China’s 2004 windsurfing silver medalist Yin Jian set the pace in her quest for the host country’s first-ever Olympic sailing gold yesterday by dominating both opening races.
In the closely contested Finn class, newcomer Zach Railey of the US and British veteran Ben Ainslie were locked in a tight race.
Yesterday was the busiest day since Olympic racing started on Saturday in Qingdao, about 500km south of Beijing, with races in seven events. The men’s and women’s classes in both windsurfing and 470 joined the Finn, Yngling and 49er boats already racing.
Yin, 29, led every leg in the first two races to win both in moderate winds on the new RS:X sailboards that replaced the Mistral she sailed for her Athens silver.
“She’s sailing great. She’s definitely the one to beat,” said Australian Jessica Crisp, who was second in the standings with a second and a fourth place.
Yin was unassailable, finishing the first race 20 seconds ahead of Crisp and 46 seconds ahead of Spain’s Marina Alabau. In the second, she was 38 seconds ahead of Italy’s Alessandra Sensini and 43 seconds ahead of Britain’s Bryony Shaw.
After the races, Yin was swarmed by Chinese journalists as if she had already won gold, but she ignored the hubbub as she carried her sail and then her board through the boat parking area.
“No matter what wind, I will always do my best,” she said when reporters eventually cornered her as she rinsed off her sail.
In the Finn, 31-year-old Ainslie, with two gold and one silver Olympic medals, regained first place in the standings after six races from 24-year-old American Olympic first-timer Railey, who ended the day second overall. Ainslie took a first and a 10th, while Railey, coming off double second places on Sunday, finished seventh and eighth before heading into a rest day with his arriving parents today.
He said shifting winds made conditions difficult and that only one or two Finn sailors managed two placings in the top five.
Ainslie, whose results have ranged from three firsts, a fourth and two 10ths in the first three days of racing, said he would have liked a better second race.
Israel’s Shahar Zubari was leading men’s windsurfing overall with a first and a third, followed by Chan King Ying of Hong Kong with a fifth and a fourth.
“I had two really good races, It’s a good start, I’m really happy but it’s just the beginning and everything can change,” Zubari said.
Taiwan’s Chang Hao placed 32nd out of the 35 competitors in the first race and 29th in the second. The 17-year-old is ranked 30th overall after the first day of racing. Races three and four will be held today.
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