QINGDAO, China: 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, American newcomer Zach Railey and British veteran Ben Ainslie were locked in a tight race.
Yesterday was the busiest day since Olympic racing started Saturday at Qingdao, about 500 kilometers (300 miles) 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 tenth, while Railey, coming off double second places Sunday, finished seventh and eighth before heading into a rest day with his arriving parents today. “Two more days of racing and hopefully the medal race, if everything goes well. I feel fine with the position I’m in,” said Railey, who was No. 28 at the worlds. 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 tenths in the first three days of racing, said he would have like a better second race.
“It’s OK. It could have been better,” said Ainslie. “Zach Railey has been sailing really well.” In the second race, Norway’s Peer Moberg moved up from finishes at the back of the fleet to claim his first victory, winning over Pieter-Jan Postma of the Netherlands and Daniel Birgmark of Sweden. In the second race, won by Ainslie, Eduardo Couto of Brazil was second followed by and Gasper Vincec of Slovenia. 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,” said Zubari.
The Yngling, 49er and Finn classes have a day off today. Windsurfers and the 470s, as well as men’s Laser and women’s Laser Radial dinghies will all race today.
