no wind day’. If there is wind in the first or second day then you would know that you could change your flights or travel plans to leave on Sunday the 9th.

Bjorn Dunkerbeck (SUI, Proof, North Sails) and Valerie Ghibaudo (FRA, Loft Sails) are the European Champions of Speed Windsurfing 2008!

In a thrilling final gold fleet race Bjorn Dunkerbeck defeated Antoine Albeau (FRA, Starboard) who was leading the competition until that final race. Both were tied in points, with the tie broken in favour of Antoine Albeau by the top speed of the season (43.68 knots), a new spot record as well.

Tom Ashley won New Zealand’s third gold medal of the Olympics when he sewed up the men’s RS:X men’s sailing gold medal in Qingdao today. Sailing in the vital double-points medal race, Ashley was third, just good enough for him to hold on to first position with 52 points, one ahead of Frenchman Julien Bontemps after a thrilling contest. Third place went to Israel’s Shahar Zubari, who finished with 58 points. Except for a disaster in the 10th race, Ashley was the most consistent sailor of the regatta, recording finishing placings of 4-7-7-1-5-5-3-6-8-32-3. He was able to discard the 32 as a worst placing.

Television reports say Tom Ashley has just won the medal race to sail away with gold in a race that was the decider. Although placed 3rd going into the race the double points system meant that whoever won the race also won the gold medal.
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Today in Qingdao, China, Tom Ashley has won a gold medal – the first Olympic sailing gold for New Zealand since 1992 when Barbara Kendall won windsurfing gold 16 years ago in Barcelona.

Ashley secured the medal this afternoon after a grueling medal race where he fought it out with three rival windsurfers for a podium spot and an Olympic medal. With Julien Bontemps of France, Nick Dempsey of Great Britain and Tom Ashley all within one point of each other at the top of the standings, and Shahar Zubari of Israel a little further back but still in with a shot, today’s medal race was a grand finale of epic proportions.

The stage is set for an almighty battle for the men’s windsurfing medals at the 2008 Olympic Games with kiwi Tom Ashley right in the mix. Just one point separates the top three in the men’s RS:X class - France’s Julian Bontemps, Great Britain’s Nick Dempsey and New Zealand’s Tom Ashley going into their medal race set to be sailed tomorrow off Qingdao.

The RS:X fleets both added two races today, have now completed nine and will be back on the water for race ten tomorrow ahead of their medal races on Wednesday. Tom Ashley continues to lead the Men’s RS:X class though Nick Dempsey of Great Britain has gained some ground on the kiwi after today’s two races. Ashley returned two more consistent races, finishing 6th and then 8th. Race ten was abandoned late in the afternoon due to a dying breeze and has been rescheduled for tomorrow. Ashley leads on 38 points with Dempsey close behind on 41, while Julien Bontemps of France is third with 42 points. Barbara Kendall was 6th in race eight and then 13th in race nine today which sees her slip slightly to 7th overall. One race remains before the top ten medal race participants are decided in the Women’s RS:X class.

Tom Ashley – Men’s RS:X
Current position: 1st (after seven races)
3 races – Races 8, 9 & 10
Start time: 1100 hours
Course area B

Barbara Kendall – Women’s RS:X
Current position: 5th (after seven races)
3 races – Races 8, 9 & 10
Start time: 1100 hours
Course area B